Sociolinguistic oppression or expression of 'Zuluness'? 'IsiHlonipho' among isiZulu-speaking females

Abstract

The linguistic complexities in the Nguni language cluster which females traditionally confront, are most notable. Many Zulu women, for instance, who grow up in rural KwaZulu-Natal still largely adhere to the linguistic custom of 'isiHlonipho', the 'language of respect'. This linguistic register has been investigated with reference to Xhosa women (Finlayson, 1978; 1995; 2002; Dowling, 1988) but only marginally as regards isiZulu-speaking females (see Zungu,1985; 1995). Arguably, the value of this linguistic custom is contested as, on the one hand, 'isiHlonipho' is widely considered a source of enrichment among isiZulu speakers; on the other hand it has been argued, with reference to isiXhosa, that 'the historical existence of the language of respect has influenced the way in which Xhosa males have marginalised women in their literature, and in their social, educational and political institutions' (Dowling, 1988: 180). In this paper, we critically evaluate the extent to which this language variety determines gendered power relations and associated identi- ties within the context of the construction of 'Zuluness'. We suggest, inter alia, that 'isiHlonipho' is a linguistic remnant of 'traditional' Zulu culture. It can thus be considered a linguistic and cultural resource in the sense that it provides a means by which isiZulu-speaking people negotiate and take pride in 'Zuluness'. However, one has to acknowledge that Zulu society continues to be highly patriarchal, and the emphasis on female agency linked to the maintenance of the variety suggests that there are circumstances and situations in which 'isiHlonipho' socially disempowers women. Hence, the linguistic register plays an ambiguous role in the life-experience of Zulu females today.