Context: A. is a sophomore in university. He grew up in South Africa and is refering to nature reserve that his family owns. When he visits home, him and his family often go camping on this land with their extended family.

A: “‘Guaf’ is something that my extended family uses, and also super-extended family (3rd and 4th cousins). It is an alternative for the word muck or grime. There is open water lake that we go to in this open land that we own. There is this silt at the bottom that helps filter the water, and it makes the water murky. It feels a bit slimy if you touch it, but you can get by without touching it. ‘Guaf’ is the word that we use for this, and it kinda sounds the way it feels.”

Reflection: This is a good example of how words are often created when there is something missing in a language. This is one of the many ways languages can change over time. Over time, words will are created as slang, getting popular, and then become official parts of the language.