1,720,964 research outputs found
“Now The Yard is Crawling with Bushman Stories:” A Comparison between Thematically Related |xam Folkloric Texts from the Bleek and Lloyd (1911) and Von Wielligh (1919–1921) Collections in Relation to Accusations of Plagiarism
No full textDespite the potential value of the |xam folklore recorded by the Afrikaans land surveyor and author Gideon R. von Wielligh during the late 1800s, his work has predominantly been dismissed as unscientific and unreliable. In contrast, the archive of German linguist Wilhelm H. I. Bleek and his English sister-in-law, Lucy C. Lloyd, enjoys a great deal of attention from a wide array of disciplines. Sigrid Schmidt goes so far as to argue that Von Wielligh’s recordings are merely plagiarised versions of Bleek and Lloyd texts, and identifies various narratives where there are thematic similarities between the two archives to support this claim. This article illustrates the importance of Von Wielligh’s recordings through a comparative close reading of two central texts from the Von Wielligh and Bleek and Lloyd collections, which Schmidt identified as sharing enough similarity to warrant being described as plagiarism. This close reading hinges on the concept of “nuggets,” as proposed by David Lewis-Williams in the study of |xam narrative. Furthermore, this close reading is positioned within the broader frame of holographic archaeology, which is a methodological frame I conceived in an earlier piece to validate the linguistic data in the Von Wielligh collection. Seeing that the |xam folkloric material at our disposal is already sparse, I hope to highlight through this comparative reading the relevance of all recorded material—and not simply that of Bleek and Lloyd—in an effort to derive more understanding of and enjoyment from |xam heritage texts
Can Themba: The Making and Breaking of the Intellectual Tsotsi, a Biography (Siphiwo Mahala)
No full textOn Stryd-perke [Limited Spatio-Temporal Struggles] vis-à-vis Racialized Nationalism and South African Language Political Memory: An Archaeological Genealogy of Kaapse Afrikaans
Full text linkAgainst the backdrop of Afrikaner nationalism’s historical stranglehold on the discourse of the Afrikaans language, on the one hand, and the theorisation of language and nationalism developed in response to this stranglehold, on the other, I propose stryd-perke, meaning limited spatio-temporal struggles, as a concept through which current developments in the language can be understood. The analysis centres on Kaapse Afrikaans, or Kaaps for short, which is traditionally regarded as one of Afrikaans’s three main dialect continuums. Three assumptions are linked to the contemporary discursive developments surrounding it: that Kaaps is a ‘Colored’ language, that it is distinct from Afrikaans, and that no change has occurred relative to Kaaps and Afrikaans. These assumptions are critiqued through discussing the long history of Kaapse Afrikaans language politics – analysing this history in relation to two stryd-perke. The first, ‘conscientisation’, stryd-perk focused on Adam Small, Jakes Gerwel, and Peter Snyders, and the second, ‘scientificity’, stryd-perk on Charlyn Dyers, Hein Willemse, Frank Hendricks, Michael le Cordeur, and Anastasia de Vries. This long history points to how the three contemporary assumptions are, at best, false, constituting often misguided interpretations of previous language-political work, and, at worst, falling prey to race-based nationalistic discourses that past stryd-perke have vehemently warned against. The article concludes that more historically informed, sober, and critical work is necessary regarding Kaaps to avoid nationalism once again taking hold of (a form of) Afrikaans
On Woordeboekapartheid [Dictionary Apartheid]: A Critical Archaeological Genealogy of a South African Lexicographic Phenomenon with Reference to Kaaps, Dutch, and Afrikaans
Full text linkThe phenomenon of woordeboekapartheid [dictionary apartheid] is investigated in this article in relation to the lexicographic tradition in and on Afrikaans. Woordeboekapartheid is firstly conceptualised within the context of raciolinguistics, taalapartheid [linguistic apartheid] and “critical lexicography”, with the archaeological genealogical orientation to historiography structuring the analysis. The launch of the Drietalige Woordeboek van Kaaps [Trilingual Dictionary of Kaaps] is secondly positioned as key site of problematisation – focusing on the ways that this dictionary project becomes an avenue through which woordeboekapartheid finds expression via an ideological fixation on race (specifically “Colouredness”) and troublesome lexicographic research. These two “problems” of ideology and methodology are thirdly traced back to two preceding periods of Afrikaans lexicography, namely the Dutch-Afrikaans and the Afrikaner-Afrikaans periods. I conclude by noting the implications of the recent developments surrounding Kaaps(e Afrikaans), especially how it represents the fulfilment of woordeboekaparheid ideals along racial and ethnic lines that have characterised Afrikaans lexicography since the 19th century
Die wond s� dit aan my: die morele w�reldbeskouing van die |xam as eko-morele fenomenologie
No full textMagister Artium - MADespite the loss of speakers of |xam, one of the 28 Khoisan languages once spoken across Southern Africa, a part of the heritage of these speakers can be found in predominantly two archives: that of Wilhelm H. I. Bleek and Lucy Lloyd (1911) and Gideon R. von Wielligh (1919-1921). The archives form the heart of Bushman* Studies, and has long since received attention in, amongst others, anthropology, literature, and linguistics. This study presents an investigation into the ethical views of the |xam, an investigation which, with the single exception of the studies of Antjie Krog (2004-), has not been undertaken in a philosophical tradition. Through a comparative study of texts across archival boundaries, I engage critically with the ethical views of the |xam, specifically the phenomenological nature of these views. To this end, I use the hermeneutical approach in African philosophy, an approach which focuses on identifying and analysing concepts in texts. The approach to �reading� |xam texts remains, however, a burning issue, and the limit to which disciplinary boundaries are appropriate, is debatable (Wessels 2010). Consequently, and as a result of the relative density of the available texts, insights from anthropology, literature, linguistics and rock art are incorporated within the comparative study. I secondly bring the ethical views which are identified through the comparative analysis into conversation with the dominant ethical framework in African philosophy, namely Ubuntu. Where Ubuntu as been �read� through various lenses (Van Niekerk 2013), a phenomenological approach is absent. Further, where Ubuntu, African ethics broadly, is generally regarded as humanist, a salient ecological consciousness is present in the |xam views. A comparison between Ubuntu and the |xam views therefore deepens the discourse around African ethics in general, and further provides insights into the unique nature of the ethical views of the |xam in particular. Through this I attempt to add value both to Bushman Studies and African philosophy, whilst highlighting an important voice unique to Africa which could be added to the burning discussion around ecological decay in the time of the Anthropocene
Oranjerivierafrikaans, ʼn Argeologiese Genealogie. Deel IV. 1999-2021
Full text linkDié laaste deel van ʼn vierdelige artikelreeks ondersoek die geskiedenis van die sosiolinguistiek relatief tot Oranjerivierafrikaans, een van die drie hoofdialekkontinuums van Afrikaans, van die periode 1999 tot 2021. Begrond in die linguistiese geskiedskrywing in die breë, en Michel Foucault se argeologiese en genealogiese oriënterings in die besonder, skets die artikeldeel hoe die huidige periode in die intellektuele geskiedenis van Oranjerivierafrikaans as die tydsgees van tekstualiteit opgesom kan word. Die periode sien die hoogbloei van die aandag aan geskrewe tekste – sowel argivale bronne as meer resente skeppende skryfwerk. Hiernaas word die deurentydsgees van romantiese pittigheid, ʼn benadering wat die ganse Afrikaanse sosiolinguistiek deurspek, bespreek. Die optekenings en navorsing van ondere andere Sanet du Plessis, Frank Hendricks, Annél Otto, Elvis Saal, Donovan Lawrence, Carla Luijks, Luan Staphorst, Camilla Christie, Daan Wissing, en Hendrik Theys word bespreek. Hierdeur daag die artikelreeks vier sentrale veronderstellings oor die taalvorm uit, naamlik dat daar ʼn gebrek aan bronne is, dat dit redelik “onsigbaar†is, dat dit as ʼn Swart Afrikaanse taalvorm getipeer kan word, en dat Kaapse Afrikaans, eerder as Oranjerivierafrikaans, as die “oudste†vorm van Afrikaans beskou moet word.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This last part of a four-part article series investigates the history of sociolinguistics relative to Orange River Afrikaans, one of Afrikaans’s three main dialect continuas, from the period 1999 to 2021. Grounded in linguistic historiography broadly construed, and Michel Foucault’s archaeological and genealogical orientations specifically, this part of the article sketches how the intellectual history of Orange River Afrikaans in this period can be summarised as the Zeitgeist of textuality. This period sees the height of the study of written texts – of both archival and creative writing. A final discussion focuses on the discourse of “romantic curiosaâ€, a discourse that has pervaded the study of Orange River Afrikaans since the onset of Afrikaans sociolinguistics. The writings and research of, amongst others, Sanet du Plessis, Frank Hendricks, Annél Otto, Elvis Saal, Donovan Lawrene, Carla Luijks, Luan Staphorst, Camilla Christie, Daan Wissing, and Hendrik Theys are discussed. Through this, the article series challenges four central and dominant presuppositions on Orange River Afrikaans, namely that there are limited sources available relative to it, that it constitutes an “invisible†language form, that it can be typified as an expression of Black Afrikaans, and that Kaaps (Cape Afrikaans), rather than Orange River Afrikaans, should be regarded as the “oldest†form of Afrikaans
Oranjerivierafrikaans, ʼn Argeologiese Genealogie. Deel I. 1595-1916
Full text linkDié eerste deel van ʼn vierdelige artikelreeks ondersoek die geskiedenis van die sosiolinguistiek relatief tot Oranjerivierafrikaans, een van die drie hoofdialekkontinuums van Afrikaans, van die periode 1595 tot 1916. Begrond in die linguistiese geskiedskrywing in die breë, en Michel Foucault se argeologiese en genealogiese oriënterings in die besonder, skets die artikeldeel hoe die intellektuele geskiedenis van Oranjerivierafrikaans in die “voortyd†van 1595-1843, en die meer formele Europeestalige sosiolinguisties georiënteerde studies van die tydperk 1844-1916 – dit wil sê die tydperk van die sosiolinguistiek oor Afrikaans, maar nie in Afrikaans nie – daar uitgesien het. Die optekenings van reisigers en dagboekskrywers, insluitende Willem ten Rhyne, Peter Kolbe, Otto Mentzel, John Barrow en Hinrich Lichtenstein, asook meer professionele taalkundiges, insluitende Antoine Changuion, Wilhelm Bleek, Thomas le Roux, Jac van Ginneken, en Theophilus Hahn, word bespreek. Ter afsluiting van die artikeldeel word die oorgangstydsgees van die eerste en tweede taalbewegings in verhouding tot die bewussyn oor Afrikaans vermeld. Hierdeur daag die artikelreeks vier sentrale veronderstellings oor die taalvorm uit, naamlik dat daar ʼn gebrek aan bronne oor die taalvorm is, dat dit redelik “onsigbaar†is, dat dit as ʼn Swart Afrikaanse taalvorm getipeer kan word, en dat Kaapse Afrikaans, eerder as Oranjerivierafrikaans, as die “oudste†vorm van Afrikaans beskou moet word.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This first part of a four-part article series investigates the history of sociolinguistics relative to Orange River Afrikaans, one of Afrikaans’s three main dialect continuas, from the period 1595 to 1916. Grounded in linguistic historiography broadly construed, and Michel Foucault’s archaeological and genealogical orientations specifically, this part of the article sketches how the intellectual history of Orange River Afrikaans in the period 1595-1916 figured through two Zeitgeists – the ‘pre-time’ of 1595-1843, and the more professional European-language sociolinguistic orientated studies of the period 1844-1916. This constitutes the period of sociolinguistics about Afrikaans, but not in Afrikaans. The writings of travellers and journal keepers, including Willem ten Rhyne, Peter Kolbe, Otto Mentzel, John Barrow and Hinrich Lichtenstein, and more professional linguists, including Antoine Changuion, Wilhelm Bleek, Thomas le Roux, Jac van Ginneken, and Theophilus Hahn, are discussed. In conclusion to this part of the article series, mention is made of the transitionary period of the first and second language movements relative to the consciousness around Afrikaans. Through this, the article series challenges four central and dominant presuppositions on Orange River Afrikaans, namely that there are limited sources available relative to it, that it constitutes an ‘invisible’ language form, that it can be typified as an expression of Black Afrikaans, and that Kaaps (Cape Afrikaans), rather than Orange River Afrikaans, should be regarded as the ‘oldest’ form of Afrikaans
Die wond sê dit aan my: die morele wêreldbeskouing van die |xam as eko-morele fenomenologie
Full text linkMagister Artium - MADespite the loss of speakers of |xam, one of the 28 Khoisan languages once spoken across Southern Africa, a part of the heritage of these speakers can be found in predominantly two archives: that of Wilhelm H. I. Bleek and Lucy Lloyd (1911) and Gideon R. von Wielligh (1919-1921). The archives form the heart of Bushman* Studies, and has long since received attention in, amongst others, anthropology, literature, and linguistics. This study presents an investigation into the ethical views of the |xam, an investigation which, with the single exception of the studies of Antjie Krog (2004-), has not been undertaken in a philosophical tradition. Through a comparative study of texts across archival boundaries, I engage critically with the ethical views of the |xam, specifically the phenomenological nature of these views. To this end, I use the hermeneutical approach in African philosophy, an approach which focuses on identifying and analysing concepts in texts. The approach to ‘reading’ |xam texts remains, however, a burning issue, and the limit to which disciplinary boundaries are appropriate, is debatable (Wessels 2010). Consequently, and as a result of the relative density of the available texts, insights from anthropology, literature, linguistics and rock art are incorporated within the comparative study. I secondly bring the ethical views which are identified through the comparative analysis into conversation with the dominant ethical framework in African philosophy, namely Ubuntu. Where Ubuntu as been ‘read’ through various lenses (Van Niekerk 2013), a phenomenological approach is absent. Further, where Ubuntu, African ethics broadly, is generally regarded as humanist, a salient ecological consciousness is present in the |xam views. A comparison between Ubuntu and the |xam views therefore deepens the discourse around African ethics in general, and further provides insights into the unique nature of the ethical views of the |xam in particular. Through this I attempt to add value both to Bushman Studies and African philosophy, whilst highlighting an important voice unique to Africa which could be added to the burning discussion around ecological decay in the time of the Anthropocene
Oranjerivierafrikaans, ʼn Argeologiese Genealogie. Deel III. 1980-1998
Full text linkDié derde deel van ʼn vierdelige artikelreeks ondersoek die geskiedenis van die sosiolinguistiek relatief tot Oranjerivierafrikaans, een van die drie hoofdialekkontinuums van Afrikaans, van die periode 1980 tot 1998. Begrond in die linguistiese geskiedskrywing in die breë, en Michel Foucault se argeologiese en genealogiese oriënterings in die besonder, skets die artikeldeel hoe die intellektuele geskiedenis van Oranjerivierafrikaans in die tydsgees van die diskoers van dialektologie van 1980-1998 en die tydsgees van die besinning van taalidentiteit sedert die 1980’s getipeer kan word. Hierdie periode sien die hoogbloei van die Afrikaanse sosiolinguistiek, veral wat veldwerkdialektologie betref. Die optekenings en navorsing van ondere andere Christo van Rensburg, Hans du Plessis, Hendrina Nieuwoudt, Vic Webb, Hans den Besten, en Gabriël Nienaber word bespreek. Hierdeur daag die artikelreeks vier sentrale veronderstellings oor die taalvorm uit, naamlik dat daar ʼn gebrek aan bronne oor die taalvorm is, dat dit redelik “onsigbaar†is, dat dit as ʼn Swart Afrikaanse taalvorm getipeer kan word, en dat Kaapse Afrikaans, eerder as Oranjerivierafrikaans, as die “oudste†vorm van Afrikaans beskou moet word.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Abstract
This third part of a four-part article series investigates the history of sociolinguistics relative to Orange River Afrikaans, one of Afrikaans’s three main dialect continuas, from the period 1980 to 1998. Grounded in linguistic historiography broadly construed, and Michel Foucault’s archaeological and genealogical orientations specifically, this part of the article sketches how the intellectual history of Orange River Afrikaans in this period can be divided into two Zeitgeists – the time of dialectology of 1980-1998 and the time of language identity since 1980. This period sees the height of Afrikaans fieldwork dialectology. The writings and research of Christo van Rensburg, Hans du Plessis, Hendrina Nieuwoudt, Vic Webb, Hans den Besten and Gabriël Nienaber are discussed. Through this, the article series challenges four central and dominant presuppositions on Orange River Afrikaans, namely that there are limited sources available relative to it, that it constitutes an “invisible†language form, that it can be typified as an expression of Black Afrikaans, and that Kaaps (Cape Afrikaans), rather than Orange River Afrikaans, should be regarded as the “oldest†form of Afrikaans
- …
