Die varieteite van Afrikaans as draers van identiteit : n sosiokulturele perspektief
Date
2011-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns
Abstract
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alexander (1994:24) wys daarop dat Afrikaans in die verlede dikwels as politieke speelbal gebruik
is in die naam van ’n soeke na identiteit. Hierdie artikel is nie ’n poging om hierdie debat voort
te sit nie; veel eerder is dit ’n bydrae tot die debat dat persone se huistaal, in welke variëteit ook
al, meer is as net ’n kommunikasiemiddel in post-apartheid Suid-Afrika. Meer spesifi ek ondersoek
die artikel hoe die Afrikaanse taal in sy verskillende variëteite die onderliggende draers is van
identiteit van die persone wat as “Kleurling”1 geklassifi seer is en voorheen op grond van armoede,
woonplek en ras benadeel is. Vanuit ’n sosiokulturele perspektief word die ontstaan en ontwikkeling
van Afrikaans asook sekere variëteite van Afrikaans met behulp van ’n literatuurondersoek beskryf.
Hieronder is Kaapse Afrikaans en die verwante Moesliem-Afrikaans, Namakwalands en Griekwa-
Afrikaans as voorbeelde van Oranjerivierafrikaans, en Karoo-Afrikaans en Tsotsitaal as voorbeelde
van Oosgrensafrikaans. Onderhoude is gevoer met verteenwoordigende sprekers van die
verskillende variëteite terwyl die lirieke van sommige liedjies wat in sommige streke baie prominent
is, ook beskou word.
ENGLSIH ABSTRACT: This article builds on the exploration of the negotiation of identity via language in post-apartheid South Africa. Specifi cally, it looks at the ways in which the various varieties of the Afrikaans language underpin the individual and collective identities of those Afrikaans-speaking people classifi ed as “Coloured” and marginalised by poverty, location and race. Alexander (1994:24) points out that Afrikaans in the past often had been misused for political reasons in the search for identity. From a socio-cultural perspective and by means of a literature review this article will refl ect on the origin and development of Afrikaans, amongst others: Cape Afrikaans and the related dialect of Muslim Afrikaans, Namakwalands and Griqua Afrikaans as examples of Orange River Afrikaans, as well as Karoo Afrikaans and Tsotsitaal as examples of Eastern Border Afrikaans. Interviews were conducted with representative speakers of the various varieties of Afrikaans, whilst the lyrics of Afrikaans songs prominent in some Afrikaans-speaking areas were also studied. The data gained from the literature review, supported by the evidence collected from the interviews and the songs, showed that the various varieties of Afrikaans are a sound indicator of identity in those Afrikaans-speaking communities under review.
ENGLSIH ABSTRACT: This article builds on the exploration of the negotiation of identity via language in post-apartheid South Africa. Specifi cally, it looks at the ways in which the various varieties of the Afrikaans language underpin the individual and collective identities of those Afrikaans-speaking people classifi ed as “Coloured” and marginalised by poverty, location and race. Alexander (1994:24) points out that Afrikaans in the past often had been misused for political reasons in the search for identity. From a socio-cultural perspective and by means of a literature review this article will refl ect on the origin and development of Afrikaans, amongst others: Cape Afrikaans and the related dialect of Muslim Afrikaans, Namakwalands and Griqua Afrikaans as examples of Orange River Afrikaans, as well as Karoo Afrikaans and Tsotsitaal as examples of Eastern Border Afrikaans. Interviews were conducted with representative speakers of the various varieties of Afrikaans, whilst the lyrics of Afrikaans songs prominent in some Afrikaans-speaking areas were also studied. The data gained from the literature review, supported by the evidence collected from the interviews and the songs, showed that the various varieties of Afrikaans are a sound indicator of identity in those Afrikaans-speaking communities under review.
Description
CITATION: Le Cordeur, 2011. Die variëteite van Afrikaans as draers van identiteit: ’n Sosiokulturele perspektief. Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe, 51(4):758-777.
The original publication is available at http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_issuetoc&pid=0041-475120110004&lng=en&nrm=iso
The original publication is available at http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_issuetoc&pid=0041-475120110004&lng=en&nrm=iso
Keywords
Language and languages -- Variation, Language and languages -- Sociological aspects, Afrikaans language -- Dialects
Citation
Le Cordeur, 2011. Die variëteite van Afrikaans as draers van identiteit: ’n Sosiokulturele perspektief. Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe, 51(4):758-777.