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Why let international politics stir up the melting pot, when you can just share and enjoy the potjie with everyone?
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South Africa has 12 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Xhosa, Zulu, Setswana and South African Sign Language as its most recent addition. However, many households are bound to a single home language or will spend a lifetime limited by learning only two languages. The good news is that an increasing number of people are learning other South African languages, bridging the crossroads in South Africa’s supposed language gap and channelling powerful cultural connections that aren’t written about enough. Here’s how southern Africa is becoming united with the rest of the world, instead of being divided by its political sphere.
Where cultures connect
Connections between Africa and the United States run deep, including mutual ties to the blues, maskandi, hip-hop – and a tribute to Papa Legba found in New York at the African Burial Ground National Monument. DJ Lil2Hood mixes Afro house into a blend she calls “indlu” – Zulu for a dwelling or home. Even though social media posts and headlines might make cultures and politics seem divided, people are instead uniting their worlds through language, literature and music. Gaps between South Africa’s 12 official languages (and many cultures) could get a little smaller each time someone learns a new word or phrase – or an international DJ mixes Africa back into her signature blend. International politics could threaten to tear apart relations between South Africa and the rest of the world. However, that’s exactly the kind of situation that calls for more shared language, literature and music, isn’t it?
When language goes viral
Language learning is going viral and is creating waves of positive reinforcement against the far-right crew, who would like people to believe that the cultural divide is large and threatening. “Shocking South Africans by speaking their language” climbed up to 1,6 million views (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfxMEO_Gxmo).
YouTube has more videos of the closing language gap, showing influencers unexpectedly switching from English to another speaker’s mother tongue. Influencers might learn Zulu, Afrikaans or Chinese – usually to everyone else’s surprise.
The lesson to learn from this is that language has the ability to connect people in an instant. With an extra language, you’re more receptive to experiencing music and literature in their original form, and sometimes it means that you’re better received by others. This doesn’t mean to say that everyone should leap right into learning another language. However, this could mean that you should at least explore a few words or phrases of another language – your life becomes automatically richer for it. Today, it’s much easier to find learning resources for South Africa’s multiple languages, and yes, according to studies, it’s going viral that more white people are learning how to speak African languages.
South Africa’s languages
If you’re considering only what’s in the news, the cultural divide between South Africa and the United States seems to be increasing. However, hit the streets of either and you’ll soon realise that the mutual cultural influences can’t be ignored, and they’re sure to transcend whatever might be going on in current politics.
Zulu is the home language for almost a quarter of South Africans, while Afrikaans makes up the home language for a little over 12% of citizens. With language learning resources easy to find with a couple of searches (and the advent of streaming platforms), more predominantly Afrikaans and English people are learning Zulu.
For KwaZulu-Natal university students, Zulu has become a compulsory subject for first-years. As someone who has lived in this province for more than a decade now, I can tell readers that learning at least some Zulu makes it easier to get around. You’ll understand more of the music, and you’ll get more of the jokes – fluency still eludes me, but the effort towards the ongoing journey counts.
People are usually hesitant to learn a new language, because they assume they’re going to be judged for their mistakes (or pronunciation). This is almost never the case – would you judge someone for trying your home language? Learning words or phrases doesn’t have to be complicated. Every time someone crosses over the language gap, there’s another chance to unite instead of divide.
If you normally listen to RSG, switch things up and try streaming GagasiFM or Lil2Hood. Read Zulu or Xhosa poetry, even if you’ve got to grab a dictionary and do it slowly. Close the gap.
Language learning resources
Language learning is usually thought of as a mountain that most people don’t dare to climb in their lifetime; but it can be overcome with small and deliberate steps. If you want to learn a new language, the first step is finding your ideal way to do it. Some people learn best from books, while others might absorb more through watching movies or shows with subtitles. Many students swear by complete immersion in a language, while other students will take a decade to absorb their choice language slowly phrase by phrase. Once you’ve realised that there’s no wrong way to learn another language, the learning curve doesn’t seem too steep.
Apps like Duolingo and Babbel are rapidly expanding their language databases, incorporating comprehensive reading tests and quizzes as part of a gradual means of learning. If learning Zulu or Afrikaans doesn’t work for you, there’s also the fictional language of Klingon.
Most languages have an equivalent, free online dictionary. The website isiZulu.net translates between English and Zulu, or allows users to look up specific words and phrases for an instant definition. Services like Google Translate are still flawed, but they are improving how they translate content between South Africa’s official languages. If you’re stuck, simply ask the internet or find someone local who is willing to teach you what you’d like to know.
Zulu learners can also find “Zulu lessons with Thando” on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5WgK499V0o&). Whichever language you choose to learn, you’ll find similar teachers and programmes for all 12 languages. If learning from shows and movies is your choice instead, head to a streaming platform for local series, or download subtitles for movies from websites like OpenSubtitles.com.
Why let international politics stir up the melting pot, when you can just share and enjoy the potjie with everyone?
