Difference between revisions of "South African English"
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| − | ('''[[SAE]]''','''SAfrE''', '''SAfrEng''', '''en-ZA''' | + | [[South African English]] ([[SAE]]) is a variant of standard English spoken by [[English-speaking South Africans]] (or [[ESSAs]] as they were known in the 1970s). The language is also referred to by a range of other acronyms, including '''[[SAE]]''','''[[SAfrE]]''', '''[[SAfrEng]]''', '''[[en-ZA]]''', and so on. |
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| + | English arrived in the country with the first British colonization in the late 1700s, and - though retaining much of the original 17th century English of the first settlers and administrators, soon evolved distinctive additional characteristics of its own, ''inter alia'' under the influence of the many other languages spoken in the country and unique local conditions. Long unrecognized, it is today accepted as a formal variant with a vibrant literature. In theatre in particular a great number of writers utilize the distinctive characteristics of SAE in their plays. The language has also evolved which has a number of more informal "sub-variants" (sometimes referred to as "[[Afrikaner-English]]", "[[African English]]", "[[Indian English]]", "[[Coloured English]]", "[[Township slang]]", etc). The melding of [[Afrikaans]], English and other local languages has become increasingly prominent after 1994. | ||
The language gained a form of official sanction in 19** with the publication of [[Jean Branford]]'s first ''[[A Dictionary of South African English]]''. | The language gained a form of official sanction in 19** with the publication of [[Jean Branford]]'s first ''[[A Dictionary of South African English]]''. | ||
Revision as of 07:22, 16 November 2016
South African English (SAE) is a variant of standard English spoken by English-speaking South Africans (or ESSAs as they were known in the 1970s). The language is also referred to by a range of other acronyms, including SAE,SAfrE, SAfrEng, en-ZA, and so on.
English arrived in the country with the first British colonization in the late 1700s, and - though retaining much of the original 17th century English of the first settlers and administrators, soon evolved distinctive additional characteristics of its own, inter alia under the influence of the many other languages spoken in the country and unique local conditions. Long unrecognized, it is today accepted as a formal variant with a vibrant literature. In theatre in particular a great number of writers utilize the distinctive characteristics of SAE in their plays. The language has also evolved which has a number of more informal "sub-variants" (sometimes referred to as "Afrikaner-English", "African English", "Indian English", "Coloured English", "Township slang", etc). The melding of Afrikaans, English and other local languages has become increasingly prominent after 1994.
The language gained a form of official sanction in 19** with the publication of Jean Branford's first A Dictionary of South African English.
For more information
Also see Language struggle
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_English
http://public.oed.com/aspects-of-english/english-in-use/south-african-english/
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