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The interactional accomplishment of discrimination in South Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2008

J. Keith Chick
J. Keith Chick
Affiliation:
Department of General Linguistics and Communication, University of Natal
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Abstract

In this paper I attempt to show what a micro approach involving fine-grained sociolinguistic analyses has to contribute to the understanding of the causes of discrimination on grounds of race in South Africa. I present analyses of intra- and intercultural encounters involving native speakers of English and Zulu which suggest that differences in sociocultural background and discourse conventions contribute to misinterpretation of intent and misjudgement of attitude and ability. Repeated stressful encounters of this kind, I suggest, generate negative cultural stereotypes. Finally, I sketch how the larger, structural, historically given forces, which are the concern of macro studies, combine with the results of intercultural encounters to achieve a negative cycle of socially created discrimination. (Interactional sociolinguistics, culture-specific discourse conventions. intercultural communication failure and prejudice, South African English)

Type
Articles
Information
Language in Society , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , September 1985 , pp. 299 - 326
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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