Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
Editor and Book Reviews Editor: John Edwards (St Francis Xavier University, Canada)
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Volume: 21 Number: 3 Page: 198–215
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To be Xhosa or not to be Xhosa … That is the Question
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Vivian de Klerk
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It has long been recognised that indigenous languages are endangered because of powerful social, political and economic pressures. In South Africa, the legacy of apartheid has left its indigenous languages
particularly vulnerable, and since 1994 huge efforts have been made to reverse the situation. Despite the new language policy and accompanying legislation, it would seem that many Xhosa speakers themselves
want English, and not Xhosa,for their children. This paper reports on a multi-faceted quantitative and qualitative survey in and around Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province, which focused on the steady trickle of
speakers of Xhosa into English-medium schools in thearea, and examined the reasons underlying decisions to send Xhosa children to these schools and the subsequent linguistic and psycho-social effects of the
move on the children. Results present evidence of a steady shift to English taking place among the wealthier and more privileged members of the local Xhosa community, both on a practical level and on a socio-psychological
level. In addition, there is evidence of considerable internal conflict in the minds of both the parents and children undergoing this shift as to the future role of the Xhosa language and culture in their
lives.
© Multilingual Matters 2000
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