Nadine Gordimer: Get A Life

But what about the sand dunes, the titanium, the ilmenite for the pretty girls' makeup, my brothers!

Final licence of destruction must never be admitted, granted. That's the creed. Work to be done. Yona ke yona. This is it. Phambili. There's a half-triumphal burst of laughter to be shared.

Wet the baby's head! Derek toasts.

ayeye– An expression teasing someone for his faults

braai– A barbecue

bundu– The bush; nowhere

cho!– A greeting calling attention to something

eish– An expression of reluctance

jabula– Be happy

khan'da– Operate; scheme

lalela– Listen

makhosi– Tribal chiefs; traditional leaders

n'swebu– Marvellous

phambili– Come on; go for it

sangoma– Traditional healer

shaya-shaya– A deliberately false statement

tsotsi– Street gangster

tuka– A long time ago

voetsek– Get out; push off

vuka– Wake up

wola– Hi

woza– Rise

yebo– A greeting, or affirmation

yonake yona– This is it

Nadine Gordimer,who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1991, is the author of thirteen novels, nine volumes of stories, and three nonfiction collections. She lives in Johannesburg, South Africa.