Multiculturalism and Language 4.0. Introduction
4.1. How Language and Culture
Herskovits (1963) defines, language as the vehicle of culture,
Itis a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by which members of a social group co-operate and interact; and that as a series of symbols, its meanings must be learned as must all other cultural phenomena. It stresses the social functions of language. (Herskovits 1963: 287)
Haviland (1990), comments that languages are spoken by people, who are members of societies; each of which has its own distinctive culture. Social variables, such as class, gender, and status of the speaker will influence people's use of language.
Moreover, people communicate what is meaningful to them, and what is and what is not meaningful is defined by their particular culture. In fact, our use of language affects, and is affected, by, our culture.(Haviland 1990:93) South Africa is a multi- cultural and multi-lingual country.Ithas within its nation eleven official languages.
(Cavendish 2001), says that, African civil rights campaigner Archibishop Desmond Tutu, has called South Africa, a 'Rainbow Nation' because of the many different peoples of many different origins live there. Until the end of apartheid, knowledge of English or Afrikaans was essential for anyone wishing to attend college or aiming for a professional career. Nine of the most widely spoken African languages have been recently been national language status. Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu. This means they can be used in schools, government offices, and law courts. In urban areas people speaking different African languages live side by side. People who speak languages belonging to the same "family" may be able to understand one another; for example people who speak Swazi can often understand Zulu (Cavendish 2001: 481).
Language is also a medium through which culture is communicated. Sometimes it may not be the language itself, but the lifestyle of one's culture can 'cross pollinate , other cultures. A typical is example is that if one is in touch with a person of another culture and language, this gives an opening and an opportunity to learn one another's language and culture. An English speaking person may easily learn to speak and understand the Afrikaans culture and language if he or she is living with or married to a person who is 'Afrikaans'. This is typical in the South African culture.
Again we see that this also true of the South African Indian, where almost all modem South African Indians use English as their home language, although their mother tongue may be some Indian language. This is purely because of the influence of Western culture. Thus there is a loss of the mother tongue to a great extent.
Anthonissen and Kaschula (2001), comment that,
One cannot learn language in a vacuum. It will become clear that communicative competence implies both cultural as well as grammatical competence. A practical example is used. Ifyou attended a Xhosa beer drink at Qunu near Umtata in the Transkei, you would not only have to know the rules governing the Xhosa language, but also the rules governing the ceremony. Itwould be necessary to know certain cultural rules such as where to sit , who may use which bekile 'beaker' , and who may drink first.
However, it would also be necessary to know certain cultural rules which dictate the use of language in such a situation. There will include what to say and to whom, how to address individuals who are older or younger than yourself (Anthionissen and Kaschula, 2001:26).
Beliefs and values as well as the needs of a particular society are therefore reflected in the language. The vocabulary of a language provides us with evidence of what is regarded as culturally important in a particular society. Misunderstandings can occur where one society regards something as culturally important and another thinks of it as meaningless. Such misunderstandings mostly result from the way cultural notions are coded in language.
Itis vital to be beware of this scenario in order to enhance cultural understandings and tolerance in a country such as South Africa. Part of other tongue speakers' knowledge of their language includes such cultural knowledge. In cross-cultural communication participants have to be aware of the fact that certain cultural norms are conveyed in language (Anthonissen and Kaschula 2001: 26-27).
4.1.1. Language and Ethnic Group
For a long time in South Africa, we were taught that our language related to our particular ethnic group. On this basis the previous governments granted certain groups, such as the Xhosa people, their 'independence' in what was formerly' independent' Transkei.
This was part of a divide and rule policy. But if we look closely at the situation we find that the link between language and ethnic group was never as direct as former policy makers preferred to believe. People do not speak the way they do because
they are black or white; rather it is because of learned behaviour. People take on the linguistic characteristics of the people they liveinclose contact with.
There is no racial basis for the differences in accent or language use. Everything comes down to the environment in which a person has learnt the language. In the past we have been led to believe that there is no connection between language and race. But this perception was falsely created in order to serve apartheid policies of keeping people apart on the basis of their so called cultural and linguistic differences. There are many in South Africa whose mother tongue is Xhosa or Zulu who have been educated in an environment where they learnt to speak 'standard' English without interference of their mother tongue accent. There are also English mother tongue speakers who have grown up in rural areas where their parents were for example, missionaries , traders or farmers who have acquired Xhosa and who speak it without an accent. Men and women speak differently, mostly as a result of social processes, and this differs from culture to culture.
Clearly though , where people are living together in large ethnic groups there may be link between language and ethnicity. However, there is no inherent link between language and race. It is important to point out that no one variety or accent is superior to any other (Anthoniessen and Kaschula 2001:34-35).
In a research conducted by Kaschula (1989), it was found that the role playing attitudes and different traditions which existed between English speaking farmers and their Xhosa workersinthe Eastern Cape, South Africa, -encouraged the farmers to speak a specific farming register. This language variety was limited to topics and conversation types related to farming . Such restrictions appeared top be necessary in order to keep relations professional rather than personal and so to discourage familiarity with the workers.
The limited verbal repertoire of the farmers and limited more natural acquisition which would enable them to speak about other issues such as religion or politics in Xhosa (Anthonissen and Kaschula (2001:34)