Writer: Benito Trollip SADiLaR’s Afrikaans researcher – Unique put up
The Digital Institute for Afrikaans (VivA) held a public symposium titled “Vloek met aptitude (en voorbehoud)”1 in Pretoria on Friday, 15 November 2019. The symposium aimed to stimulate a dialog concerning the use and educational examine of swear phrases and their use in Afrikaans. The symposium was additionally a part of the launch of a analysis undertaking about cursing in Afrikaans of which extra data is accessible on the undertaking web site.
It’s doable to offer a abstract of the opinions given on the symposium, however that isn’t the goal of this weblog. A earlier weblog by Sophia Kapp accommodates extra element concerning the precise course the dialogue took with panellist’s particular person contributions and the character of the questions afterwards. Among the matters that have been touched on embody the best way swearing is handled in commentary strings on-line, swear phrases in Afrikaans performs, tv reveals, and novels, in addition to swear phrases, taboo topics and doable censorship thereof on radio. In the long run all that was stated on the day was meals for thought regarding language taboos normally. One fascinating side that was briefly highlighted, is the private swear phrase scale of Johan Jack Smith, editor of Taalgenoot and in addition one of many editors at Wenkbrou. A listing like it will undoubtedly give some perception into what every particular person sees as swearing in addition to which swear phrases a person finally sees as extra sweary than others.
My questions and feedback within the gentle of the panel dialogue are quite a few and the easiest way to summarise them is to attraction to all to think about some associated ideas collectively and separate from one another. My impressions of the day might be sorted beneath the phrase “the worth of swear phrases”. Many of the panellists referred to swear phrases having worth. What is supposed with swear phrases having worth? Does worth imply just one swear phrase per 5 hundred different phrases, boiling all the way down to worth which means low frequency? Or does a swear phrase solely have worth if the particular person or character utilizing it “suits”? Ought to swear phrases solely have shock worth and no artistic or socially motivated worth? Is the worth of swear phrases, as some prejudices dictate, that it signifies an absence of fine schooling? There most likely isn’t a single reply to any of those questions that will probably be equally acceptable to everybody. My feeling is that these questions concerning the worth of swear phrases are depending on the best way associated ideas like content material, which means, and operate are understood. Though the mixing of ideas like worth, content material, which means, and performance can’t be handled in a weblog, I want to give a simplified take a look at them.
That means and content material are two summary ideas which can be influenced by circumstances surrounding instantly inside any language utilization occasion. The topic of a dialog, the audio system and the medium use are all a number of the components taking part in a job within the dedication of which means and content material. Even the emotional content material of any kind of language utilization is decided by the encompassing context. There’s a distinction in asking for a glass of water as soon as and asking for it for the fifth time. The emotional impression of swear phrases change because the context modifications. For instance, if you whisper the p-word (a ‘robust’ Afrikaans swear phrase) to a classmate who but once more will get a better mark for the chemistry paper than you, it differs from shouting the p-word to the arsonist who destroyed your Chinese language dragon broach in a courtroom full of individuals. The primary instance will usually not qualify as defamation, whereas the second in all probability will. In distinction to which means and content material, features are roughly set in so far as verbs denote actions and nouns denote issues. A curse phrase’s operate is troublesome to find out, in accordance with me the reason being as a result of the context determines which operate the speaker and hearer deem related for the scenario. The way in which by which which means, content material, operate and worth influences each other is advanced and there’s no easy reply. To review the interplay between these ideas in using swear phrases in Afrikaans, is a substantial analysis undertaking which I’ll fortunately need to be a part of.
I consider it is rather necessary to not overlook concerning the versatile nature of swear phrases. Depth, constructive or destructive sentiment, humour and social cohesion can all be communicated utilizing a single curse phrase. Swear phrase use jogs my memory of the assertion by Napoli and Hoeksema2 about taboo phrases normally, that they operate as “syntactic foolish putty”. Swear phrases are in a manner the dux scholar of any language and their spot within the analysis son just isn’t completely unmotivated. Analysis about swear phrase use in all its types, to grasp the phenomenon higher, leads to the growth of the final scientific physique of data. A listing, categorisation, and depth scale (much like Johan Jack Smith’s scale) of Afrikaans curse phrases will probably be a worthwhile endeavour for anybody. Misconceptions that analysis about swear phrases will undermine the audio system of a language, are for my part invalid.
My lasting impression of the symposium is generally constructive from a aptitude and reservation perspective. As a speaker and researcher that could be a huge fan of his language, I’m extraordinarily excited concerning the enthusiastic, prudent and prejudice free examine of this versatile linguistic phenomenon
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on this weblog is that of the creator, any insights or misconceptions therein, is his personal.
Notes
- A doable English title can be “Swear with aptitude (and reservation).
- The publication referred to is Napoli en Hoeksema (2008).
Bibliography
Napoli, D.J. & Hoeksema, J. 2008. Only for the hell of it: A comparability of two taboo-term constructions. Journal of Linguistics, 44(2):347-378.
Hyperlinks
An Afrikaans model of this weblog seems on VivA’s web site
