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Programme: accepted abstracts

Abstract ID: 1061

Part of Session 123: Non-standard and youth varieties in urban Africa (Other abstracts in this session)

Urban youth language dynamics and identity constructions among subcultural groups in Kwa-Thema

Authors: BEMBE, PRINCESS
Submitted by: BEMBE, PRINCESS (UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA, South Africa)

Kwa-Thema is a township on the far eastern part of the Gauteng Province, in South Africa. It is a linguistic melting pot, comprising of speakers of nearly all the nine official languages spoken in the country. As a result, most of the youth in Kwa-Thema are bi- or even multingual. There are different subcultural groups found in Kwa-Thema, and each is marked by a particular dress code, music preference, as well as language style. The aim of this paper is to discuss the results of research conducted in the township, particularly the dynamics involved when the youth use non-standard language varieties such as Is’camtho (used mainly by township school youth, inspired by the kwaito culture) and slang in English (used mainly by youth who attend multiracial, suburban schools, inspired by the hip hop and rap subcultures). On conducting research, a third subcultural youth group emerged known as the ‘Pexas’. This group of youth also has its own dress code, language style, and is inspired largely by what they refer to as ‘amataliana’ (the Italian).

One of the most significant aspects when studying youth language varieties is to look at the interplay between youth subcultural affiliations and practices such as dress code, music, gestures and contexts wherein the language practices occur. The aim of this paper is to present the results of the study on the various subcultural groups in Kwa-Thema: how they construct their identities through their subcultural affiliations and markers such as dress code, music, and language practices. The stance the paper takes is that of ‘style as performance’ and ways in which the youth ‘project different social identities’ in different contexts (Coupland, 2007); how youth engage in ‘acts of identity’ (Le Page and Tabouret-Keller, 1985) and ‘language variation as social practice’ (Eckert, 2000). The study on youth language varieties further aligns itself with what Hurst [2007] refers to as ‘stylect[s]’. It describes the language practices of the various youth subcultural groups in the urban township setting and how they interact within that common space.

References

Coupland, N. 2007. Style: Language variation and identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Eckert, P. 2000. Linguistic variation as social practice. Malden: Blackwell Publishers.

Hurst, E. 2007. ‘Style, structure and functionin Cape Town Tsotsitaal’. PhD thesis. Cape Town: University of Cape Town.

Le Page, R.B. and Tabouret-Keller, A. 1985. Acts of identity: Creole-based approaches to language and ethnicity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.