230089 Southern African Englishes in Context (S) (SoSe 2022)

Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, comprising the following five countries: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland. The linguistic map of this region is complex and has attracted the interest of linguists from various backgrounds. From an Anglicist perspective, the language situation and the varieties of English in South Africa are certainly among the best described, but more recently the development of English in Namibia has also come into focus. In this class, we will look at the historical/colonial background of the region, take into consideration language policy and language planning or educational issues as well as the contemporary linguistic make-up of the region’s countries. In addition, we will explore linguistic practices, such as code-switching and code-mixing strategies, and describe the linguistic features of the Englishes spoken in this part of the world. Eventually, we will also look at the use of English (and other languages) in various forms of cultural expression, such as film, literature, and music.

Please note: This course is linked to Prof. Dr. Ellen Grünkemeier’s class on “Southern African Writing in Context” (230218, Tue 14-16h), and these two courses are designed to complement each other. We therefore strongly recommend participation in both classes.