South African English

South African English

Part of a series on the
Culture of South Africa
History
People
Languages
  • Afrikaans
  • English
  • Ndebele
  • Northern Sotho
  • Sotho
  • Swazi
  • Tswana
  • Tsonga
  • Venda
  • Xhosa
  • Zulu
Traditions
Mythology and folklore
Cuisine
Festivals
  • Public holidays
Religion
Art
Literature
  • Writers
  • Poets
Music and performing arts
  • Musicians
Media
  • Radio
  • Television
  • Cinema
Sport
Monuments
  • World Heritage Sites
Symbols
  • Flag
  • National anthem
  • Coat of arms
Culture portal
South Africa portal

The term South African English (SAfrE, SAfrEng, SAE, en-ZA) is applied to the first-language dialects of English spoken by South Africans, with the L1 English variety spoken by Zimbabweans, Zambians and Namibians, being recognised as offshoots.

There is some social and regional variation within South African English. Social variation within South African English has been classified into three groupings: Cultivated, closely approximating Received Pronunciation and associated with upper class; General, a social indicator of the middle class, and Broad, associated with the working class, and closely approximating the second-language Afrikaans-English variety. This is similar to the case in Australian English.

Read more about South African English:  Pronunciation, Demographics, English Academy of Southern Africa, Examples of South African Accents

Famous quotes containing the words south, african and/or english:

    Up from the South at break of day,
    Bringing to Winchester fresh dismay,
    The affrighted air with a shudder bore,
    Like a herald in haste, to the chieftain’s door,
    The terrible grumble, and rumble, and roar,
    Telling the battle was on once more,
    And Sheridan twenty miles away.
    Thomas Buchanan Read (1822–1872)

    The confirmation of Clarence Thomas, one of the most conservative voices to be added to the [Supreme] Court in recent memory, carries a sobering message for the African- American community.... As he begins to make his mark upon the lives of African Americans, we must acknowledge that his successful nomination is due in no small measure to the support he received from black Americans.
    Kimberly Crenshaw (b. 1959)

    He that seeks trouble never misses.
    —17th-Century English proverb, first collected in George Herbert, Outlandish Proverbs (1640)