South African English :
An analysis of different linguistic features of different characters in a recorded program
Written by:
Fahd Al Alwi
April 2008
Introduction
This episode of a documentary program about the situation in South Africa is obtained from the internet on the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFj0HdW2iDs&feature=related downloaded on 16/03/2008.
The descriptions associated with this clip are exactly those of the clip, and I will only be using them for the purpose of this study to analyze different characters' speech.
I will analyze three characters individually. Kabelo Sekoati, Kallie Kriel, and Bitsy Dryer, who are black, white Afrikaner, and white Afrikaner respectively.
THE TRANSCRIPT
Kabelo Sekoati: I think one of the benefits of being a black man at this stage in our history is that the opportunities that never existed that were not exposed to black people are now exposed to black people…new black middle classes coming up because now we can earn what we are qualified for.
Kabelo Sekoati: the number of black people companies…in south Africa is less than three percent; it's not growing. The economy still in the hands of the few, the land still in the hands of the few, the few controls the media, the few controls everything.
Kabelo Sekoati: I don't feel that people are anti-white but I feel that white people have put themselves in a corner where they failed to mingled with African people because they look at themselves as a different class as a whole whereas in a normal society class will be defined by income and education, but in south Africa the class is defined by the color of your skin.
Kallie Kriel: we are not saying we are blind towards the imbalances in your society. There is huge imbalances at the moment. We have a rich grouping but then the poor who are getting poorer ….and we say if you want to eradicate these imbalances don't focus on race focus on poverty.
Bitsy Dryer : We are fighting for our language; we are fighting for jobs; so my feeling is that we are only fighting all the time to survive..to survive.
Bitsy Dryer : I think there must be much more a job opportunities for the people like my people here..lots more, and that we must be aware that there mustn't be discriminating against them. It seems just to me that the thing is not in balance any more.
Kallie Kriel: We think unfortunately the situation is that the current government that we had as in the past said days fought for a nonracial society free of racial discrimination and what we see now is the same kind of system that we had in the past it's just being implemented by other people and it's a racial-driven society we see more and more.
Kallie Kriel: Yea well from the outside we also see it ironic that a government that fought against racial legislation is now doing exactly the same what they fought against.
Kabelo Sekoati ( black)
Short vowels
The vowel of TRAP > [ɛ], [E], [a]
/blɛk mɛn ɛt/ black man at; line 2 (00:02)
/DEn/ than ; line 6 (00:28)
/handz/ hands ; line 7 (00:30)
The vowel of DRESS > [I]
/nIvE/ never ; line 3 (00:06)
/lIs/ less ; line 6 (00:28)
/pEysInt/ percent ; line 6 (00:29)
[i]- [E] merger
/ybenEfits/ benefits ; line 2 (00:02)
/Eksypouzd/ exposed ; line 4 (00:10)
/EgyzIstEd/ existed ; line 4 (00:06)
BIT-HIT split
/TINk/ think ; line 2 (00:01)
/yhIstrI:/ history ; line 3 (00:02)
/EgyzIstEd/ existed ; line 4 (00:06)
HAPPY-tensing
/yhIstrI:/ history ; line 3 (00:02)
The vowel of LOT > [o]
/not/ not ; line 3 (00:08)
/opEycEnitIz/ oppourtunities ; line 3 (00:07)
/ykwolIfqid/ qualified ; line 5 (00:17)
Long monophthongs and Diphthongs
The vowel of BATH > [qP]
/klqPsiz/ classes ; line 4 (00:13)
/qP GɛntIwqit/ anti-white ; line 9 (00:50)
The vowel of NURSE > [ø]
/wø / were ; line 3 (00:09)
/øn/ earn ; line 5 (00:15)
The vowel of THOUGHT > [o], [oP]
/ykonq/ corner ; line 10 (00:53), here also the schwa is strengthened to [q].
/noPmEl/ normal ; line 10 (00:53)
/foP/ for ; line 5 (00:18)
The vowel of PRICE > [qi]
/ykwolIfqid/ qualified ; line 5 (00:17)
/wqit/ white ; line 9 (00:52)
The vowel of FACE > [ëi]
/stëiJ / stage ; line 2 (00:04)
/fëild / failed ; line 10 (00:57)
The vowel of GOAT > [ou]
/Eksypouzd/ exposed ; line 4 (00:10)
/ konytroulz/ controls ; line 8 (00:37) , here also the schwa is strengthened to [o].
The vowel of MOUTH > [εu]
/nεu/ now ; line 5 (00:15)
/sεuT/ south ; line 6 (00:27)
The vowel of PEAR > [e:]; monophthongization:
/we:/ where ; line 10 (00:27)
Smoothing [quE] > /qP/
/qP/ our ; line 2 (00:03)
Consonants
Non-rhotic
/r/ fricative
/yhIstrI:/ history ; line 3 (00:02)
Linking [r]
It rarely occurs but once it occurs it is tapped.
/nVmbEr ov/ number of ; line 6 (00:23)
But
/qP GεntIwqit/ are anti-white ; line 9 (00:50)
Intrusive [r] is non-existent.
/l/ is either dark or clear.
/blɛk/ black ; line 2 (00:02); here it is clear
/pIPpEL/ black ; line 2 (00:02); here it is dark
Assimilation
/hεf put/ have put ; line 10 (00:52)
2- Kallie Kriel (white Afrikaner)
Short vowels
The vowel of TRAP > [ɛ]
/ɛv / have; line 15 (01:28)
/iyrɛdikVit / eradicate; line 16 (01:35)
The vowel of DRESS > [ɛ]
/Dɛn / then ; line 15 (01:29)
[i]- [E] merger
/GEmybElEnsiz/ imbalances ; line 14 (01:23)
/ygrʉPpEN/ grouping ; line 15 (01:29)
BIT-HIT split
/rIc/ rich ; line 15 (01:29)
HAPPY-tensing
/ypovEtIP/ povery ; line 17 (01:39)
/VnyfoPcEnEtlIP/ unfortunately ; line 23 (02:29)
The vowel of LOT > [o]
/not/ not ; line 14 (01:20)
/wont/ want ; line 16 (01:34)
Long monophthongs and diphthongs
The vowel of BATH > [AP]
/AP/ are ; line 14 (01:20)
The vowel of THOUGHT > [oP]
/VnyfoPcEnEtlIP/ unfortunately ; line 23 (02:29)
/foPt/ fought ; line 24 (02:34)
The vowel of PRICE > [qi]
/blAind/ blind ; line 14 (01:21)
The vowel of FACE > [ëi], [Vi]
/sëi / say ; line 16 (01:34)
/rVis / race ; line 17 (01:37)
The vowel of GOAT > [Vu]
/ymVumEnt/ moment ; line 15 (01:27)
/ yfVukEs/ focus ; line 17 (01:36)
The vowel of MOUTH > [εu]
/nεu/ now ; line 25 (02:40)
/εutysAid/ outside ; line 28 (02:54)
The vowel of PEAR > [eP], monophthongization
/DeP/ there ; line 15 (01:25)
Consonants
Non-rhotic
/r/ is tapped
/rIc/ rich ; line 15 (01:29)
/iyrεdikVit/ eradicate ; line 17 (01:35)
Linking [r] is tapped.
/moPr End moP/ more and more ; line 27 (02:50)
Intrusive [r] is non-existent.
/l/ is either dark or clear.
/bLAind/ blind ; line 14 (01:21); here it is dark.
/GEmybElEnsiz/ imbalances ; line 14 (01:23); here it is clear.
Voiced /h/
T- voicing (tapping of intervocalic /t/)
3- Bitsy Dryer (white Afrikaner)
Short vowels
The vowel of TRAP > [a],[ɛ]
/ylaNgwiJ/ language ; line 18 (01:48)
/Dɛt/ that ; line 19 (01:53)
The vowel of DRESS > [I]
/DIm/ them ; line 22 (02:15)
[i]- [E] merger
/diyskrEminVitEN/ discriminating ; line 21 (02:15)
BIT-HIT split
/TINk/ think ; line 20 (02:03)
/diyskrEminVitEN/ discriminating ; line 21 (02:15)
HAPPY-tensing
/AP GVunlI/ are only ; line 19 (01:53)
The vowel of LOT > [o], [oP]
/JoPbz/ jobs ; line 18 (01:50)
/lots/ lots ; line 21 (02:10)
Long monophthongs and diphthongs
The vowel of BATH > [AP]
/AP/ are ; line 18 (01:46)
The vowel of THOUGHT > [oP]
/oPl/ all ; line 19 (01:54)
/moPr E Job/ more a job ; line 20 (02:05)
/moP/ more ; line 22 (02:23)
The vowel of PRICE > [Ai], [oi]
/yfAitiN/ fighting ; line 18 (01:47)
/tAim/ time ; line 19 (01:55)
/sEyvoiv/ survive ; line 19 (01:56)
The vowel of FACE > [Vi]
/diyskrEminVitEN/ discriminating ; line 21 (02:15)
The vowel of GOAT > [Vu]
/ sVu/ so ; line 18 (01:52)
/AP GVunlI/ are only ; line 19 (01:53)
The vowel of PEAR > [eP], monophthongization.
/EyweP/ aware ; line 21 (02:13)
Consonants
Non-rhotic
/r/ is tapped when it occurs:
/moP/ more ; line 22 (02:23)
/diyskrEminVitEN/ discriminating ; line 21 (02:15)
Linking [r] is tapped:
/moPr E Job/ more a job ; line 20 (02:05)
But
/AP GVunlI/ are only ; line 19 (01:53)
Intrusive [r] is non-existent.
/l/ is fairly clear in all environments.
/ylaNgwiJ/ language ; line 18 (01:48)
/oPl/ all ; line 19 (01:54)
/h/> /j/
/pIPpEl jE/ people here ; line 21 (02:09)
Bibliography
Branford, W. (1994), "English in South Africa". In Burchfield, R. The Cambridge history of the English language , CUP, Cambridge, pp.430-96
Wells, J. C. (1982), Accents of English 3, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
