South Africa : Nashia Ogbuagu (I’ve Never Thought About That Before)

I’ve Never Thought About That Before

Currently, I am enrolled in one of the most interesting classes I have ever taken in my entire college career called “Language, Power, and Freedom in Africa – Practices and Ideologies.” This course covers topics surrounding the formation of African languages, how they are used in various settings, how they have been repressed, and insights on the future of linguistics.

Discussions in this class are unique in that the lecturer does not simply talk at us. They employ a unique teaching style that heavily involves interacting with the students to get us to use our own experiences to further our understanding of the material.

So far, the most fascinating topic we have covered involves recommendations on how people should approach understanding African languages. It is called the “Integrationist Approach” and a linguist known as Sinfree Makoni explores how it is beneficial in the African context. The approach reveals that language is interwoven with context and is constantly changing to apply to everyday communication (Makoni, 2011). Language is able to change as it relates to people’s surroundings and experiences, so this theory allows it to be indeterminate rather than still. In contrast, the “Orthodox Approach” utilizes a segregationist method that enforces the separation of context from language and is quite static. Opposite of the integrationist approach, the orthodox method draws hard lines among languages and does not allow overlap. This was often used during colonialism to subdue and control Africans.

Overall, this class has been captivating. It has altered the way I have thought about language and has broadened my appreciation for the expansiveness of African cultures.

References

Makoni, S. B. (2011). Sociolinguistics, Colonial and Postcolonial: An Integrationist Perspective. Language Sciences, 33(4), 680–688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2011.04.020

Nashia Ogbuagu

Major: Marketing, Supply Chain Management, Operations and Technology Management

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Program: University of Cape Town Exchange

Personally, I aspire to form lifelong friendships with my classmates and others in the local community. Though South Africa has numerous cultures and traditions, one shared thought among many is “Ubuntu,” which can be translated to compassion. This word encompasses the
significance of warmth and empathy within communities and relationships. I resonate deeply with this as a child of immigrants who had it ingrained in my mind to always be kind to others regardless of differences.

The only way I can learn about Cape Town is by fully immersing myself in its cultures, traditions, languages, foods, and ways of living that I have never been exposed to. So rather than asking myself what I want to learn, I will ask myself how. The how is through my active participation in an array of activities that will bring me closer to understanding what makes the city so vibrant.