Deumert, A., University of Cape Town, South Africa, University of Oslo, Norway; Lexander, K.V., University of Cape Town, South Africa, University of Oslo, Norway
This paper discusses African multilingual digital writing, focusing on one digital genre: texting. Our analysis draws on quantitative and qualitative data from five highly multilingual African countries: Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa. Writers are shown to draw on local as well as global linguistic resources in crafting their messages. Being a good texter requires the performance of 'textual linguistic dexterity': the ability to articulate meaning through the skillful use of both global and local forms. Good texters are valued by their audiences not only for the speed with which they reply, but also their ability to 'play with words'. The quantitative data shows such practices to be widespread, while the qualitative data allows us to understand writers' motivations and underlying linguistics ideologies. Texting is frequently used in intimate interactions, especially for expressions of love, affection and attraction. Through the juxtaposition of linguistic material, and drawing on the social meanings of different resources within their multilingual repertoires, writers are able to project particular personae and to negotiate various forms of emotional attachment. Eli phepha lixoxa ngendlela yokubhala ngeelwimi ezininzi zeseAfrika usebenzisa ubuxhakaxhaka beteknoloji, ligxile kudidi olunye lokusetyenziswa kobuxhakaxhaka beteknoloji: ubhalo-tekisi. Uphicotho-nkcukacha lwethu lolobalo (khwantithethivu) nolomgangatho (khwalitethivu) weenkcukacha-ngqangi eziqokelelwe kwawona mazwe abalaseleyo ngokusebenzisa iilwimi ezininzi eAfrika: iCôte d'Ivoire, iGhana, iNigeria, iSenegal noMzantsi Afrika. Ababhali baboniswa besebenzisa izixhobo zobunzulu-lwazi bolwimi zasekhaya (lokhali) nezehlabathi liphela ukuyila imiyalezo yabo. Ukuba ngumbhali-tekisi obalaseleyo kufunisa ukuba ukwazi ukusebenzisa le nto ibizwa ngouba 'yitextual linguistic dexterity': oko ke kukwazi ukuphimisela intsingiselo yomyalezo ngendlela ebonisa ubuchule bokusebenzisa iindlela zokuyila itekisi zasekhaya nezehlabathi. Ababhali-tekisi ababalaseleyo baxatyisiwe ngabafundi-miyalezo babo, hayi ngenxa yokuphendula msinya nje kuphela, koko nangenxa yobugcisa babo 'bokudlala ngamagama'. Iinkcukacha-ngqangi zobalo zikubonisa oko njengento esele inabe ngokubanzi, ngeli xa zona iinkcukacha-ngqangi zomgangatho zisenza simqonde ngcono oyena nobangela wokuba ababhali-miyalezo benze ngolu hlobo benza ngalo kwakunye neengcinga zobunzulu-lwazi bolwimi ekusekelwe phezu kwako oku. Ubhalo-tekisi ludla ngokwenziwa kwiinkcoko zobuhlobo, ingakumbi kwezo zothando, ezobubele nezokuthabatheka. Ngokulungelelanisa ezobunzulu-lwazi bolwimi nangokuyila iintsingiselo zezinto ezahlukeneyo kwingqokelela yokusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezahlukeneyo, ababhali babanako ukubonisa 'ububona' obuthile kwanokubonisa iindlela ezahlukeneyo abachukumiseka ngazo. [isiXhosa]. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.