Page:Studies in Lowland Scots - Colville - 1909.djvu/221

Rh schoolboys as standpoints in the game of rounders. A Scot might say with a Boer, "Dat's het" for "That's it," while such phrases as these translate themselves: Hoe veel wil u be? Ik is met pa; wat meen jij? Hé je een beitjie brood voor mij?

In grammar the resemblances between the Taal and Scots are equally striking. The double negative is frequently used in both, as "It'll no be hizz nether." The Northern English substantive verb uses is throughout, and this is the rule in Cape Dutch: "Ik is een arm man," I am a poor man; "Die tije is zwaar," The times is hard (sweer). The verb have is either hae or het, singular and plural, as "Ons het al-tijd iets te mis voor een arm mens," Hizz hae all-tide something tae spare for a poor man; "Die kinders het vrinde genog," The children have friends enough. So one hears in Scotland, "Oor bairns hizz (or hae) naethin' to maak a wark aboot." The Boer preserves the subjunctive as Burns and older writers do: "Ik ga niet uit want (Ger. wenn) ik ben ziek," I go not out if I be sick. A parallel idiom is, for the time of day, half two (half-past one), twal oor (midday, twaalf uur, in Taal).

In one respect the Taal has the advantage of the Scots vernacular. As a living speech it grows and adapts itself to new conditions. How modern are these words and phrases, alike in their old-world guise!—faar-keeker, a telescope; spoor-boekjie, a time-table; on-smet, to disinfect; snij-dokters, cutting doctors, surgeons; ik shorthand ken en kan typewrite. One looks, also, to such elements as metaphors, proverbs, and the like for evidences of vitality in a language. The Boer's blad stil (blade still) strikingly depicts a dead calm. These popular sayings are simple, but expressive:—