The usage of African languages in three selected contemporary German novels set in Africa
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Date
2010-01
Authors
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Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
This paper will focus on the use of indigenous African languages as well as the acquisition of language as a motif in
selected contemporary German novels set in Africa. The aim of this paper is to show where the portrayal of indigenous
languages fits into the quest for high sale figures as the German contemporary novel set in Africa aims to provide the
greatest amount of entertainment to the largest number of readers (cf. Nusser 2000:13; Jordaan 2008:31). The word
‘contemporary’ refers to approximately the last ten years and ‘German’ to novels written in the German language, i.e.
novels from Switzerland (for example) are also included. The nature, quantity and function of utterances from three
selected contemporary German novels will be presented, in order to show how the use of African languages in these novels
can create, perpetuate and resolve suspense in the plot.
Description
Peer reviewed article published under Inkanyiso, Volume 2, Issue 1, Jan 2010, p. 7 - 12
Keywords
African languages, German novels set in Africa, indigenous African languages, Ein Land das Himmel heißt,
Citation
Spruyt, M., 2010. Umberto Eco’s The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana: A conduit for culture, consciousness and cognition. Inkanyiso: Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(1), pp.1-6.