AFRIKAANS TERMS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22241, 29 January 1947, Page 3

AFRIKAANS TERMS

royal students PREPARING FOR TOUR aid to pronunciation (Special Correspondent,) LONDON, Jan. 27.

Both the King and Queen have spent many hours studying in preparation for the South African tour, states the Sunday Times correspondent.

Their Majesties set themselves to master the complexities of politics and race and to study the entire range of South African life. Almost every important visitor from the Union of South Africa who arrived in Britain in recent months and whose views and understanding were of value had an audience with the King. In addition, the King and Queen have had an intensive course of reading books about South Africa. Tin’s covered not only the Union, but the native protectorates.

Names of Places

Their Majesties, as well as the Princesses, have learned some Afrikaans, sufficient to be able to say a few sentences or return a greeting. It will also help them to master the very difficult pronunciation of names of places, a matter they regard as of great importance.

A good deal of the work of programme building has also fallen on the King. He had to weigh the claims of people and places in relation to the close-cut margins of time. The main lines of the tour, as well as a host of details, have been worked out by a committee in South Africa which communicated its plans through South Africa House to Sir Alan Lascelles, His Majesty’s secretary. Tire King and Queen'personally supervised the selection of an immense number of presents that are being taken out for native chiefs and others. Both are keen to meet Boer farming families.