“That’s all out of shape”
Language and Racism in South African Drama
In: The Politics of English as a World Language
Author:
Haike Frank
Haike Frank
University of Freiburg
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Abstract
This essay examines discussions about language in plays by South African dramatists Athol Fugard (Blood Knot and ‘Master Harold’... and the boys) and Susan Pam-Grant (Curl up and Dye) and analyses forms of language use and word play by characters from various racial backgrounds. Language competence proves to be an important element in the oppressed group’s increasing conscientization. By contrasting racist and condescending language use with the honest language of oppressed individuals, these plays suggest that a creative, multilingual dialogue in opposition to the monolithic and monolingual discourse of apartheid is a powerful medium for anti-apartheid agency.