Englishes and cosmopolitanisms in South Africa

Abstract

This chapter studies the relationship between English, Afropolitanism and cosmopolitanism in the context of South Africa, specifically at Stellenbosch University where, following student protests, English (as opposed to Afrikaans) was made the primary medium for teaching and learning. This recognition relied on two principal reasons: first, English is considered more “neutral” than Afrikaans (which continues to be strongly associated with the Afrikanerdom of the white minority); and, secondly, English is arguably connected to cosmopolitanism and it has both international and institutional status. According to Rudwick, the postulate that, by providing access to the entire world, English can be viewed as synonymous with cosmopolitanism is erroneous. According to her, not all cosmopolitan people speak English and the concept of cosmopolitanism itself benefits from a variety of interpretations. Still, many African countries have adopted English as their international and domestic communication tool. They also promoted this language in higher education to facilitate the production and the dissemination of knowledge in a multilingual context. Despite its promotion, English and English lingua franca (ELF) are far from being viewed as neutral. They are criticized for being Eurocentric and for supporting the hegemony of native speakers. This is noticeable, for example, in higher education, where currency and prestige are given to standard English rather than to local English varieties. The African multilingual context and the diversity of English call for an alternative approach. Subsequently, the issue of the relationship between ELF and cosmopolitanism is also raised. The ideas of cosmopolitanism, Afropolitanism and cosmo-buntuism seem to be relevant because, by embracing diversity and difference, they oppose essentialism and the nativist trends characterizing the South African context. The concept of Afropolitanism, for example, refers to the “interweaving of worlds”. It considers African (urban) life conditions and identities to be fluid, heterogeneous and hybrid. According to its protagonists, African identity cannot be explained in purist, essentialist and oppositional terms, nor only by reference to the African continent. Relying on this premise, Rudwick views an Afropolitan as a cosmopolitan who, beyond his African grounding, also refers to other spaces and cultures as being a further part of his identity. The paper suggests the use of different varieties of English as it reflects not only the diversity of this academic community, but also reveals its trans-racial and trans-ethnic characteristics.