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Afrikaans on the Cape Flats: Performing Cultural Linguistic Identity in Afrikaaps

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Afrikaans on the Cape Flats: Performing Cultural Linguistic Identity in Afrikaaps Afrikaans on the Cape Flats: Performing cultural linguistic identity in Afrikaaps Jade Schuster Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MPhil in Intercultural Communication at the Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Dr Marcelyn Oostendorp Co-supervisor: Dr Frenette Southwood Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Department of General Linguistics March 2016 Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za DECLARATION By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Jade Schuster March 2016 Copyright © 2016 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za ABSTRACT This thesis examines Kaaps and how speakers use this linguistic variety to demonstrate or perform various aspects of their identities. The theories of Butler (1990) and Pennycook (2004) are used to investigate how language is used to perform identity. Using transcripts of the Afrikaaps theatre production and an interview with an Afrikaaps performer, Emile Jansen (also known as Emile YX?), the themes of self-knowledge as opposed to shame within the Coloured community are investigated. Also pertinent to this discussion are the themes of hybridity and marginality. Furthermore, the theatre production’s emphasis on the legalisation of Kaaps is further explored in this thesis. A discussion of the methodology and data collection instruments follows. Thematic analysis is used to analyse the various narratives raised. Thereafter, the efficacy of Kaaps to instigate new conversations about the language variety as a site for identity creation is discussed. This is done by evaluating Kaaps based on the critique of the 1985 Black Writer’s Symposium’s offered by Richard Rive. The conclusion notes the limits of time and space in this particular project. It underscores the ground-breaking role Afrikaaps played in changing perceptions on the black or creole (or both) origins of Afrikaans and the role it played in inspiring pride in Kaaps speakers. ii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za OPSOMMING Hierdie tesis ondersoek Kaaps en hoe sprekers hierdie taalvariëteit gebruik om verskeie aspekte van hulle identiteite ten toon te stel en uitdrukking daaraan te gee. Die teorieë van Butler (1990) en Pennycook (2004) word gebruik om vas te stel hoe taal gebruik word in die performatiwiteit van identiteit. Deur gebruik te maak van transkripsies van die Afrikaaps- verhoogproduksie en ‘n onderhoud met ‘n Afrikaaps-kunstenaar, Emile Jansen (ook bekend as Emile YX?), word die temas selfkennis in teenstelling met skaamte in die bruin gemeenskap ondersoek. Ander prominente temas in hierdie bespreking is dié van hibriditeit en marginaliteit. Die verhoogproduksie se fokus op die wettigmaking van Kaaps word ook verder bespreek. ‘n Bespreking van die metodologie en data-insamelingsmetodes volg. Tematiese analise is gebruik om die verskeie narratiewe te analiseer. Laastens volg ‘n bespreking oor die vermoë van Kaaps om nuwe gesprekke oor taalvariasie as ‘n ruimte vir identiteitskonstruksie te inspireer. Hierdie bespreking is gegrond op die evaluering van Kaaps en die kritiek van die 1985 Swart Skrywer-simposium gelewer deur Richard Rive. In die gevolgtrekking word die spesifieke tekortkominge van die tesis bespreek, veral dié wat met tyd en ruimte te make het. Dit beklemtoon die baanbrekersrol wat Afrikaaps gespeel het in die verandering van persepsies oor die swart of kreool-oorsprong (of beide) van Afrikaans en die rol wat die produksie gespeel het in die bevordering van trots in Kaapssprekers. iii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank my supervisor, Dr Marcelyn Oostendorp, and my co-supervisor, Dr Frenette Southwood, for their patience, leadership and perseverance. I appreciate your encouragement and guidance, especially when there seemed to be no end in sight. Thanks too to Lauren Onraët for proofreading and editing assistance. The financial assistance of the National Research Foundation (NRF) towards this research is gratefully acknowledged. The opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at are those of the author and are not necessarily to be attributed to the NRF. To the cast and crew of Afrikaaps, I appreciate your mammoth effort and passion in mounting such a historic project. Thanks to Emile Jansen and Dylan Valley for your time and insight. To my parents, Edgar and Mercia Carolissen, thanks for raising me in Kaaps and in the Kaaps culture. A special mention to my friends and family (especially Gino Frantz and Megan Paulse), who joked with me for hours and allowed me om julle ore af te praat – dankie julle! To my teachers and all the students at the Eoan Group School of Performing Arts, I appreciate everything you do and are – keep shining! Immense gratitude to my rock, Cameron Schuster, for seeing me through this process. Thanks for your honesty and infectious determination. Without your love, humour and never-ending support, this would not have come to fruition. I appreciate your belief in this work and who I am. iv Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: Introduction and background to the study 1 1.1 Background/rationale of the study 1 1.2 Research questions 5 1.3 Aims 5 1.4 Theoretical point of departure 5 1.5 Methodology 6 1.6 Chapter outline 7 CHAPTER 2: A sociolinguistic perspective of Kaaps 8 2.1 Introduction 8 2.2 Kaaps and its relation to other varieties of Afrikaans 9 2.3 The linguistic features of Kaaps 14 2.4 The socio-cultural dimensions of Kaaps 16 CHAPTER 3: Linguistic identity construction through performance 18 3.1 Introduction 18 3.2 Linguistic identity construction 19 3.3 Performativity and performance in identity construction 21 3.4 Linguistic identity construction through Hip Hop 26 CHAPTER 4: Methodology 29 4.1 Introduction 29 4.2 Data collections instruments 29 4.3 Motivations for methodology 30 4.4 Methods of analysis 31 CHAPTER 5: Data Analysis 34 5.1 Introduction 34 5.2 Re-entrenchment – Afrikaaps, My Taal 35 5.3 Legalisation or Formalisation of Kaaps 42 5.4 Knowledge of self vs. Coloured shame 46 v Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za 5.5 Hybridity and Marginality 51 CHAPTER 6: Discussion and Conclusion 60 Bibliography 69 Appendix A Emile YX? Interview Transcription 72 Appendix B Afrikaaps Baxter Theatre Programme (April 2010) 103 vi Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za CHAPTER 1 Introduction and background to the study 1.1 Background/rationale of the study Teaching dance for nine years, and performing for at least twice as many in Athlone at one of the oldest performing arts schools in the country, opened my eyes to various cultural phenomena within my community. The Eoan Group Cultural Centre was started in District Six predominantly for the education of the Coloured1 community in various art forms. Recently, Stellenbosch University conducted an audit of its entire musical repertoire as a way of preserving part of South Africa’s cultural heritage, showing the historical importance of this centre. My occupation as a dance teacher at the Eoan Group led me to pay close attention to language. Together with movements, language is the main tool I used to communicate with my students. I observed that I and my students and fellow staff members continually code- switch between English and Afrikaans, or use Kaaps, a form of Afrikaans that is seen as a particular social and regional variety. The realisation that code-switching and my use of Kaaps in the classroom was part of my teaching style – that is, Kaaps was part of who I was as a teacher and participant in the world – was so reinforced at this point that I was extremely interested in participating in a formal study of my language use. Having grown up in a household where English and Afrikaans were used interchangeably, I started noticing for example that Afrikaans, amongst its many other uses, was sometimes used to skel (‘scold’) children and at other times to skinder (‘gossip’) so that the adults’ heavy Kaaps may be indecipherable to any eavesdropping children close by. While at high school, I noticed that my pronunciation and use of grammar were different to the standard Afrikaans we were required to master for formal school purposes. I was curious as to the knowledge I had rather unknowingly developed that my home pronunciation would not be as useful or well-regarded in more formal business environments as Standard Afrikaans pronunciation would. These differences in Afrikaans had always piqued my interest and would often spill over in my discussions with friends and family at various stages of my life. 1 According to Deumert (2005:130), “Coloured ethnicity as constructed by the colonial administrators and implemented e.g. in the census categories from the mid-1800s was extremely heterogeneous, including not only the descendants of the ethnically diverse slave population, but also the indigenous Khoe as well as everyone who could not be classified unambiguously as being either black (African) or white.” The term “Coloured” is heavily contested but is still used as a form of self-identification or by government or other official bodies. 1 Stellenbosch University
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