South African English
Four brothers from different parties, one election position: who'll win?
Play videoA South African news story about four brothers from Eastern Cape
Born a Crime
This is a passage from Trevor Noah's book "Born a Crime" that I found really interesting. He was raised in apartheid South Africa as a mixed child and had to switch between multiple languages to navigate the world. He argues that "language, even more than color, defines who you are to people" because he was able to use language to change other people's perception of his race. [Published on 2016]
South African Rugby Slang
Play videoIn the video, Welsh players try to find and dissect the meaning behind the slang and colloquialisms of the South African language and rugby terms for various things. The reason behind this is due to the terms being unique to South African community and rugby community. These terms are special to the rugby group and the known meaning only known to the South African country as seen throughout the length of the video
Die Antwoord's Evil Boy: A Dynamic Crossroad of Language, Culture, and Rap in South Africa
Play videoDie Antwoord is a controversial rap group from Cape Town, South Africa fronted by Ninja Yolandi Vi$$er. Speaking from a post-apartheid perspective, this group offers an underrepresented view of young, lower-middle class, white Afrikaans - a subculture known as "Zef." Historically, Zef has been considered a derogatory term describing someone who was white, poor, and "trashy." However, Die Antwoord and others have looked to transform this into a self-reflective, somewhat satirical, parody that Ninja described as being "apocalyptic debris that we’ve stuck together." In this music video, they display their unique code-switching between Afrikaans and English, as well as Xhosa - the Bantu language of the Xhosa people. Adding to their mixed-bag controversial nature, is the relationship of the Afrikaans languages’ association with apartheid.
Through dynamic language and visual use, this video reflects the complex sociocultural and sociolinguistic interactions that occur in this region. The lyrical narrative told is a statement on the clash between traditional tribal circumcision rituals, and the modern subcultures that seem to offer an alternative path to "manhood." This can be heard in the verse by the guest rapper Wanga, sung in his native tongue:
"Mamelapa umnqunduwakho! (listen here, you fucking asshole)
Andifuni ukuyaehlatini! (I don't want to go to the bush with you)
Sukubammba incanca yam! (don't touch my penis)
Andi so stabani! (I’m not a gay)
Incanca yam yeyamantobi! (this penis is for the girls)
Incanca yam iclean! (my penis is clean)
Incanca yam inamandla! (my penis is strong)
Ndiyinkwekwe enkulu! (I am a big boy)
Angi funi ukuba yeendota! (don't want to be a man)
Evil boy 4 life! yebo! (yes)
Evil boy 4 life!"
Through the use of polyglossic code-switching, performativity, sociocultural and racial integration, and a revamping of contextual meanings, Die Antwoord is doing its part to redefine what it means to be young and Zef in South Africa, and what a socioculturally- and sociolinguistically-complex rebellion sounds like.
Language equality in post-apartheid South Africa
Play videoCollege students demonstrate for language equality in Pretoria, South Africa. Students are currently taught in Afrikaans, the language of apartheid-era oppression. This is an example of how language can be used to signify either oppression or equality.
Black South African English 2
Play videoThis variety of Black South African English is notable (especially in comparison to the BSAE speaking security guard) for its more Cultivated style--which makes sense in context because the advertisement is for a South African university and therefore indicative of a higher socioeconomic class and exposure to the standard.
Black South African English
Play videoThis black South African security guard speaks using a variety of Black South African English.
Sharlto Copley White South African English
Play videoSharlto Copley is a white South African actor who speaks with a General/Broad SAE accent.
Blood Diamond: South African English
Play videoActor Leonardo Dicaprio's representation of a Rhodesian accent in the move Blood Diamond.
What's your English, South Africa?
Play videoA short video made in preparation for the World Cup in South African in 2010, with young South Africans discussing their unique English varieity
Die Antwoord: South African English
Play videoMembers of the South African rap group Die Antwoord in a 2012 interview