Soppangheid for Kaaps: Power, creolisation and Kaaps Afrikaans

Abstract

In this contribution, the dignity of speakers of Cape Afrikaans (Kaaps) is discussed withreference to the need for bi-dialectic tuition at school and Afrikaans poetry writtenin the Cape eye dialect. It is argued here that, besides Standard Afrikaans, a greaterawareness of language varieties must be cultivated in education and the media sothat learners develop the ability to control a variety of language registers. Further themanifestation of Kaaps, as eye dialect, is discussed at the hand of poetry examples.Here it is found that poets often stereotypically affirm topics in their poetry writtenin dialect format. The hope is expressed that the dignity of Kaaps Afrikaans in poetrycan be attained with multiple rhetorical strategies. The soppangheid, dignity, of Kaapsis not only a linguistic issue, but can also serve as a confirmation of the dignity of allAfrikaans speakers.