“Yeses, Wa Tena Wena”: Afrikaner Explains Why He Communicates With His Dogs in English

• A South African content creator, @rianvanskaap, shared a humorous video responding to a viewer who questioned why he speaks to his dogs in English rather than Afrikaans
• In the amusing clip, the gentleman explains that his dogs were born in the new South Africa and because they are black, they only understand English
• South Africans flooded the comment section with laughter and appreciation for the content creator's witty take on language politics, with many praising his creativity and humour

A South African Afrikaner has amused TikTok users with his comedic explanation of why he communicates with his dogs in English rather than his native Afrikaans. Content creator @rianvanskaap shared the humorous video in response to a viewer who had asked why, as an Afrikaner, he doesn't speak to his pets in Afrikaans.

In the entertaining clip, @rianvanskaap, who regularly creates content related to current affairs and his daily life, explained:

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"My dogs were born in the New South Africa and because they are black in colour, they only understand English."

The video shows him repeatedly calling his energetic dogs using English commands instead of the Afrikaans equivalents that might have been expected.

Watch the TikTok clip below.

Language choices with pets

The content creator's choice of language when speaking to his pets raises interesting questions about the languages people use with their animal companions. Research indicates that people communicate with pets using various linguistic approaches, from normal adult language to slightly adapted sentences or even baby talk.

Linguists have noticed that people often switch languages when talking to animals, sometimes to set a certain tone or just for fun. Many pet owners speak to their pets the same way they would to a young child or someone with limited language skills.

Studies show that living closely with animals, especially in cities and indoor spaces, has made human-animal communication more flexible. Some pet owners even believe that animals raised in multilingual homes can understand more than one language.

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In South Africa’s post-apartheid era, language has deep cultural and historical meaning. The content creator’s joke about his black dogs being born in the "New South Africa" and therefore understanding English reflects the country’s linguistic shift after apartheid ended in 1994.

During apartheid, Afrikaans was closely linked to the ruling government, while English was often viewed as more neutral and global. Today, all eleven official languages are recognized equally by law, but English has become the most widely used in many settings.

South Africans react

The lighthearted video sparked numerous amused reactions from South African TikTok users who appreciated the content creator's humorous take on multilingual pet communication.

@Ruan_Muller added another common dog command:

"Don't forget voetsek😂😂😂"

@Ndlovu_mroza expressed admiration:

"Love you my favorite creative South African citizen ❤️🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 Rian van Skaap👌"

@Jacobus_Visagie humorously asked:

"Do they speak Zulu?"

@Rebone🇿🇦 commented on the pets' enthusiasm:

"😂😂 the energy of those dogs..."

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@neommusi971 offered high praise by comparison:

"😂aii bra u are better than Trevor."

@Ruaan made a playful suggestion:

"Jy kan met lightmason_'s praat soos n hond 🤣🤣"

@Boitshepo laughed along:

"Yeses watena wena🤣🤣🤣"

Other animal stories that caught Mzansi's attention

• Briefly News recently reported on Cape Town beach lovers who were urgently warned about dangerous venomous sea creatures washing up on the shores.
• A man shared a terrifying video on TikTok showing a gigantic monitor lizard climbing up curtains in someone's apartment.
• A new father courageously introduced his newborn baby to the family's pets, including two pit bulls, in a controversial video that immediately divided South African social media users into fierce opposing camps.

Source: Briefly News