Language and the geopolitics of (dis)location: A study of Zimbabwean Shona and Ndebele speakers in Johannesburg.
The Zimbabwean diaspora is a well-documented phenomenon. While much research has been done on Zimbabwean migration to South Africa, the role that language plays in this process has not been well researched. This article draws on South African census data and qualitative fieldwork data to explore the...
| Published in: | Language in Society Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 115 - 140 |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article |
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Cambridge University Press
Feb2018
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh&AN=128595394&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: hlh uiTerm: 128595394 longDbName: Humanities International Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: jinfo: jid: 00474045 7Y8 jtl: Language in Society issn: 00474045 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Feb2018 vid: 47 iid: 1 pid: 15979 pub: Cambridge University Press artinfo: ui: 128595394 10.1017/S0047404517000793 ppf: 115 ppct: 25 formats: tig: atl: Language and the geopolitics of (dis)location: A study of Zimbabwean Shona and Ndebele speakers in Johannesburg. aug: au: SIZIBA, GUGULETHU HILL, LLOYD affil: Stellenbosch University, South Africa su: Language & languages Geopolitics Immigrants Emigration & immigration Census data processing sug: subj: Language & languages Geopolitics Immigrants Emigration & immigration Census data processing ab: The Zimbabwean diaspora is a well-documented phenomenon. While much research has been done on Zimbabwean migration to South Africa, the role that language plays in this process has not been well researched. This article draws on South African census data and qualitative fieldwork data to explore the manner in which Zimbabwean migrants use languages to appropriate spaces for themselves in the City of Johannesburg. The census data shows that African migrants tend to concentrate in the Johannesburg CBD, and fieldwork in this area reveals that Zimbabwean migrants are particularly well established in two suburbs--Yeoville and Hillbrow. The article explores migrant language repertoires, which include English, Shona, Ndebele, and a variant of Zulu. While many contributions to the migration literature tend to assume a strong association between language and ethnicity, the article shows how this relationship is mediated by geographic location and social positioning within the city. (Language, migration, Johannesburg, South Africa, Zimbabwe) pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Article src: R language: English refInfo: copyright: @attributes: flag: Y dt: @attributes: year: 2018 holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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