Language through African lens.

AFL 1501
Portfolio

Name: Zikhona

Surname: Peter

Assignment number: 835360

Due date: 06 November 2020

Group number: 14T

Name of TA: Conrad Kruger van den Bergh

 Table of Contents
First Portfolio; Task 1(Blog screenshot) …………………………………. Page 3

Task 2 (Blog Reflection) …………………………………. Page 3

Second Portfolio; Task 1(Family Tree) ….………………………………. Page 4

Task 2(Interviews) …….………………………………. Page 4

Third Portfolio; Task 1 (Definition of Culture) …………………………... Page 8

Task 2 (Ukuhlonipha) …………………………………... Page 8

Final Reflection ……………………………………………………………. Page 10

Reference…………………………………………………………………… Page 11

Declaration …………………………………………………………………. Page 12

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First Portfolio; Task 1 (Blog)

Task 2 (Reflection)

This module has made me dig deeper into my culture, who I am and where I come
from, basically it has made me self-reflect a lot reason being I knew that the person I
am and the way I was raised was because of my parents I never knew that it ran
deep to the roots that were planted in them by the people who raised them and those
people were also taught by their parents. I knew what culture was but after
participating in activities and doing some research, I can honestly say I have
developed as a person and in skills. I have also learnt a lot about South African
Languages how different and similar our cultures are and the importance of culture.

Starting this module with the first assignment I was a little bit lost in how I should
start my essay and how to reflect and that made me do some bit of research on how
to write and academic essay and about the topic at hand. Yes, I was taught in how to
write one in high school but the level of high school and tertiary are not the same. I
can now proudly say that I can write an interesting and attention-grabbing essay, and
that is the skill that I have acquired during this semester learning this module.

With the skills of engaging with other students, and writing professionally and
academically I have acquired in this module will help me when I am doing reports
when I am working professionally because the career, I have chosen involves a lot of
reflective writing and reports.

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Second Portfolio; Task 1 Family Tree
NB: the family tree will consist of only the paternal side of the family and will start
from my father’s grandparents.
Great Grandfather Great Grandmother Great Grandfather Great Grandmother

Daka Peter Ntombembi Dyantyi Zonde Alam Nohantombi Qwazi

Xhosa; amaSukwini Xhosa; amaNgqosini Xhosa; amaMfene Xhosa: MKhomazi
clan Clan Clan Clan

xjkjkskld Grandfather Grandmother

xx Mwisi William Peter Nontobeko Peter
Xhosa; amaSukwini Clan Xhosa; amaMfene Clan

Vuyisile Peter Vuyiswa Monqo Mzimkhulu Peter Nosipho Peter Thembani Peter
Xhosa; amaSukwini Xhosa; amaSukwini Xhosa; amaSukwini Xhosa; amaNngwevu Xhosa; amaSukwini
clan clan clan clan Clan

Chumani Peter Zikhona Peter Sikelelelwa Peter Mzimkhulu Peter Lithemba Peter Sivuyiswe Peter
Jr

Ndal’entle Shange Simamkele Peter Liwalaphakade Peter

Task 2; Family Interviews

This is an interview of the last two senior members, my dad and my aunt since they
are the only living seniors in my family.
The first interviewee is my father, this interview was done over the phone since we
are not in the same province.
Me: Hello dad
Father: Hello Ntombi’ Zikhona
Me: Dad this will not take long I just want to ask you a few questions about your
name, who gave you the name Mzimkhulu, what does it mean and why?
Father: My father gave me that name, it means the house is growing as I was the
third born and I was a boy so that also meant the house of Amasukwini will grow
even more.
Me: ok I hear you dad, what is the relationship between your name and language an
do you live up to your name?
Father: Yes, my child I do. I have 8 offspring’s, 4 boys and 4 girls and I am the only
one who has children at home, so you see I did follow up to that name. And also,
name does have a relationship with my language because it is a Xhosa name.

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Me: So, dad would you change your name and pick another one from any African
language?
Father: No baby I love my name and I do already have another name from another
language, Gladman it is an English name so I am happy with both names.
Me: Ok dad thanks goodnight.
Father: Goodnight Ntombi.
The second interview is with my aunt we did the interview through video call
Me: Hello auntie(smiling)
Auntie: Hello Ntombi, how are you?
Me: I’m good auntie thank you and how is my aunt doing?
Auntie: I am also good my baby.
Me: Aunt this will not take long I just want to ask you a few questions about your
name, who gave you the name Vuyiswa, what does it mean and why?
Auntie: My mother gave me that name Ntombi, the name means Happiness, they
were happy with the gift that god gave them.
Me: ok, what is the relationship between your name and language and do you live up
to your name?
Auntie: Yes, I am the 2nd born and the only girl so my parents and siblings were
happy especially my brothers because they could bully and protect me and there is
never a dull moment when I’m around as you know that I am the comedian of the
family. My name does have a relationship with my language because it is a Xhosa
name.
Me: Indeed, you are the life of every gathering at home and you can easily put a
smile in any persons face we are so lucky to have you in our lives. So, aunt would
you change your name and pick another one from any African language?
Aunt: No need I have already done that baby. Yes, I love my name but when I got
married to my husband, we decided to add another English name that was similar to
his, which is Maureen and his name was Morrison.
Me: Ok wow couple goals ha-ha thank you so much for helping me have a goodnight
and I love you.
Auntie: My pleasure baby I love you more, goodnight.

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Task 3; History behind my name
The name I was given, its meaning and the history behind it.

My family has followed that tradition and the person responsible for giving the
second-generation names was my aunt (father’s sister) as she was the eldest and
only female in the first generation, she was given that honour. It gave her great joy
that my father’s first born was a girl and she named her Ntombiziyanda (Ntombi – girl
and Ziyanda – the expansion or multiplication of something) because the number of
females in the family had increased. However, that joy was short lived as the years
passed and to her disappointment a boy was born this time but she was nonetheless
happy for the additional member and for the gift.

Until my time came, the third born and the story behind my name is kind of an
interesting and funny one, when she first came to know the news of my parents
expecting another baby the first thing she said was “I can feel it in my bones and
veins that we going to be blessed with another girl” . Her brothers laughed at her and
told her she was wrong and Ziyanda was just out of pure luck that she is a girl and
that’s when they came to a conclusion that my mother must not go for a scan to
determine the gender of the baby just to test my aunts theory see if my aunt was
right.

It is said that she prayed day and night for me to be a girl and every time my mother
went to visit her at her house she would touch my mother’s belly and talk/plead with
me, well kind of threaten me in a playful way and say “hey you! do not dare
disappoint me child, I’m pleading with you. I don’t want to be a laughing stock to my
brothers or else!” And my mother would just die of laughter and say “do not worry
sister it will be as you wish”. When the day of my birth came, they all went along with
my parents to the hospital and waited in anticipation for quite some time.

Seven hours later they were called to come and meet me ,and my aunt was the first
one to jump up her chair and scurried to the labour ward ,and she did not even wait
for my parents to tell her, she quickly took me from my father’s arms and checked for
herself and her theory was confirmed. I was indeed a girl her excitement made her
dance, ululate and cry at the same time thanking the heavens for the gift and God for
blessing the family with yet another female child.

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She named me Ntombizikhona a Xhosa name meaning there are girls in the family/
blessed with girls.

How my name reflects my cultural and language identity

I love the meaning and history behind my name, it gives me sense of belonging and
if I was never given a name I would be lost. My name does reflect who I am and the
culture I belong to because it is a name popular in the Xhosa culture. When I
introduce myself to someone and say “Hi, my name is Ntombizikhona” some
instantly know that I am Xhosa because the way I say it (accent) and there are no
other languages with the name Zikhona.

Another language I like and would like a name from

If ever I was given that choice of choosing a name for myself, I would have picked a
biblical name or a name with a stronger meaning since I am a very religious person.
And for me personally the most unique and beautiful names that are in Arabic and
have a biblical tinge are in Swahili, a Bantu language spoken in Kenya, Tanzania
and Uganda and DRC. (Mom Junction.com)

And the best names I like more in Swahili are Imani and Taraji, both biblical names
meaning Faith and Hope. I have always felt that my purpose in life is to bring hope
and instil faith in each and every person I come in contact with because of the kind of
person that I am and the career path in which I believe God chose for me.

The interviews above show how imported naming your child is, and how imported it
is to give them a meaningful name that they will be able to follow up to.

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Third Portfolio; Task 1 (Definition of culture)
I have found all three definition on a digital publisher on line called LiveScience;

Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people,

encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. (Kim Am
Zimmerman)
The Center for Advance Research on Language Acquisition goes a step further,
defining culture as shared patterns of behaviours and interactions, cognitive
constructs and understanding that are learned by socialization. Thus, it can be seen
as the growth of a group identity fostered by social patterns unique to the group.
"Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language,
marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we
greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones, and a million other things," Cristina
De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London, told Live
Science.
The topic I agree with
The topic I agree with all the definitions because they explain what culture is
however, the definition I apply with is the one by Christina the Anthropologist. The
way she has explained culture is the way I reflect my own culture by my behaviour.
The way I talk, the food I eat, the traditional attires I love, the language I speak, what
I believe is right or wrong and so on, everything that I do the way I do things and how
I behave shows and reflects my culture.
Yes, I believe that culture should evolve with the times. However, evolving does not
mean we have to neglect our ways and culture just because we are living in a
modern world there are some things that should be preserved and can still be used
in the modern world.

Do I think politeness is cultural orientated?

Yes, to me without a doubt politeness is cultural orientated because in my culture

manners and respect are the things that they focus on more when teaching their
children whilst growing up. I for one was taught manners and respect at a very young
age , how to greet my elders, how to respond to the elders ,how to help out anyone I
see who needs help, how to even talk to my peers with ,how to say thank you when
someone has done something for me basically the way I portray myself and behave
was taught to me by my parents passing their knowledge onto me in how a Xhosa
girl has to behave.

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When I was doing my training in my first profession and learning about human
beings and how to look at them and evaluate before solving a case or problem,
Generosity along with Independence, Mastery and Belonging are the 4 important
quadrants that make up a whole person and if one is lacking a person will have
problems in life and that’s the root and the reason behind how a person behaves.
Generosity was the last but the most important showing that politeness, respect and
manners are something a person has to have they are out of importance.

Do I think that a person who does not follow are not cultural?

Well we are different, born in different backgrounds under different circumstances so

not everyone will be taught things the same way as much as we are in the same
cultural group. Leaning is not a lesson taught only but also seeing how people
behave around a child can also play a role in how a child ends up being like ….
Basically, the environment in which a child grows up in can influence that child in
how they turn out and behave as adults.

For example maybe a child is raised in a home where parents abuse alcohol and do
drugs and the way they behave towards each other and the children is not good,
they use of profanity is an everyday thing the child will definitely pick up those bad
traits not because they wanted to but because it is the environment they grow up in
and they begin to think that it is the acceptable way a person has to act.

Ways to show politeness in addressing peers and lecturers and TA

Whenever addressing a lecturer, TA n peers at university the use of language is

important. For example, when you greet and speak to your lecturer and TA’s you use
words like Sir/Ma'am, Professor, and Doctor depending on the level that they are
academically then do a hand shake if it is not in a classroom environment just to
show politeness.

With peers it is different as we are in the same level but nonetheless, we have to
respect each other and act accordingly. You cannot use me calling and profanity
when addressing each other it’s either you use a person’s name or call them mate.
And when you first meet, we also shake hands or wave at each other to show
politeness.

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The photo below demonstrates two peers greeting each other and being polite
towards one another.

Final reflection (conclusion)

Have I experience a paradigm shift?

Yes definitely, before this module I knew who I was my name, cultural group, place I
was born in, knew about 11 South African and SA's diversity but with the module I
was able to learn more from the lessons and activities we did along with leaning
about other cultures from other students and identifying the differences and
similarities.

How important knowing yourself and where you come from is, how important it is
embrace your culture and respect other people’s cultures, how important language is
and how everything about you and the way you behave reflects your culture, why is it
important to learn other cultures language and not just your own.

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In a nut shell I have definitely learned and gained more knowledge about culture,
language, identity, how to engage with other students and academic writing.

Reference

Zimmerman.K.2017. Definition of culture

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.livescience.com/amp/21478-what-is-culture-definition-of-
culture.html (Accessed 01 November 2020)

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Academic Honesty Declaration

I Zikhona Peter Student number: 670404373 declare that I am the author of this
assignment AFL1501.

o By signing this declaration, I acknowledge that I am aware of what plagiarism

is.
o I declare that this assignment is my own, original work and that where I used
other information and resources, I did so in a responsible manner.
o I did not plagiarise in any way and I have referenced and acknowledged any
legal resources that I have consulted and used to complete this assignment.
o I did not use a current or previous student work submitting it as my own.
o I did not allow anyone to copy my work and submit it as their own.
o Furthermore, I acknowledge that I am aware of UNISA’s POLICY on
plagiarism and understand that if there is evidence of plagiarism within this
document, Unisa will take necessary action.

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