South Africa Time: The Concept of "Now"

"Now Now" "Just Now" - Wait... when?!

"Now Now" "Just Now" - Wait... when?!

Offering Worldwide Production Services: Culture is Key -

Yes, English is spoken in South Africa, however, that doesn't mean all words and phrases are the used the same. These cultural nuances can make all the difference! 

In production, timing can be crucial. The success of your photo shoot can hinge upon having that prop, model or perfect golden hour & communication of those needs falls on the shoulders of production. This is where those cultural & language nuances come in to play.  An American would interpret "now' as being "at this very moment" or " immediately" however if spoken by a South African, the meaning is often the exact opposite. In this instance, it can mean "perhaps later, but definitely not now"

TheProducer.AfricaTime.Now.Clock.png

 
Let's break down the concept of "Now", from most immediate to maybe never:

1. PRESENT TIME - Right now. Not to be confused with "Right Now"

2. RIGHT NOW -  This is more urgent than "Now", with a slightly higher probability of something actually happening. No guarantees. 

3. NOW NOW - More immediate than "Now", but it may still never happen. 

4. NOW - Almost, not quite, absolutely NOW... maybe. 

5. JUST NOW - An unknown amount of time. Could refer to a few minutes, tomorrow, or never.