# Afrikaans: skakel - bel



## Setwale_Charm

These words both are related to telephone communication but I would like to know what they mean exactly and , if possible, to have a translation into Dutch too.


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## Abu Bishr

"Skakel" can be translated as "switch" or "connect" or "contact" or "put someone through to someone-else". It is also used for switching on the light, e.g. Skakel die lig aan asseblief (Switch the light on, please). 

"Bel" I think comes from the surname of the founder of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, and it means to "phone" or to "contact telephonically". It is used in less formal sense than "skakel".


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## Setwale_Charm

Baie dankie!


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## jippie

In Dutch it would be *schakel* and *bel.*


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## Setwale_Charm

Veel dank, jippie.


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## Kirpan

It seems to me that 'skakel' at one time was used more often than nowadays. I even thought it was the correct word for the Dutch 'bel' but this conclusion was based on too few informants.
Nowadays I only hear 'bel' being used and I think 'skakel' is found too grandiose maybe


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