English
Etymology
From Afrikaans skollie: a gangster; a thug. Possibly from Dutch schoelje: a rogue
Noun
skollie Plural skollies
- (South African) A gangster; or hoodlum.
#*The guy who was with me in the pub the previous day, in trying to explain to me who it was that had been killed, described him as a "skollie-intellectual". There is no direct translation for the term "skollie"- It generally means someone who is somewhat of a rebel- who refuses to bow to accepted societal rules. In some cases it is also used to refer to petty criminals.
::In the context in which it was used, however, it meant someone who was committed to improving the lives of ordinary people, based on his own experiences of oppression and suffering. It meant someone who, without having to resort to quoting Marx and Lenin or any other political guru, could explain the struggle for freedom and engage in debates about the struggle, in the language that ordinary people could understand. It meant someone with compassion, who would not have hestitated to sacrifice his own life for the good of our country and its people.
http://www.capeflats.org.za/article1.htm - 8k
References
1978: A Dictionary of South African English: Editor Jean Branford.
Category:South African English
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