The Concept of Now

South African English (as with any variation of any language) has a number of quirks that have arisen from the context of the melting pot of cultures and languages of the region.  In South Africa these are not seen as quirks.  They are seen as the normal form of expression.

So it was that I came to America, knowing that language would be different, but not realizing that my common, everyday expression would be confusing to those around me.  Take, for example, the concept of "Now".  To a South African it is a concept rich in meaning and nuances.  I soon realized that most other cultures clearly do not experience the present as richly as do South Africans.

To help my friends from other cultures benefit from the richness of this simple word (and so that I don't have to explain myself for the thousandth time) I have posted this simple guide to the South African concept of Now - with clear examples to prevent misunderstandings when people visit the country.

In South Africa the word “now” is used in a number of different ways, and almost all of them refer to a time other than the present.

In most situations the word now actually means “next”

For example:

Guest:  “Would you please bring my bags to my room?”

Porter:  “Certainly sir, I’ll bring them now.”

In this example the porter is telling the guest that the request is next on his list of things to do.  This should not be confused with the concepts “mañana” or “African Time” which mean that it may or may not get done over the next day or two.  “Now” is a definite commitment to get it done as soon as I’ve finished what I’m currently busy with.

So, what if you need something done immediately?  

There are two ways of getting this message across:

Guest:  “Could you please bring my bags to my room right now?”

Porter:  “Certainly sir, I’ll bring them now”

Guest:  “Not now, please, NOW!”

In this example “right now” is a somewhat more polite than the strongly emphasized “NOW”.  However, notice that even when we assert ourselves in such a manner, we are never over-demanding and are sure to include "please" to ensure that the other person knows their assistance is valued.

What if you’d like something done sometime between one and two hours from the present? 

In these cases we use the phrase “just now”.  For example:

Guest:  “Could you bring my bags to my room?”

Porter:  “Certainly sir, I’ll bring them right now”

Guest:  “No need to hurry, I’m first going to get something to eat, you can bring them just now”

In the example the context indicates to the porter more or less how long he has before he takes the bags – probably about 1½ hours (we like to take our time eating).

When using the term “just now” it is important to place a slight emphasis on the word “just”.  It’s “just now”, not “just now” (which doesn’t convey any meaning at all).

If you’d like someone to take even more time doing what you asked (perhaps 2 - 3 hours) you can also stretch out the word “just”. For example:

Father on phone:  “Marie, when should I fetch you from the party?”

Daughter on cell phone:  “Juuuu………………..uuuust now, Pa, we’re having a really good time.”

Father:  “I’m coming RIGHT now!!”

In summary:  Now means “next on my list of things to do”, right now means “immediately” and just now means “at a definite point in the next couple of hours”.

Now, South Africa is a friendly country and it is a very important part of our culture not to inconvenience anyone.  So is there a way we can communicate that we understand the urgency, and are willing to help, but we have a lot to do and we don’t really know if we’ll be able to complete the task immediately? 

Yes, with the term “now-now”.  For example:

Guest:  “Could you arrange some Rugby tickets for Saturday’s game?”

Concierge:  “Certainly ma’am, I’ll need to make a few calls.  When do you need them?”

Guest:  “I’m not in a hurry, but it would be good to know if you have them so I can arrange my week.”

Concierge:  “No problem, ma’am, I’ll call you back now-now”

This means that the concierge will get back to you as soon as he has been able to get the information, but it might take a little longer than usual because there are a number of things he has to do to accommodate your request.  The use of the double “now” actually softens the meaning of “now” instead of intensifying it.  Another translation for “now-now” might be “in due course”.

This should not be confused with the term “now now” when spoken in a cautionary tone.  For example:

Bar Patron #1:  “Have you seen that girl at the end of the bar?  I’m going to get her number.”

Bar Patron #2:  “Now now Frik, she’s an England supporter, we don’t want to consort with the enemy!”

Also not to be confused with the term “now now” when spoken in a comforting tone.  For example:

Bar Patron #1:  “Can you believe it?  She slapped me!”

Bar Patron #2:  “Now now Frik, cheer up, it’s for the best.  Let me buy you another beer.  You’ll feel better now-now.”

Final note:  all of these terms can be used in the past tense as well.

For example:

Guest:  “Did you take my bags to my room?”

Porter:  “Yes sir, I took them just now.”

Guest:  “Really?  Because I was up there now, and I didn’t see them.”

Porter:  “Right now?”

Guest:  “Well, now-now.  On my way between the spa and the gift shop”

Porter:  “Oh, I probably just missed you.  If you go up now, you’ll find them”

Guest:  “OK, sorry!”  (always apologize after questioning a person’s actions – although that’s another subject altogether)

Porter: “No problem, sir, enjoy your stay”

A Winter's Trail

Getting to work has been a harrowing experience for me in the past.  (see my blog Getting to Work on my First Day at Forrester for just one example of the ordeal I have to endure on "The Path").

Imagine my delight, therefore, when I arrived at the trailhead for my morning commute to find that it had been transformed into a magical world of indescribable beauty and convenience.






The flag that once snapped stridently in gales now hangs in muted elegance, welcoming me to a smoothly sculpted arrangement of gently curving boulders.























The stone steps are coated with soft snow, inviting one to step onto the cosy trail that envelops one's feet in comfort.

So soft is each step, so silent the tread, that one can no longer even feel one's own feet.

Every turn in the trail reveals a doorway to a new discovery.  Gracefully arched branches form a beautiful picture and then quickly pull one past them - revealing themselves to be simply a frame for the openness that lies beyond.

Benches dot the trail for those who are so overcome by the beauty of the experience that they can proceed no further.  There they sit, huddled figures with awe in their dazed eyes.  Their sense of mortality temporarily suspended by the magic around them.

But one cannot sit there for long.  For the majesty of the trail beckons.  One is drawn onward, ever onward, by the hint of what lies next.

Before long the buttockal evidence of those who reclined in awe is covered softly, so gently, by the pillowy wisps of snow that serve the trail.

It would be a mistake to think that the trail is a quiet place that embraces one in its solitude.  While the snow gently enfolds the trail in peace, it is not a silence devoid of life.

The trail attracts all who strive for release and freedom.  A place where contemplation is as natural as frolicking; a cocoon that contains a world of carefree innocence.

This is a place of living beauty, but it is also a place that celebrates the artistry of the cycle of birth and re-birth.  Discarded branches are transformed into an impromptu sculpture that celebrates the life-giving power of the trees from which they have fallen.

A bough of feathered green is dusted with a delicate coat that calls to the traveler with a promise.  "Pass under me and I will enshroud you with powdered clouds of swirling crystals."

And so coated one rounds the curve onto the sturdy bridge.  A reminder that no matter how perfect this world seems, it is grounded in reality.  The bridge gently connects the surreal world of the trail with the well trodden path beyond.  The transition is marked with a small light of hope and cheer.

And here the trail yields to the lighted pathway - no less beautiful and certainly as welcoming, but in a formal, grand manner.  Marsh and field breaking through the blanket of white, demonstrating the strength and will of the path, in contrast to the whimsical trail.






And there the path ends.  The office, which once seemed like a safe haven, now looms behind an emergency unit.  The atmosphere is fraught.  The threat of the interior hangs heavily in the crisp air.  Soon I will enter this place and leave behind the magic of the trail - I will enter the warm, dry interior and wistfully think about the delightful crisp, wet, cold of the trail...