Den sydafrikanske författaren André Brinks första svarsbrev till mig 1997.

Jag postade mitt första brev till den sydafrikanske författaren André Brink 1997. I och med att brevet gick med vanlig post tog det sju dagar att anlända till Kapstaden i Sydafrika. Brink hade vänligheten att skriva tillbaka. Svarsbrevet anlände några veckor senare, mycket snabbare än jag förväntat mig.
Nedan är hans svar:

                                                                                                  16 February 1997

Dear Mr Lindström,

Thank you for your letter, and forgive me if this reply is on the short side, but I´m rehearsing a new play as well as trying to cope with our new academic year which has just begun.

Here, as much to the point as possible, are replies to your questions:

1. Meanings of words (most of these you have guessed correctly): 41 blackjacks = police; 53 lanie = a white man; 80 pasa with a gonnie = stab with a knife, kuzak = cash; 84 atshitshi = marijuana, gattes = police; kieries = sticks; 87 roerie guluva = top gangster; 93 morena = preacher; 113 meid = literally ´girl;´, used pejoratively for a black woman; 178 judge the jampas = check the time; 180 mugu = fool; 182 moered = beaten up ; 152 stokvel: (in this context) great party or celebration, popla = beer.

2. I dont know of any flytaal dictionary.

3. South African English comes from everywhere: see the very recent Oxford Dictionary of Soth African English; but "semester" is of course not exclusively American.

4. 84 "You´re on the spot" = You´re where it happens, you´re right there for anyone who needs you.

5. 216 "chooky" (=jail) has existed in S.A English and in Afrikaans for a very long time.

6. I can recommend the literary quarterly Tidskryf vir Letterkunde (P O Box 1758, Pretoria 0001); there is also a monthly news magazine with a strong literary section, called Insig (P O Box 1802, Cape Town 8000). If you are interested in ordering Afrikaans book, you may obtain catalogues from the two major publishing houses: Human & Rousseau, P O Box 5050, Cape Town 8000, or Tafelberg, P O Box 879, Cape Town 8000.

I am impressed by your quite remarkable efforts to learn other languages almost completely on your own, and wish you much good luck with your continuing efforts.

Warm regards, André Brink.