With Covid infection numbers showing no signs of decline and the heartfelt losses that many of us have suffered, you may find that your mental agility is severely challenged.
This may look like:
- Apathy
- Low level depression
- Inertia
- Distractibility (my personal favourite)
- Hours of Netflix replace hours of productivity
- A general sense of lethargy
With all this going on – and it’s all very real – it’s important to keep your sense of humour.
I hope that these little anecdotes, as they pertain to our ‘health system’ may serve to help you do just that.
Health terms in South Africa
Some commonly used medical language has been clarified
- Bacteria – the backdoor of a cafeteria
- Cat scan – searching for Kitty
- Enema – not a friend
- Morbid – a higher offer
- Nitrates – cheaper than day rates
- Outpatient – a person who fainted
- Terminal illness – getting sick at an airport
- Varicose – nearby
(Source: unknown)
A uniquely South African English
Beck – not front
Beds – doves, etc
Errors – districts (e.g. eben errors)
Guddin – where you grow kebbi-gees
Hair – as opposed to him
Itch – itch and aviary par-sin shall hev wun
Kettle – cows etc
Len – to acquire knowledge
Teksi – car for hir, parrot teksi, not a memba of teksi assoseshen
Tocks – negotiations
Weaner – takes all
(Source: unknown)
A few of my own:
Mill – food we consume three times a day
De but – a first-time appearance
Spilit – when milk misses the cup
Frot – an illegal signature/document
Bit – what the SA rugby team did to the British Lions
How to tackle intelligence: word meanings
Relative or relevant? How to use words correctly