WeeklySA_Adminwith Sy Makaringe
MIND YOUR LANGUAGE, IT MIGHT HUMILIATE YOU
English, the Queen’s language, has not been very kind to humankind ever since its concoction by Germanic migrants including the Angles, Saxons and Jutes when they settled in Britain way back in the fifth century.
We love it so much even though it repeatedly exposes our linguistic frailties on a daily basis, at every turn and on every platform. It could be on national TV or radio, in the hallowed chambers of parliament, institutions of higher learning, courtrooms, schools, weddings, funerals, birthday parties, conferences, political rallies, churches, English just cuts us down to size. But we never learn.
It never leaves our lips even though it bemuses, bamboozles and befuddles us all the time, irrespective of our station in life or the academic qualifications we might possess. It does not matter whether you are a top English professor, ace soccer commentator at a major international English TV channel, a world-renowned legal eagle, veteran journalist or the president of a country, English will humble you. Even the direct descendants of the Queen herself are not immune from its humiliation.
Like a cockroach that suddenly emerges from the darkest corner of your living room and starts crawling on your swanky TV set while you are entertaining your guests, your command of English or Freudian slips will embarrass you at the most inappropriate of moments.
Below are examples of a few great people who recently found themselves at the wrong side of the English language.
WHICH IS WHICH,
ADVOCATE?
“When one looks at the colours one has a doubt as to whether eventually the vehicle which is linked with the first accused is actually the one which was even involved from which the firearms were fired.” – Advocate Amos Khumalo, a defence lawyer in the trial of three men accused of murdering German tourist Jorg Schnarr. Adv Khumalo was speaking in a TV interview with Newzroom Afrika’s Mweli Masilela on the sidelines of the trial outside the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Mbombela.
THE DAY MEYIWA GOT FIRED
“They were accosted by two men who got into the house and subsequently the deceased got fired.” – Advocate Charles Mnisi, a defence lawyer during his cross-examination of Vodacom Forensic Officer Pinky Vythilingam in the former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa murder trial in the Pretoria High Court.
MORE PEOPLE GET FIRED
“What does the law say about entrapment? What about other innocent people that even get fired in the cross-fire of this particular situation?” – Forensic investigator Calvin Rafadi reacting to a mass shooting that claimed eight lives at a tavern in Kanana, North West, on Friday July 26.
BABY IN TRANSIT
“You don’t throw the baby with, as you know, eh… eh… a tub and so on.” – ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula in an interview with Mawande Amashabalala in a Sunday World Engage podcast on the state of the party in the wake of the formation of the 10-party Government of National Unity (GNU) following the 2024 general elections in which it polled 40%.
DEAD OR ALIVE
“This is where Chief Justice Raymond Zondo will be presenting his annual judiciary report and it covers everything, from the judicial functions to court … judicial function of judicial officers to court performance and our Veronica Makhoali is there and joins us alive now.” – Newzroom Afrika news anchor Iman Rappetti on the Newsfeed with Iman Rappetti show on Friday July 26.
TRIPLE JEOPARDY
“What they assured us is the fact that Home Affairs says they are getting ready to deport back some of the Libyan nationals back to their home country …
And for whom are they training for?” – SABC’s SA Today news anchor Alicia Nhlanhla Jali during her interview with security analyst Mike Bolhuis following a police raid into an illegal military training base outside White River in Mpumalanga.
ENGLISH IS ENGLISH
“As we speak now the case has been postponed for the Arabic interpreter, meaning that the accused before this court cannot understand … some of them cannot understand the English that is being spoken in this English.” – Mpumalanga National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Monica Nyuswa in a TV interview following the appearance of 95 Libyan nationals in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on a charge of making misrepresentations in their visa applications to enter South Africa
DISORDER IN THE HOUSE
“Order, Honourable Members. You see, when you interject in between, then I can’t hear the speakers.” – Cedrick Frolick, National Assembly House Chairperson during a parliamentary vote last week.
