Examine the representation of the relationship between language and power inSouth African Literature

Examine the representation of the relationship between language and power inSouth African Literature
Author: Evelyn Naudorf
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Total Pages: 17
Release: 2003-05-27
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 363819115X

Essay from the year 2001 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: B, University of London (Faculty of English Literature), course: Literature in History: Race and Subjectivity in South African Writing, language: English, abstract: ‘The choice of language and the use to which language is put is central to a people’s definition of themselves in relation to their natural and social environment, indeed in relation to the entire universe.’1 This quote by the Kenyan writer Ngugi expresses the exceedingly important relationship between language and the individual in general. This relationship is gaining even more importance for a continent such as Africa, in which large parts of the native population were oppressed by European colonial powers for centuries. One important instrument of oppression was definitely language and the feeling of European superiority resulting out of cultural traditions, such as literature. In South Africa, where two major colonial powers were fighting for supremacy and many different native ethnic groups were combined in one state, the question of language would almost naturally provoke conflicts and crisis. In this essay, I should like to have a closer look at this delicate relationship between language and power in South African literature with the example of a Black and a White African writer, Sol T. Plaatje and Nadine Gordimer. In his historical overview, Leonard Thompson already describes the South Africa of the 18th century as a ‘linguistic Babel’2. Afrikaans, a simplified form of Dutch and at first only used in oral communication, would gradually develop into the lingua franca of South Africa. Today, its greatest competitor among European languages is English and both languages, together with nine African languages, belong to the eleven official languages of the postapartheid South African State. The right of every South African to use the language of his or her choice is now embedded in the constitution. However, the situation of having eleven official languages is truly unique world-wide. One of the most pressing question is whether there is a necessity to agree on a single language as the official one, with the other ten languages receiving an equally high status, in order to support the current process of nation-building? If so, should it be English, Afrikaans or one of the African languages? [...] 1 Ngugi wa Thiong’o. Decolonising the Mind, page 4

Pen and Power

Pen and Power
Author: Sue Kossew
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 268
Release: 2022-04-25
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 9004484752

The Anglophone Literary-Linguistic Continuum

The Anglophone Literary-Linguistic Continuum
Author: Michael Andindilile
Publisher: African Books Collective
Total Pages: 168
Release: 2018-11-05
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1920033246

Michael Andindilile in The Anglophone LiteraryLinguistic Continuum: English and Indigenous Languages in African Literary Discourse interrogates Obi Walis (1963) prophecy that continued use of former colonial languages in the production of African literature could only lead to sterility, as African literatures can only be written in indigenous African languages. In doing so, Andindilile critically examines selected of novels of Achebe of Nigeria, Ngugi of Kenya, Gordimer of South Africa and Farah of Somalia and shows that, when we pay close attention to what these authors represent about their African societies, and the way they integrate African languages, values, beliefs and cultures, we can discover what constitutes the Anglophone African literarylinguistic continuum. This continuum can be defined as variations in the literary usage of English in African literary discourse, with the language serving as the base to which writers add variations inspired by indigenous languages, beliefs, cultures and, sometimes, nation-specific experiences.

The Transformative Power of Language

The Transformative Power of Language
Author: Russell H. Kaschula
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 395
Release: 2020-09-10
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1108585000

Language has played a pivotal role in societal transformation in postcolonial Africa towards the creation of globally competitive knowledge societies; however so far, this role has been under-researched and under-estimated. This volume addresses this gap in the literature, by bringing together a team of globally-recognised scholars to explore the effect of language on African postcolonial societies, and how it has contributed to achieving 'mental decolonisation'. A range of languages are explored, both imported (ex-colonial) and indigenous African, and case studies from different spheres of public discourse are investigated, from universities to legal settings. Demonstrating that multilingualism is a resource for, rather than barrier to, successful transformation, this book brings the intellectualisation and institutionalisation of African languages to the forefront of development discourse, and provides an insightful snap-shot of how current academic research, public discourse, political activism and social community engagement have contributed to societal transformation in South Africa.

The Construction, Negotiation, and Representation of Immigrant Student Identities in South African schools

The Construction, Negotiation, and Representation of Immigrant Student Identities in South African schools
Author: Saloshna Vandeyar
Publisher: IAP
Total Pages: 149
Release: 2015-02-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1623968887

This is a ground-breaking research study on Black immigrant identities in South African schools. It is the first major book on racial integration and immigrant children in South African schools. The overall aim of this study is to investigate how immigrant students negotiate and mediate their identity within the South African schooling context. This study set out to explain this complex phenomenon, guided by the following research objectives: One, to describe how immigrant student identities are framed, challenged, asserted and negotiated within the institutional cultures of schools. Two, to evaluate the extent to which the ethos of these schools has been transformed towards integration in the truest sense and to determine how immigrant students perceive this in practice? Three, to explore the ‘transnational social fields’ in terms of social networks and cross-border linkages of immigrant students and how this impacts on their identity formation. Four, to determine if there are any new forms of immigrant student self-identities that are beginning to emerge? Five, to determine the extent to which racial desegregation has been accompanied by social integration between immigrant and local students. Six, to determine the impact of the South African social/schooling context on immigrant student identity formation. And seven, to identify critical lessons and ‘good practice’ that could be learnt and used to accelerate the racial desegregation and social integration of immigrant students in South African schools.

African Perspectives on Literary Translation

African Perspectives on Literary Translation
Author: Judith Inggs
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2021-03-03
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1000349012

This collection serves as a showcase for literary translation research with a focus on African perspectives, highlighting theoretical and methodological developments in the discipline while shedding further light on the literary landscape in Africa. The book offers a framework for understanding key approaches and topics in literary translation situated in the African context, covering foundational concepts as well as new directions within the field. The first half of the volume focuses on the translation product, exploring such topics as translation strategies, literary genres, and self-translation, while the second half examines process and reception, allowing for an in-depth look at agency, habitus, and ethics. Each chapter is structured to allow for the introduction of a given theoretical aspect of literary translation followed by a summary of a completed research project with an African focus showing theory in practice, offering a model for readers to build their own literary translation research projects while also underscoring the range of perspectives and unique challenges to literary translation work in Africa. This unique volume is a key resource for students and scholars in translation studies, giving visibility to African perspectives on literary translation while pointing the way forward for future research directions.

Sindiwe Magona and the Power of Paradox

Sindiwe Magona and the Power of Paradox
Author: Renée Schatteman
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 254
Release: 2024-04-23
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1040020216

This book examines the work of Sindiwe Magona, one of South Africa’s most prolific and groundbreaking writers, widely recognized for highlighting the everyday experiences of women and the domestic side of apartheid. A pioneer among black African women writers, she is equally respected as storyteller, advocate for children’s education, activist for HIV/AIDS awareness, and champion of indigenous languages. In this book, Renée Schatteman contends that Magona’s most important contribution comes through her refusal to choose sides in the contentious debates that have polarized public discourse following apartheid. By straddling two (or more) sides of a controversy and challenging any who do harm to others (and to the nation), regardless of their position, she blurs distinctions that are assumed to be absolute, opens new avenues of understanding, and inspires alternative visions for the future. By occupying the space of paradox, she undermines the closed epistemological structures inherited from apartheid and champions the need for interdependence, truth-telling, and dialogue. Covering her creative production over three decades (which includes novels, autobiographies and biographies, short story collections, children’s books, and literature about HIV/AIDS), this book is an essential read for Magona enthusiasts as well as for researchers of African literature and postcolonial South Africa.

Decolonising the Mind

Decolonising the Mind
Author: Ngugi wa Thiong'o
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer
Total Pages: 126
Release: 1986
Genre: Literary Collections
ISBN: 0852555016

Ngugi wrote his first novels and plays in English but was determined, even before his detention without trial in 1978, to move to writing in Gikuyu.

A Companion to African History

A Companion to African History
Author: William H. Worger
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 543
Release: 2018-09-11
Genre: History
ISBN: 1119063574

Covers the history of the entire African continent, from prehistory to the present day A Companion to African History embraces the diverse regions, subject matter, and disciplines of the African continent, while also providing chronological and geographical coverage of basic historical developments. Two dozen essays by leading international scholars explore the challenges facing this relatively new field of historical enquiry and present the dynamic ways in which historians and scholars from other fields such as archaeology, anthropology, political science, and economics are forging new directions in thinking and research. Comprised of six parts, the book begins with thematic approaches to African history—exploring the environment, gender and family, medical practices, and more. Section two covers Africa’s early history and its pre-colonial past—early human adaptation, the emergence of kingdoms, royal power, and warring states. The third section looks at the era of the slave trade and European expansion. Part four examines the process of conquest—the discovery of diamonds and gold, military and social response, and more. Colonialism is discussed in the sixth section, with chapters on the economy transformed due to the development of agriculture and mining industries. The last section studies the continent from post World War II all the way up to modern times. Aims at capturing the enthusiasms of practicing historians, and encouraging similar passion in a new generation of scholars Emphasizes linkages within Africa as well as between the continent and other parts of the world All chapters include significant historiographical content and suggestions for further reading Written by a global team of writers with unique backgrounds and views Features case studies with illustrative examples In a field traditionally marked by narrow specialisms, A Companion to African History is an ideal book for advanced students, researchers, historians, and scholars looking for a broad yet unique overview of African history as a whole.