Abstract

KEURIS, Marisa. A bird's eye view of the Development and Use of the Cape Afrikaans (Kaaps) in Afrikaans dramas. JLS [online]. 2022, vol.38, n.2, pp.1-20. ISSN 1753-5387.  http://dx.doi.org/10.25159/1753-5387/10884.

In this article I give a bird's eye view of the development of Kaaps (Afrikaans) drama: from the early days of Dutch Afrikaans drama where the use of so-called "Hottentots-Dutch" was first introduced, to contemporary works that make use of Kaaps. Since "language" in drama is foregrounded through the use of dialogue by the characters in a play, the focus in this discussion is mainly on dramatic dialogue. Some insights of Vimala Herman (1995) as discussed in her seminal study, Dramatic Discourse: Dialogue as Interaction in Plays, are used to structure this article's theoretical parameters. She makes the point that dramatic dialogue is not simply the reflection of ordinary speech between speakers or even the "refinement" of such speech but is, in fact, much more complicated and should rather be seen as an imitation of the rules and conventions underpinning real-life discourse. The playwright simply creates the illusion that a specific conversation is taking place between characters. An analysis of dramatic dialogue should, however, also be accompanied by an understanding of the greater contextual context of a play (e.g., the socio-political issues addressed or implied in such a work). From the various examples given in the article one can discern through the use of dramatic language a particular development from the early Dutch Afrikaans play's paternalistic depictions of so-called "Hottentot" characters by White playwrights, to more sympathetic contemporary depictions of Khoisan characters by White playwrights. Today the use of Kaaps is increasingly used by their own playwrights to give authentic portrayals of urban Coloured communities.

Keywords : Kaaps; Kaapse Afrikaans; Khoisan; teater; dramatiese dialoog.

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