He is truely the greatest statesman of south Africa. It is just such a pity he his so largely forgotten about especially the work he did for the country and for the world. I wish there were more audio pieces of him. He is my Hero
He made significant contributions towards the creation of both the League of Nations and the United Nations. Smuts is often considered to be the greatest South African of all time. Unfortunately his heart was never with the Boers but in his love for politics which made it easy for him to swap sides depending on which suited him better. This is a common trait which often shows in many Afrikaner leaders
Many Afrikaners think as you do, he lost the election in 1948. I was at 'n koskool in Wellie then and remember the entire school listening to the elections under the blankets. I was too young to realise that this would be the beginning of the woes of the Afrikaners which, unusually for a rooinek, I like very, very much. Perhaps if he had remained, South Africa may have taken another course. One which would not have resulted in the pathological hatred of the ANC towards the Afrikaans whites.
The answer is actually both. The Cape dialect also shines through in the "ee" sound (like in "leemtes". However, even today you will find that the generation of octogenarian (and older) Afrikaans speaking people, both in the Transvaal and Cape, is much closer to Dutch in their pronunciation.
Translation: "War erupted again, and from the same place. Germany and its satellites are again destroying the peace-loving nations of Europe, and threaten to dominate other nations, including our own. We therefore need a continuous stream of volunteers to replace the gaps that may be inflicted in our ranks. I now call on volunteers, and I know it will not be in vain. Afrikaners are always ready to respond to their nation's call. I believe the response will keep our forces at full strength."
Is this Dutch or Afrikaans? I know this isn't Dutch, but it sounds different from the afrikaans accent of today. I know he studied Dutch in school and that it was still spoken in ZA during his days. It seems like Afrikaans being spoken with a more Dutch accent than usual.
It's because he has a strong Cape Colony English influence in his roots but the Cape accents today are either the flat north cape or the mix language use Cape flat accent so you won't find that accent so easily today
Yes I agree with you. I watched all those old Afrikaner Movies in Black & White. Their accents had much more Dutch pronunciations of Afrikaners. My favourite was a guy from Lebanon. I forget his name but he was quite a character.
I don't expect you to agree with me as your mind is more than likely made up. But others reading this may wish to consider how things may have been different. I have friends from all over the world, but on taking an inventory I am amazed to find the Afrikaners are the greatest in number. An honest people who are not two-faced and you will always know where you stand with them. Unlike my own race who are often pleasant to your face and talk about you in a detrimental fashion behind your back.
It is also a shame that so many of the Afrikaners were against him if only the National Party had taken the advice from him that segregation would not work we might have been in a better situation now
Smuts was not a Boer nor from the Republics & unlike the Boers he was well educated. Afrikaners often supported the British & never fought for their own freedom as the Boers did. Smuts at least helped the Boers during thier war & was a good soldier. He lead the Raid on the Cape, attempting to get Boer support from the Cape Afrikaners who unfortunately supported Britain & refused to help the Boers. Controversial man because he first supported Rhodes’ until Rhodes launched the Jameson Raid.
@1prouddemocrat yeah i agree, but i do not think he was any more racist than any other man of his generation, even outside of south africa in fact he was probably quite liberal.
He let his people down. Many woman and children died in concentration camps and he disregarded that. He disregarded the feelings of those that stayed behind and expected them to fight for England. He could have stayed neutral at the least and retained he loyalty of his nation. Good thing they got rid of him. They should have berried him in Britain.
He is truely the greatest statesman of south Africa. It is just such a pity he his so largely forgotten about especially the work he did for the country and for the world. I wish there were more audio pieces of him. He is my Hero
He made significant contributions towards the creation of both the League of Nations and the United Nations. Smuts is often considered to be the greatest South African of all time. Unfortunately his heart was never with the Boers but in his love for politics which made it easy for him to swap sides depending on which suited him better. This is a common trait which often shows in many Afrikaner leaders
Many Afrikaners think as you do, he lost the election in 1948. I was at 'n koskool in Wellie then and remember the entire school listening to the elections under the blankets. I was too young to realise that this would be the beginning of the woes of the Afrikaners which, unusually for a rooinek, I like very, very much.
Perhaps if he had remained, South Africa may have taken another course. One which would not have resulted in the pathological hatred of the ANC towards the Afrikaans whites.
The answer is actually both. The Cape dialect also shines through in the "ee" sound (like in "leemtes". However, even today you will find that the generation of octogenarian (and older) Afrikaans speaking people, both in the Transvaal and Cape, is much closer to Dutch in their pronunciation.
My grandmother is one of his great grandchildren, only found out a few months ago lol she was also born in Riebeeck West so we put the pieces together
Translation:
"War erupted again, and from the same place. Germany and its satellites are again destroying the peace-loving nations of Europe, and threaten to dominate other nations, including our own. We therefore need a continuous stream of volunteers to replace the gaps that may be inflicted in our ranks. I now call on volunteers, and I know it will not be in vain. Afrikaners are always ready to respond to their nation's call. I believe the response will keep our forces at full strength."
A larger than life charakter, a true statesman if there ever was one.
Is this Dutch or Afrikaans? I know this isn't Dutch, but it sounds different from the afrikaans accent of today. I know he studied Dutch in school and that it was still spoken in ZA during his days. It seems like Afrikaans being spoken with a more Dutch accent than usual.
This is Afrikaans, but he had a much stronger regional accent, I'd say
It's because he has a strong Cape Colony English influence in his roots but the Cape accents today are either the flat north cape or the mix language use Cape flat accent so you won't find that accent so easily today
Yes I agree with you. I watched all those old Afrikaner Movies in Black & White. Their accents had much more Dutch pronunciations of Afrikaners. My favourite was a guy from Lebanon. I forget his name but he was quite a character.
He was immensely intelligent man and no wonder that he was close confidant of Winston Churchill.
I don't expect you to agree with me as your mind is more than likely made up. But others reading this may wish to consider how things may have been different.
I have friends from all over the world, but on taking an inventory I am amazed to find the Afrikaners are the greatest in number. An honest people who are not two-faced and you will always know where you stand with them. Unlike my own race who are often pleasant to your face and talk about you in a detrimental fashion behind your back.
It is also a shame that so many of the Afrikaners were against him if only the National Party had taken the advice from him that segregation would not work we might have been in a better situation now
Wonder if he would have been a better leader than Verwoerd.
Adder
Smuts was not a Boer nor from the Republics & unlike the Boers he was well educated. Afrikaners often supported the British & never fought for their own freedom as the Boers did. Smuts at least helped the Boers during thier war & was a good soldier. He lead the Raid on the Cape, attempting to get Boer support from the Cape Afrikaners who unfortunately supported Britain & refused to help the Boers. Controversial man because he first supported Rhodes’ until Rhodes launched the Jameson Raid.
@1prouddemocrat yeah i agree, but i do not think he was any more racist than any other man of his generation, even outside of south africa in fact he was probably quite liberal.
He let his people down. Many woman and children died in concentration camps and he disregarded that. He disregarded the feelings of those that stayed behind and expected them to fight for England. He could have stayed neutral at the least and retained he loyalty of his nation. Good thing they got rid of him. They should have berried him in Britain.