Grammar
The syntax of formal SAfrE is close to that of the international standard. Colloquial SAfrE, however, has many features, such as: (1) Sentence initiators such as affirmative no, as in How are you?—No, I'm fine, probably from Dutch/Afrikaans, and the emphatic aikona as in Aikona fish (‘No fish today’), of Nguni (Bantu) origin. The common informal phrase ja well no fine (yes well no fine) has been adopted in solid written form as an affectionate expression of ridicule (jawellnofine) for broad SAfrE usage, and has served to name a South African television programme. (2) The suffixed phrase and them, as in We saw Billy and them in town (‘Billy and the others’), a form found also in Caribbean varieties. (3) Busy as a progressive marker with stative verbs, as in We were busy waiting for him, and often with a nonanimate subject, as in The rinderpest was busy decimating their herds. (4) The all-purpose response is it?, as in She had a baby last week.—Is it?, heard also in Singapore and Malaysia, but closely parallel in use to Afrikaans Is dit? (5) Extensive use of Afrikaans ‘modal adverbs’, such as sommer (‘just’) in We were sommer standing around.