▪ I. taal S. Africa.
(tɑːl)
[a. Du. taal language, speech, MDu. and MLG. tāle language, speech, tale, = OE. talu tale, story, account: see tale.]
The Dutch word for language, speech (de Nederlandsche taal, the Netherlands or Dutch language): in English, ‘the taal’, spec. applied to the Cape Dutch, or Dutch patois spoken in South Africa.
| 1896 Westm. Gaz. 8 Jan. 8/1 He speaks the Taal better than a Hollander can, and can understand the Boers better. 1897 Bryce Impressions S. Afr. 480 It [Boer Dutch] differs widely from the cultivated Dutch of Holland,..having become vulgarised into a dialect called the Taal. Ibid. 511 Except some of the men from Cape Colony, they could not speak the Boer Taal. 1900 Spectator 6 Oct. 460 One of the first results..was to establish the Taal, the Cape patois, as an official language. |
| attrib. and Comb. 1898 Johannesburg Star 4 June, Sundry clever and humorous volumes of taal-verse. 1901 Daily Chron. 22 July 5/3 An epitome of all the more unattractive qualities of the taal-speaking Dutch. |
▪ II. taal
obs. f. tale.