‘Zulu, we need [it] for our culture\': Umlazi adolescents in the post-apartheid state

Abstract

Against the background of the hegemony of the English language, this paper examines attitudes and behaviour towards language amongst isiZulu-speaking youth in a South African township environment. It specifically focuses on what appear to be ambivalent and seemingly contradictory views of young isiZulu L1-speakers about the status and function of languages in their lives. Methodologically the study is based on triangulation, employing questionnaires, interviews and participant observation as data resources. The findings suggest that although the Umlazi youths are generally divided in terms of their attitudes towards English, there seems to exist a wide consensus as to the importance and specific functions of the mother-tongue isiZulu. The youngsters explicitly draw a direct link between their mother-tongue and their home culture and express strong pride with regards to this ethnolinguistic identity. IsiZulu is regarded as a cultural resource and prerequisite to maintain symbols and practices of Zulu tradition. However, a pragmatic and economically-otivated English/isiZulu division appears to prevail in their lives, as English is regarded as what is termed the communicative\' language by the Umlazi youths. The collected data strongly support the claim that many African language speakers have a love-hate relationship with the English language (De Klerk & Gough, 2002: 370) and further suggest that there exists little indication that learners identify with the language other than perceiving it as an instrument to obtain academic and economic success. These findings are indicative of the sociolinguistic dilemma in which many young South Africans whose mother-tongue is not English find themselves.

Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies2004, 22(3&4): 159172