Afrikaans - language of the Boers, one of 11 "official" South African languages

Agulhas - cape at southern most point in Africa

Amarula - a "wild fruit cocktail" made with cream and fruit from marula tree; brand name for a popular creme liquer, South Africa's "Jungle Juice"

Appletiser - sparkling apple drink

bakleiwyn - "fighting wine", the cheap stuff

biltong - spicy dried beef

Bloubergstrand - shoreline community north of Cape Town ( English translation is "Blue Mountain Beach" )

Boer - literally means "farmer", used to describe the Afrikaner community

BoKaap - Cape Town's colorful Malay quarter

braaivleis - outdoor barbecue ( phoenetically = braaifleiss )

dassie - small furry rodent related to the elephant; found on Table Mountain

donga - dry watercourse, often deep

Drakensberg - "dragon's back", spine of mountains in Eastern Cape and KZN

drankwinkel - licensed liquor store

fynbos - scrub vegetation endemic to the Cape

Gauteng - "the place of gold"; province containing Johannesburg and Pretoria

gluhwein - mulled red wine served warm with herbs

groot - big, as in Groot Karoo

Hermanus - whale watching center on the Indian Ocean

Hluhluwe - an area in Kwa-Zulu Natal, famous for wildlife park

INDABA - annual travel trade exhibition in Durban

Inkatha - political party comprising mostly Zulus

Isandlwana - site of largest battle of Anglo-Zulu War lost by the Brits

jacaranda - exotic tree with spectacular purple blossom in spring (September)

karoo - semi desert area in eastern cape

kingklip - meaty white fish from cool Atlantic waters

klein - small, as in Klein Karoo

klipspringer - small antelope in rocky areas of the Cape

kloof - valley

Kirstenbosch - botanic gardens in Cape Town

Knysna - town on Garden Route

kroeg - bar

Kruger - national park named for President of Transvaal at the time of Boer war

kwaito township pop and kwela penny whistle - unique musical styles

laager - defensive ring of wagons from which an enemy could be repelled

Mandiba - endearing pet name for Nelson Mandela

meilipap - corn porridge

Mpumalanga - a province in the northeast

Ndebele - a tribe of black people known for their colorful graphic designs

nkosi - a chief

Oudtshoorn - town famous for caves and ostriches

pinotage - wine produced by crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault (Hermitage) grapes to produce the unique "Cape Grape"

potjie - dish prepared in a cast iron pot over a fire

Pick 'n Pay - friendly supermarket chain

Pretoria - national capital, site of excecutive branch and supreme court

protea - flower; also name of national cricket team

rand - South African currency ( from Witwatersrand or White-waters-ridge in Afrikaans, the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. )

robots - traffic lights

rooibos - herb tea full of minerals and vitamins

Rovos rail - luxury train

ry - what you may see on a stop sign (actual meaning is "drive" or "ride", or a "line/stripe")

sakisaki - dance favoured by Afrikaans farmers

sangoma - traditional healer

Shosholoza - an African working song

siyakwamukuela - "welcome" in Swazi

Soweto - vast South West Township outside Johannesburg

springbok - type of antelope, also name of the national rugby team

springmielies - "jumping maize" or pop corn

Stellenbosch - university town in the Cape

sundowner - "happy hour" refreshment in the bush

tanzanite - semi-precious blue stone at Cape Town shops

Transvaal - literally across the Vaal river; the old Gauteng (currently the province of Gauteng)

umngusho - stew made of corn, sugar beans, chiles and potatoes

vlei - swampy low lying flats ( phoenetically = flei )

voetsak - bugger off, get lost ( phoenetically = footsack )

Wandie's - popular restaurant in Soweto attracting visitors from around the world

Xhosa - Nguni tribe of Nelson Mandela

Zulu - Nguni tribe mostly in Kwa-Zulu Natal