Editing Boers (section)

== Characteristics ==

=== Language ===
{{Main|Afrikaans}}

Afrikaans is a [[West Germanic languages|West Germanic language]] spoken widely in [[South Africa]] and [[Namibia]], and to a lesser extent in [[Botswana]] and [[Zimbabwe]]. It evolved from the Dutch vernacular<ref>K. Pithouse, C. Mitchell, R. Moletsane, Making Connections: Self-Study & Social Action, p.91</ref><ref name=Heese1971>{{cite book |publisher=A. A. Balkema |location=Cape Town |title=Die herkoms van die Afrikaner, 1657–1867 |ol=5361614M |author=J. A. Heese |date=1971 |oclc=1821706 |language=af |trans-title=The origin of the Afrikaner }}</ref> of [[South Holland]] ([[Hollandic dialect]])<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/kloe004herk01_01/kloe004herk01_01.pdf| title = Herkomst en groei van het Afrikaans – G.G. Kloeke (1950)}}</ref><ref name="Heeringade Wet2015">{{cite journal|last1=Heeringa|first1=Wilbert|last2=de Wet|first2=Febe|last3=van Huyssteen|first3=Gerhard B.|title=The origin of Afrikaans pronunciation: a comparison to west Germanic languages and Dutch dialects|journal=Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus|volume=47|year=2015|issn=2224-3380|doi=10.5842/47-0-649|url=http://www.ajol.info/index.php/splp/article/view/133815|doi-access=free}}</ref> spoken by the mainly Dutch colonists of what is now South Africa, where it gradually began to develop distinguishing characteristics in the course of the 18th century.<ref name="coetzee">{{Cite book |url=http://www.dbnl.org/arch/coet003stan01_01/pag/coet003stan01_01.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.dbnl.org/arch/coet003stan01_01/pag/coet003stan01_01.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |title=Standaard Afrikaans |access-date=2014-09-17 |work=Abel Coetzee |publisher=Afrikaner Pers |year=1948 }}</ref> Hence, it is a [[daughter language]] of Dutch, and was previously referred to as ''Cape Dutch'' (also used to refer collectively to the [[Cape Dutch|early Cape colonists]]) or ''kitchen Dutch'' (a derogatory term used in its earlier days). However, it is also variously (although incorrectly) described as a [[Creole language|creole]] or as a partially [[Creolisation|creolised]] language.<ref group="n">Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see {{harvnb|Booij|1999|p=2}}, {{harvnb|Jansen|Schreuder|Neijt|2007|p=5}}, {{harvnb|Mennen|Levelt|Gerrits|2006|p=1}}, {{harvnb|Booij|2003|p=4}}, {{harvnb|Hiskens|Auer|Kerswill|2005|p=19}}, {{harvnb|Heeringa|de Wet|2007|pp=1, 3, 5}}.<br/>Afrikaans was historically called Cape Dutch; see {{harvnb|Deumert|Vandenbussche|2003|p=16}}, {{harvnb|Conradie|2005|p=208}}, {{harvnb|Sebba|1997|p=160}}, {{harvnb|Langer|Davies|2005|p=144}}, {{harvnb|Deumert|2002|p=3}}, {{harvnb|Berdichevsky|2004|p=130}}.<br/>Afrikaans is rooted in seventeenth century dialects of Dutch; see {{harvnb|Holm|1989|p=338}}, {{harvnb|Geerts|Clyne|1992|p=71}}, {{harvnb|Mesthrie|1995|p=214}}, {{harvnb|Niesler|Louw|Roux|2005|p=459}}.<br/>Afrikaans is variously described as a [[creole language|creole]], a partially creolised language, or a deviant variety of Dutch; see {{harvnb|Sebba|2007|p=116}}.</ref> The term is ultimately derived from Dutch {{lang|nl|Afrikaans-Hollands}} meaning ''African Dutch''.

=== Culture ===
[[File:G.S. Smithard; J.S. Skelton (1909) - The Voortrekkers.jpg|thumb|Painting depicting the Bullock wagons moving over the billowy plains, 2 January 1860]]
The desire to wander, known as {{lang|af|trekgees}}, was a notable characteristic of the Boers. It figured prominently in the late 17th century when the Trekboers began to inhabit the northern and eastern Cape frontiers, again during the Great Trek when the Voortrekkers left the eastern Cape ''en masse'', and after the major republics were established during the Thirstland ('{{lang|af|Dorsland}}') Trek.<ref name="ransford">{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/ransford/chap13.htm | first=Oliver |last=Ransford |title=The Great Trek |year=1973 |chapter=13: Epilogue |access-date=2011-12-02}}</ref> One such trekker described the impetus for emigrating as, "a drifting spirit was in our hearts, and we ourselves could not understand it. We just sold our farms and set out northwestwards to find a new home".<ref name="ransford"/>
A rustic characteristic and tradition was developed quite early on as Boer society was born on the frontiers of white colonisation and on the outskirts of Western civilisation.<ref name="Du Toit 1998 1"/>

The Boer quest for independence manifested in a tradition of declaring republics, which predates the arrival of the British; when the British arrived, Boer republics had already been declared and were in rebellion from the VOC.<ref name="Mills">{{cite web |url=http://husky1.smu.ca/~wmills/course316/18White_Settlers.html |first=Wallace G. |last=Mills |title=White Settlers in South Africa to 1870 |access-date=2011-12-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926235742/http://husky1.smu.ca/~wmills/course316/18White_Settlers.html |archive-date=26 September 2007  }}</ref>

=== Beliefs ===
The Boers of the frontier were known for their independent spirit, resourcefulness, hardiness, and self-sufficiency, whose political notions verged on anarchy but had begun to be influenced by republicanism.<ref name="Mills" />

The Boers had cut their ties to Europe as they emerged from the Trekboer group.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url = http://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/ransford/chap1.htm|first=Oliver |last=Ransford |title=The Great Trek |year=1973 |chapter=1: Trekboers | access-date=2011-12-02}}</ref>

The Boers possessed a distinct [[Protestant culture]], and the majority of Boers and their descendants were members of a [[Reformed Church]]. The {{lang|af|[[Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk]]}} ('Dutch Reformed Church') was the national Church of the South African Republic (1852–1902). The Orange Free State (1854–1902) was named after the Protestant [[House of Orange]] in the [[Netherlands]].

The [[Calvinist]] influence, in such fundamental Calvinist doctrines such as unconditional [[predestination]] and [[divine providence]], remains present in a minority of Boer culture, who see their role in society as abiding by the national laws and accepting calamity and hardship as part of their Christian duty. Many Boers have since converted denominations and are now members of [[Baptist]], [[Charismatic]], [[Pentecostal movement|Pentecostal]] or [[Lutheranism|Lutheran Churches]].