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Dictionary of Rhodesian Slang


An Introductory Vocabulary in Zimblish - being the beginning of Zimblish and the end of English

avo - delicious tropical fruit - avocado pears
ag shame - expression of sympathy- agh sis tog
ah suza wena- You dipshit, open the windows every-one !.
aikona - not on your nelly - no ways china
Aikona kourouma - don't talk
bi 'scope - cinema
Bichana - a little
blerrie - all purpose adjective
Bobojan - monkey
boss up - proceed with extreme caution
bundu - countryside
Bungie Pit- Place where one sets fire to Madisons at school.
brookies - knickers
chiboolies - see TOOTS- castle or Lion lager
chip (pron. CHAP in some european communities)
choom - see PONGO
circle - traffic roundabout
catcha complex - exhibit unwarranted sensitivity
deadright - see MUSHI - nice
down south - RSA
big fashmal - see INDABA
ek se - added to the end of every sentence during the 70's to drive parents mad
flatdogs - crocs
for Africa - see Maningi - a lot, too much
funa - want
gemsquash - delicious tropical vegie
geza - wash
Goeie genade- Ooha bliksem.[Oh mye goodyesneeze mye]
go to doo-doo's(sic) - moms late night endearment/plea to her kids
graze - see PUZA
gogo - see NUNU
gummadoolahs- A place god only knows, no matter where you are
Gunja - Strong Madisons
guti - very light drizzle
gwaai - tobacco
hambagashle - chameleon
Hau !!! - How can this be
to get the hellin - to catch a complex
honestly I promise you! - see I SWEAR
hey - this word has many inflections
Is it! - even though it looks like a question it must have an exclamation mark when written
I swear! - see STRUZE FACT
indaba - a serious matter
maningi indaba - a VERY serious matter
just now - some time in the next week (soon - never, soon soon -
sometime, now - this year, manjimanji - maybe this week).
kanjani - see UZZIT
kia - house or room
lekker - see MUSHI
longs - trousers
longdrop - see PK
mombi - milk factory
mushi - very nice
muti - any medicine
nunu - insect/pest
nyama - flesh of the mombe
nyombies - a delicious pair of breasts
only - see STEREK
Ooha Bliksem- Goeie genade
ou - male human
Padkos - word used when stopping to buy crisps/cokes etc when going for a drive of over 10k's
poofie - see SIS
pongo - UK resident
picanin - small child
picaninni - something small
PK - Longdrop
Paw Paw - poofy pongo politician
"Praat jy Afrikaans ?" - A psychic Dutchman that can't speak English.
pull through - skinny runt
putsy - really simple, easy
puza - to eat
robot - traffic light
to rock up - to arrive at the scene
slops - stripped down takkies
shupa - to annoy
Sis !- express repulsion
shesh - a concentrated bout of activity
sadza - maize porridge
shuttine- A place somewhere north of where you are, and probably a place you will never visit.
Skys - Bulawayo
Soutpeel- An Englishman
spans - variation of sterek or maningi
sterek - very or very much
struze fact - emphatic phrase
sundowner - an evening drink (alchohol)
takkies - plimsoles
tchiya - to deliver a knuckle sandwich
Tchwala - booze
tenga
- to buy
to throw a thrombie - see 1000 words
troopie - national serviceman
toots - drinks
uphill - see 1000 words
uzzit - common form of salutation
under rods - masculine form of brookies
voetsak - get away!
1000 Words - a lengthy and impassioned harrang
xmas Beetle - an ultrasonic Nunu
zizz - a siesta
Zonke - all
Kangela - look at
Chaeewa - authentic, the real thing
Checha - quickly, on the double
Bareka - hurry up
Shanya - crazy
For the Ingutchini (madhouse) - certifiably crazy
Makiwa - people

Supplied courtesy of Sara from a "comic" book called "Here come the Rhodesians" - Email: (Sara) sasha@healey.com.au

Additional entries supplied by:
Mark Marais - Email: mark.hunt.tvt@unite.co.uk
Ken Markham - Email: markham@hixnet.co.za
Catherine and Jimmy Bravidis, ex-Gwelo, bravmd@yahoo.com