The debate surrounding Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe's remarks has evolved into a discussion about language, shifting focus from allegations of exploitation and power to linguistic legitimacy. A question about women seeking employment opportunities being asked for sexual favours by men in positions of authority was posed to Mantashe, but his response sparked a debate about the legitimacy of a particular expression in isiXhosa.
As a scholar of African languages, Dr Naledi Maponopono-Manopi finds it fascinating that the debate has centred on language, specifically whether a particular expression is acceptable in isiXhosa. Mantashe stated that isiXhosa linguists agreed that there was nothing wrong with what he had said, which led to a considerable amount of public energy being directed towards questions of linguistic legitimacy.
However, Maponopono-Manopi argues that reducing language to vocabulary alone is limited, as language is not merely a means of communication but also a carrier of culture and a collective memory bank of a people's experience in history. She references Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, who reminds us that language as culture constitutes the collective memory bank of a people's experience in history.
The practise of ukuhlonipha in isiXhosa is a system of social knowledge that informs relationships, social conduct, and linguistic practice, and guides how elders and younger people relate to one another. It teaches that language cannot be divorced from context, which is why isiXhosa has historically developed traditions of circumlocution around intimate subjects.
Maponopono-Manopi finds it difficult to reduce the discussion to whether a particular lexical item exists within isiXhosa, as the issue is not a word in isolation but an utterance in context. The phrase "Ungandifaki kwizinto zesibumbu mna" as a response to a question concerning women, exploitation, and power is what raises discomfort.
The journalist's question was not about female anatomy but about allegations of exploitation, concerning whether positions of authority were being used to extract sexual favours from women seeking employment opportunities. However, the response shifted attention away from the conduct of men and towards the anatomy of women, which Maponopono-Manopi finds particularly revealing.
As an isiXhosa speaker, scholar of African languages, and young black woman, Maponopono-Manopi finds it difficult to reconcile with the principles of ukuhlonipha that the language itself carries, and argues that African language scholars have long argued for the intellectualisation, development, and recognition of African languages.
Key points
- The debate surrounding Mantashe's remarks has shifted focus from allegations of exploitation and power to linguistic legitimacy.
- Language is not merely a means of communication but also a carrier of culture and a collective memory bank of a people's experience in history.
- The practise of ukuhlonipha in isiXhosa informs relationships, social conduct, and linguistic practice, and guides how elders and younger people relate to one another.
