Abstract
D.Phil. (African Languages)
This study attempts to fill a gap in the available research on language use in Black urban
speech communities. Previous studies conducted in these communities, concentrated on
specific language varieties. However, no attempt at describing the entire language situation
in such a community had hitherto been made. A macro-level sociolinguistic description which
would serve as an orientation for various detailed studies on the language varieties occurring
in these communities, was therefore needed. The aim of the present study was to provide
such a description.
In order to achieve this, a sound theoretical framework had to be established. Phenomena
such as language 'Contact, language variation and language use had to be researched and
defined in order to apply to the particular situation under investigation. In .this sense, this
study has succeeded in making a contribution to the theoretical debate regarding various
sociolinguistic concepts, in that it has shown how these concepts apply to the South African
situation.
The study also investigated qualitative research methodology. The background to and
implications of this methodology were discussed and analysed. A particular type of qualitative
research, namely, interactive qualitative research was explored. Within this framework, a
unique approach to two basic data collection techniques, namely, individual and focus group
interviewing, was proposed. These techniques were used to gather the primary data for this
study, and were discussed in detail.
The primary data was gathered from residents of the township known as Tembisa. The
secondary data was taken from studies done on individual language varieties in other Black
urban speech communities. The primary data was analysed and a comprehensive qualitative
description of the entire language situation in the speech community of Tembisa was given.
The findings of the Tembisa study were compared with the secondary data, resulting in the
identification of a number of distinct language varieties which occur in the township situations
that were studied. These are: a number of Standard languages, Fanakalo (although seldom
used), a Black urban vernacular, Afrikaans-based Tsotsitaal, Zulu-based Tsotsitaal, Soweto
Zulu Slang, Soweto Iscamtho, Tembisa Iscamtho, English and Afrikaans. Sociolinguistic
profiles of each of these language varieties were drawn up. These profiles provided clarity
on the linguistic diversity in the Black urban speech communities studied and enabled the
rendering of a graphic representation of the language situation in Tembisa.
The above-mentioned varieties were typologised. Based on language type and language
function, the study proposed a model which may be used as a framework for describing the
language situation in multilingual Black urban speech communities.
The study concludes with recommendations with regard to the need for linguistic analyses of
the language varieties used in Black urban speech communities. The implications of the widespread
use of these varieties, particularly for education, also deserve further investigation as
a matter of urgency...