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With this detailed line-by-line English translation and analysis of "Nkosi Sikelel' i-Afrika", you will not only be able to understand the poem, but also be ready for any question as the most important Afrikaans words been translated in brackets for you to i...
Nkosi Sikelel’ i-Afrika – H.A. Fagan
1. Uit duisende monde word die lied 1. From a thousand mouths the
gedra. song is carried.
2. Ek sluit my oë; soos ‘n 2. I close my eyes; like a choir of
serafskoor angels
3. val daardie stemme strelend op 3. those voices fall soothingly
my oor upon
my ears:
4. ‘Nkosi sikelel’ i-Afrika’ -- 4. ‘Nkosi sikelel’ i-Afrika’ --
5. ons vra U seën, o Heer, vir 5. we ask Your blessing, o Lord, for
Afrika. Africa.
6. Ek kyk, en sien die skare voor 6. I look, and see the crowds
my standing in front of me:
staan:
7. Zoeloe en Kosa, Soeto en 7. Zulu and Xhosa, Sotho and
Sjangaan, Shangaan,
8. en ek, ‘n Blanke – vele volkre, ja 8. and I, a White/Caucasian –
- many nations, yes -
9. almal verenigd om Gods seën te 9. everyone united to ask God’s
vra blessing
10. op net een tuiste, net een 10. for just one home, just one
vaderland, homeland,
11. want die Alwyse het ons saam 11. because the All Wise One has
geplant planted us together
12. en saam laat wortel in Suid- 12. and rooted us together in South
Afrika. Africa.
13. “Nkosi sikelel’ i-Afrika” - 13. ‘Nkosi sikelel’ i-Africa’ -
14. seën, Heer, die land wat vele 14. bless, God, the country that
volkre dra. carries many nations.
Analysis of the poem
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
1
OF THIS DOCUMENT IS ALLOWED
, 1. Uit duisende monde word die “duisende” refers to (verwys na)
lied gedra. the fact that there are a lot of
(a) people singing (wat sing) the
song.
This technique is called
metonymy
(metonemia/metonemie) which
refers to (verwys na) the
association (assosiasie)
between (tussen) concepts
(konsepte) since the line would
normally read: “Die lied word
deur duisende mense
gesing,”with “monde” actually
(eintlik) referring to “mense”
and “gedra” referring to
“gesing”.
By placing the “uit duisende” at
the beginning of the line, it
immediately (dadelik) captures
(vang) and focuses (fokus) the
reader’s attention (aandag) on
the fact that this song is so
special that it is sung by not one,
but thousands of people.
The use of the ui-sound serves
(dien) to emphasize
(beklemtoon) the notion (idee)
that there were many people
singing this song.
2. Ek sluit my oë; soos ‘n Very formal (formele) use of
serafskoor language as one would normally
(b) say: “Ek maak my oë toe” in
Afrikaans. When the speaker
closes (sluit) his/her eyes, it
could indicate (dui aan) that
he/she is enjoying (geniet) the
moment (oomblik) and it also
lends (verleen) a prayer-like
(bid) quality (kwaliteit) to the
event (geleentheid).
“Ek” indicates (dui aan) that this
is a first person narrator
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
2
OF THIS DOCUMENT IS ALLOWED
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