Sosiaal gestratifiseerde taalgebruik in die Kaapse Kleurlinggemeenskap : ʼn Fonologiese ondersoek

Abstract

The research for this dissertation concerning the social stratification of Afrikaans in the Coloured community of Cape Town, was conducted within the theoretical framework of Variational Linguistics, according to the research procedure developed by William Labov (1966a) for his analysis of English in New York City. It is an analysis of the frequency with which the stigmatized and high-status allophones of four phonemes i.e. (r), (ui), (j) and (k), are used in various specific styles by Cape Coloured respondents of three different social classes. The aim of the r research was to determine whether the Afrikaans of the Cape Town Coloured community is stratified along the same lines as the speech community in New York. In chapter l the motivation for this study is given, as well as the criteria for empirical research as defined by Lyons (1972). In chapter 2 the basic concepts contained in the title of the dissertation are defined and proof is cited of the social stratification of the Cape Town Coloured Community. It is indicated that the Cape Coloureds, who are the mixed descendants of Europeans, slaves and various indigenous groups, have developed a system of social stratification directly as a result of their precarious position in the racial set up of South Africa, and that this system of social stratification greatly esteems the lifestyle of Europeans while it stigmatizes the life style of Coloureds belonging to the Working Class. This research determined whether the process of esteem and stigmstization is also prevalent on the linguistic level where coloureds switch to and fro between "typical" Standard Afrikaans and "typical" Coloured Afrikaans allophones (and lexical items), sometimes within the same sentence, and whether this leads to the social stratification of Afrikaans in the Coloured Community of Cape Town. In chapter 3 existing research concerning Coloured Afrikaans is reviewed briefly. It is followed by a short analysis of Coloured Afrikaans and the factors which influence it. Chapter 4 contains a summary of Labov's research procedure and findings during his analysis of English in New York City as well as the results of similar studies, and an explanation of the re= search procedure used in this analysis of Coloured Afrikaans in Cape Town. It is explained why the allophones of (r), (ui), (j) and (k) are studied, how the respondents were selected, how the field work was done and holU the recordings on the cassettes were quantified to be represented by stratification-graphs. In chapter 5 the results of the research are given. It is indicated that the Afrikaans of the Coloured community is socially stratified with regard to such social factors as religion, status and age; These factors influence the rate at which the Coloured Afrikaans of Cape Town is evolving toward Standard Afrikaans.