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Exploring the origins, contemporary usage and evolution of Namibian slang while measuring the informal language’s pros and cons, ‘Veraa!’ features commentary by creatives Franklin Shitaleni, Boli Mootseng, Che Ulenga, Fidel O’Del and Denzel NSK //Naobeb, as well as insights from academics Ellison Tjirera, Levi Namaseb and Wandja Njuguna. “I’m very curious, very orig, a storyteller, a story lorrie, like they say. I’m fascinated about how people speak today and how it translates to how we communicate tomorrow,” says Mungoba.

“I wanted to present ‘Veraa!’ like a messy music video because that’s also what translates to the youngsters, but then you’ve also got appreciation of the academia that comes through.” While slang is often dismissed as informal, unprofessional, indolent or unintellectual, ‘Veraa!’ invites the audience to dig deeper and appreciate its many facets. Slang was “a language to dodge the lanie,” says Mootseng, considering its usefulness during apartheid.



The idea of slang being a way to speak cryptically to certain communities and to particular peers is echoed by //Naobeb and by Njuguna, who is learning contemporary slang from her son. “My son, thank God is Generation Z, so he keeps updating me,” says Njuguna. “I’m told that mum is zali.

I have to keep updating as an older person.” Slang’s significance as the language of the youth is the province of Shitaleni, who contrasts the slang spoken by high schoolers from the.

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