Literary and Biblical Afrikaans
Older books, hymns and Bible translations use a lofty style: Die pad was lank, dog hulle het aangehou. (The road was long, yet they kept going.) Ons dank U, Here. (We thank You, Lord.)
How It Works
1. The conjunction dog. Dog means yet or but. It works like maar: it joins two main clauses and does not change word order. Die pad was lank, dog hulle het nie moed opgegee nie. Do not confuse it with the particle tog.
2. Old grammar forms.
- The genitive des: die dag des oordeels (see old genitives).
- The old subjunctive: God sy dank, Die Naam van die Here sy geloofd (see old subjunctive forms).
- Onse for ons (our), as in the prayer Onse Vader.
- Rare words and past forms such as welke, ofskoon and wis.
3. Capitals for God. In church and Bible language, the personal pronouns U, Hy and Hom take a capital letter when they stand for God: Ons dank U, Here. The possessive stays lowercase: Ons dank U vir u genade. The everyday polite u is always lowercase: Dankie vir u hulp, meneer.
4. Fronting for emphasis. A predicate moves to the front, and the verb stays second: Groot is die liefde van God. Verb-first commands with laat are also common: Laat daar lig wees. (Let there be light.)
5. What to do with it. Read these forms with understanding, and enjoy them in hymns and poems. In your own everyday writing, use the modern equivalents: maar, se, ons and normal word order.
Examples (5)
- Die pad was lank, dog hulle het nie moed opgegee nie.
The road was long, yet they did not lose heart.
Word by Word: The road was long, yet they have not courage given-up not.
Dog joins two main clauses like maar.
- Ons dank U, Here, vir hierdie dag.
We thank You, Lord, for this day.
Word by Word: We thank You, Lord, for this day.
U takes a capital because it addresses God.
- Laat daar lig wees.
Let there be light.
Word by Word: Let there light be.
- Groot is die liefde van God.
Great is the love of God.
Word by Word: Great is the love of God.
The adjective is fronted for emphasis; is stays in second place.
- Die dag des oordeels sal kom.
The day of judgment will come.
Word by Word: The day of-the judgment shall come.
Common Mistakes
Sending the verb to the end after dog.
Hy was moeg, dog hy aangehou het.Hy was moeg, dog hy het aangehou.Dog is a coordinating conjunction like maar, so the clause after it keeps normal main-clause order.
Capitalizing the everyday polite u.
Dankie vir U hulp, meneer.Dankie vir u hulp, meneer.Only pronouns that stand for God take a capital. The polite u for a person is always lowercase.
Using the conjunction dog as the particle tog.
Kom dog saam!Kom tog saam!Dog is a literary conjunction meaning yet. The softening or urging particle is tog.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Literary and biblical texts use older wish forms, genitives and emphatic fronting that learners need to recognize.
- Old Subjunctive Forms
Older wish and prayer formulas supply the literary subjunctive forms.
Level 6 - Old Genitives: des, 'sOld Genitives: Des and 'S
Older genitives prepare expressions such as des oordeels.
Level 6 - Verb Second After a Fronted Word
Emphatic fronting prepares the order in Groot is die liefde van God.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- ofskoonAlthough (Literary): Ofskoon
A literary word for although, typical of this register.
Level 6 - welkeWelke: Literary Which
The literary and church word for which.
Level 6 - uPolite U
The everyday polite u, written lowercase, unlike U for God.
Level 1 - had/dag/wis/werd/mogRare Past Forms
Old past forms that appear mainly in writing.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
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