FIFA World Cup 2010: SA Football Terminology

Guests staying at Dreamfields Guesthouse during the World Cup (and beyond) should learn some of the typical South African football terms, so that you are well prepared to celebrate with all the South African fans in and outside of the stadium!
Bafana Bafana: South Africa's national team ('the boys, the boys')
Makarapa: Modified, decorated miners' helmet unique to South African soccer fans. Anything goes on a Makarapa, with goat horns, bells, bicycle horns and so on.
Vuvuzela: A large, colourful plastic trumpet that makes the sound of a foghorn. It is pretty much a must-have accessory at any South African Soccer match.
Laduma: A popular cheer celebrating goals scored at a soccer match (actual meaning: goal).
iDiski: South African term for soccer.
Diski dance: A dance that combines many typical soccer moves and showcases the unique way soccer is played in South Africa.
Tsamaya: Breath taking skill – better known as a feint.
Ishibobo: Literally it means nutmeg, but refers to passing the ball between the opponent's legs.

TOP 25 Useful South African Words

South Africans speak English, that does not mean that you will always understand them!
For all the visitors – not only during the World Cup 2010 - we would like to introduce a few words that are good to know while travelling in South Africa:

babbelas (bub-buh-luss) - A hangover.
bakkie (buck-ee) - A pick-up truck.
biltong (bill-tong) - This South African favourite is dried and salted meat
boerewors (boor-uh-vors) - Literally, farmer's sausage. A savoury sausage developed by the Boers - today's Afrikaners - some 200 years ago, boerewors is South African food at its most traditional.
boet (like book, with a t) - A term of affection, from the Afrikaans for brother.
braai (br-eye) - An outdoor barbecue, where meat such as steak, chicken and boerewors are cooked.
café (kaf-ay, kaff-ee or kayff) - The ubiquitous small neighbourhood convenience store, often found on street corners and stocking cigarettes, cold drinks and newspapers.
droewors (droo-uh-vors) – Dried boerewors, similar to biltong.
eish (aysh) - Used to express surprise, wonder, frustration or outrage.
gatvol (ghut-foll) - Taken from Afrikaans, this means fed up, as in “Jislaaik”. I'm gatvol of working in this hot sun." Translation: "Gee, I'm fed up with working in this hot sun."
howzit - A traditional South African greeting that translates roughly as "How are you?", "How are things?" or simply "Hello".
is it (as one word: izit) - An expression frequently used in conversation and equivalent to "Is that so?"
ja (yaa) - Yes.
jislaaik (yis-like) - An expression of outrage or surprise: "Jislaaik, I just saw Elvis!"
just now - If a South African tells you they will do something "just now", they mean they'll do it in the near future - not immediately: "I'll do the dishes just now."
laduma! (la-doo-mah) - A popular cheer celebrating goals scored at soccer matches, from the isiZulu for it thunders.
lekker (lekk-irr with a rolling r) - Nice, good, great, cool or tasty.
mampara (mum-puh-rah) - An idiot, a silly person. From the Sotho languages.
now-now - Shortly, in a bit: "I'll be there now-now."
oke - A man, similar to guy or bloke.
robots - Traffic lights.
sarmie - Sandwich.
shame - Broadly denotes sympathetic feeling. Someone admiring a baby, kitten or puppy might say: "Ag shame!" to emphasise its cuteness.
sharp - Often doubled up for effect as sharp-sharp!, this word is used as a greeting, a farewell, for agreement or just to express enthusiasm.
vuvuzela (voo-voo-zeh-lah) - A large, colourful plastic trumpet with the sound of a foghorn, blown enthusiastically by virtually everyone in the crowd at soccer matches. According to some, the word comes from the isiZulu for "making noise".

And do not forget, South Africa is a multilingual country with 11 official languages!