No language is superior
THE article “EL resident in Facebook race rant” (DD December 13) raised a red flag for us. We are sons and daughters of the Eastern Cape, the home of isiXhosa, which is spoken by the majority of people. It is also the second largest language spoken in the country, by 16% of the population (Census, 2011).
The slur “niemand verstaan bobbejaan taal nie” is an insulting, racially driven example of linguistic prejudice which has no basis at all.
Let it be said, no language is superior or inferior to any other. A language can adapt to articulate anything you want it to articulate. That is how English grew from Latin.
Language also expresses our identity, our inner being and belonging. It is the vehicle of culture.
To denigrate language is to denigrate another human being. Languages don’t create racist attitudes, it is us, the people who speak languages who do that.
Once we love all our languages equally, then we will be able to say we are a united people.
The national census of 2011 shows 78.8 % of people in the Eastern Cape speak isiXhosa as their mother tongue.
It is disappointing that our languages are being divided again across racial lines as was the case during apartheid.
The slur went a step further. “Bobbejaan taal” suggests isiXhosa is an uncivilised language.
We, the writers of this letter, are Indian and white South Africans who are proudly fluent in isiXhosa. We believe we are better citizens as a result – better able to communicate, understand and engage with our brothers and sisters in the Eastern Cape.
It is time for everyone to stand up against division, linguistic prejudice and racism. Silence is consenting.
This month the nation celebrated the adoption of our progressive constitution – one premised on dignity, equality and freedom. These ideals and rights underpin the linguistic and equality rights conferred upon all of us.
The linguistically prejudicial racial slurs by Riaan Barnard brought into question whether our rights are theoretical in nature, or practically implementable rights.
But instances such as this should not cause us to question the strength of our constitution. We need to turn to it to implement our rights.
A criminal case has been opened and the courts will determine the parameters of the rights in question. These need to be established and strongly enforced and such statements must be condemned in the strongest terms through the might of the law.
Are we merely patching a larger wound which will continue to fester? Are we avoiding the broader social issue plaguing our society – the issue of who we are as a nation and why, 20 years after adopting the constitution, we are yet to unite both racially and linguistically.
This is both an educational and social issue. We need to find a point of engagement to co-exist as a nation, to begin the process of true nation-building and social cohesion. A voice of mutual respect and trust has to emerge and must be embedded in our broader educational context.
If you are a racist or find yourself linguistically prejudiced, then ask yourself why? For the sake of the greater good, develop a plan to address this behaviour. Respect and inclusivity will free us! — Zakeera Docrat, Masters student in African languages, and Russell Kaschula, Professor of African Language Studies, both at Rhodes University