AFL1501 ASSIGNMENT 04 2022.
Language Through An African Lens.
Forms of addresses, greetings and gestures
South Africa is a diverse country and in its diversity, it is brightly coloured by 11
official languages that link and unify us as South Africans. One important thing we
should be vary of i...
Task 1: Forms of addresses, greetings and gestures
South Africa is a diverse country and in its diversity, it is brightly coloured by 11
official languages that link and unify us as South Africans. One important thing we
should be vary of in aims of being or becoming multilingual is taking caution in the
ways we greet, address people and the gestures associated with them. This
discussion will briefly elaborate on six different greetings and forms of addresses that
are common and accepted in three South African cultures.
The first form of address in the Tshivenda culture is the ‘Vho’ honorific prefix. This
prefix is often attached to someone’s surname, traditional or professional title. For
example one would address an elderly community member whose surname is Mkho,
and then would add the prefix Vho making the address ‘Vho-Mkho’. This form of
address is inclusive of gender meaning that it can be used to address both men and
women. It is used by juniors to address seniors and traditionally used to address
royalty. Status difference does not really have an impact on this form of address as it
is both used for royal people and community members.
A form of address that is common in family settings in the Tshivenda is referring to
one’s aunt as ‘Makhadzi’. This refers to the father’s sister regardless of the sister’s
age. With this form of address, it is inclusive of status as both people of a royal
status and normal people use the form of address. The slight difference is that when
used in the royal setting, the honorific prefix ‘Vho’ is added, making the address
‘Vho-Makhadzi’, but only used to address the royal aunt to the king or chief. The
address is used by nephews and nieces to address their paternal aunts of any age.
This makes the address be inclusive of age but is only used to refer females.
Another form of address that is common in family settings is ‘gugu’ which refers to
‘grandparents’. The form is used to address both the grandmother and grandfather
so it is inclusive of gender. The age range of people who use this form of address to
address the elderly is mainly second and third generation from the grandparents.
Meaning the people who use the form of address is mainly the grandchildren and
their parents. This form is inclusive of social status and state differences.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller STUDYCENTER2024. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R47,91. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
