INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this portfolio is to summarise what I have learnt in the AFL1501 module
throughout semester 1. This module does not have a formal examination and this portfolio
will be evaluated as the final exam to determine my examination mark.

The contents of this portfolio will consist of the following:

1. Personal Language Story;

2. Cultural ideas and traditions;
3. Family Structure;
4. Final reflection

By reading the contents of this portfolio you will learn about who I am as a person through
my linguistic identity and how language use impacts attitudes and perspectives of people.
Furthermore, we will go into a deeper discussion on what I believe makes a person African

First Portfolio Activity

My name is AFL1501 Student, I was born in a small town in Mpumalanga named Ermelo,
but I was raised in the Jacaranda City, Pretoria. My mother tongue is English, and I had to
learn to speak Afrikaans because there was only one Primary school in Ermelo, and it was
Afrikaans. We lived in Ermelo until I was 9 years old, in these nine year I also learnt how
to speak isiZulu by our domestic worker. When we moved to Pretoria, I decided to continue
going to an Afrikaans school.

Afrikaans became my most used language throughout Primary and High School and the
only time I spoke English was to my parents and siblings. After High School all that
changed, my family decided to move to Durban, and it felt like I had to start my whole life
over again. Currently I am still living in Durban and my work colleagues and friends here
are also English and the only time I speak Afrikaans is when I catch-up with my old school
friends.

My idiolect/ecolect differs from the people in our cultural geographical area. I grew up in
not only in a bilingual but also in a dual citizenship household. Because half of my family
lives in England and the other half lives here in South Africa, I feel that my idiolect/ecolect
is very mixed and changes depending on which group of people I am with. In my household
we mainly speak English and hardly use slang words, where if I am with my friends who
are mostly Afrikaans my idiolect changes to fit in with their ecolect and our conversations
will be spoken in Afrikaans and every now and then use English words to Emphasize
something. Also, when I am with my mom’s family who are from England my ecolect
changes to their British slang, for example instead of saying half past 5 they will say half
5. I believe my linguistic identity is very flexible ad can change regarding in which situation
I am.

I believe that language reflects who a person is, because our language is the 'heart' of who
we are as a person. It gives life to our attitudes, beliefs, and values. Without language we
would have one less way of showing our identity to the world.

Second Portfolio Activity

1. With regard to your own submission, reflect on your initial thoughts about the
misunderstanding. After developing a more profound sympathy for linguistic
and cultural differences during the completion of this module, can you think
of more appropriate ways to respond to the situation now? (10)

From the beginning I believed that language is the ‘heart’ of who we are. After Unit 1 my
perspective of language did change, due to the fact that I was made aware of the crucial
importance of how we not only use words but how we communicate them affects our
relationships with others. I have also learnt that it is important that measures are
implemented to advance the use of the national languages in our country, due to the fact
that during the Apartheid era, not all persons were afforded the opportunity to receive an
education in their own language.

The use of indigenous languages was diminished during this time, and languages such
as English and Afrikaans were imposed on the locals. Throughout this module my
perspective of languages did change and I became prouder of being an African and I have
come to believe that engaging with people who belong to linguistic communities other than
our own expands our knowledge about different cultures and allows us to be open and
receptive to new groups of people. Thus, it is important to not only be proud to be an
African, but also be proud of the language you speak because it creates a strong first
impression to others about ourselves and gives people an insight of who you are as a
person.

2. Compare your self-reflection submitted for Assignment 1 with what you see
when you look into the mirror now. Has this module impacted your feelings
and thoughts about whom you are regarding language and culture
negatively or positively, and why? (5)

Throughout this module my perspective of languages did change and I became prouder of
being an African and I have come to believe that engaging with people who belong to
linguistic communities other than our own expands our knowledge about different cultures
and allows us to be open and receptive to new groups of people. Thus, it is important to
not only be proud to be an African, but also be proud of the language you speak because
it creates a strong first impression to others about ourselves and gives people an insight
of who you are as a person.

3. Now look at the comments from other students on this Discussion forum (the
comments do not need to be comments on your work, they can be comments
written to other students). Select any two comments that, after reading, that
made you experience a paradigm shift in terms of your beliefs regarding a
particular South African language or culture other than your own. Motivate
your answers and reference each comment correctly. (10)

I have learned that language can help others identify who you are as a person, where you
come from or originates from and what nation you belong to. Language can group people
to a specific geographical area based on the language they speak. E.g whites stays in
more urbanised areas whereas blacks stay in less urbanised or rural areas. Language can
also influence the way we interact with different people in different situations. For example,
the tone and choice of words you use when communicating with your friend will greatly
differ from the way you would use your tone, language and choice of words in a formal
interview. With language you can also express your culture.

Throughout this module my perspective of languages did change and I became prouder of
being an African and I have come to believe that engaging with people who belong to
linguistic communities other than our own expands our knowledge about different cultures
and allows us to be open and receptive to new groups of people. Thus, it is important to
not only be proud to be an African, but also be proud of the language you speak because
it creates a strong first impression to others about ourselves and gives people an insight
of who you are as a person.

Third Portfolio Activity

Drawing a family tree that takes into account cultural and linguistic differences can
be a valuable and informative tool for understanding the diverse backgrounds of
one's family members. This type of family tree can help to highlight and preserve
cultural and linguistic traditions, and provide a deeper appreciation for the unique
experiences and heritage of each family member. The purpose of this task is to
evaluate your understanding of how to incorporate cultural and linguistic
information into a family tree diagram, and to demonstrate your ability to create a
visually appealing and informative representation of your family's heritage.

1. Create a family tree diagram that incorporates cultural and linguistic

information about your family members as far back as you can identify them
(in effect you are identifying your family groups, i.e., the family on your
father’s side and the family on your mother’s side). Keep in mind that the
family tree needs to go down to the youngest member of the family (including
yourself). You may include the name and/or surname of each family member,
languages spoken by each person in your family tree and place of origin. (Be
mindful and respectful of sensitive cultural issues, and seek out accurate
information and resources to ensure that the representation is both accurate
and culturally appropriate. Make sure your family tree diagram is visually
appealing and easy to understand).
 2. Write a brief reflection on the process of creating the family tree and how it
affected your perception of your cultural identity. (Note: Please be mindful
and respectful of sensitive cultural and personal information, and only
include information that you are comfortable sharing). (12)

In the former parts of my family tree one can deduce that Afrikaans, English, Xhosa, Zulu
and Sotho are the home languages or languages of the heart for both my maternal and
paternal great grandparents. As you work your way down the tree from my grandparents
onwards, one can see the incorporation of the English language. This introduction of
English occurred from the 1940’s to 70’s and played a significant role in both language and
cultural identity of the younger generations such as myself.

The English language which was integrated in my family tree and many others, not only
led to the incorporation of the language itself into our language identity, but also led to the
incorporation of the western culture into our cultural identity. The western culture was
embraced more so as you work your way down the tree. One can see from analysing the
family tree that Afrikaans, English, Xhosa, Zulu and Sotho which were initially the home
languages of my ancestors then change to English. As a result of the incorporation of the
English language, the western culture also was incorporated into our lives. Personally, as
a ________(YOUR AGE) year old, the western culture has had a significant impact on my
cultural identity. There are numerous aspects of my life that have been influenced by
western culture such as clothing, music, television not to mention the way in which I speak
such as my ecolect and my idiolect. English was used throughout my formative years in
every possible aspect that being at home, school as well as social gatherings. Western
culture was definitely one of the first other cultures that diversified my cultural identity as
an individual. This has led to me exploring other cultures due to the fact that as a South
African, I think it is important to possess a diverse cultural identity since we live in a multi-
cultural country.

I honestly think that no one from my family tree is inclined to the way of living of Meenakshi
because none of them have the same religion or culture as her and none of them were
brought up with the same principles regarding her prayers, the gods and Godesses she
praises, the food she eats and her fasting . Not one of my family members have
experienced the tamil lifestyle as it was more focused around the coloured, white and
African races. I do not have any Indian relations in my family tree. In the past, there was a
huge racial divide, and therefore, they could not experience Ubuntu as we are experiencing
in present.

Forth Portfolio Activity:

During the course of this module, you were taught the importance of interacting
within and across cultures politely and respectfully, allowing for differences in
beliefs. Now apply this skill by responding to the following fictional comments,
pretending that you are in a conversation with Nontsi, Phila, and Pieter respectively,
who have made these comments to you either at your workplace or via social media:
Your comments should be a minimum of 200 words each.

1) Comment from Nontsi:

(Your name), why did you have a traditional wedding, not a modern one? Modern
weddings are much more popular. You are so old-fashioned!

I would love to have a traditional wedding as I feel like it will connect me to my roots to
remind me of who I am where I come from what I've been through what our ancestors went
through for us to be here celebrating my new life my new family I believe that with traditional
weddings families are truly joined and that is shown in the gift giving ceremony that
happens and also I believe in lobola and that is already a traditional ceremony held and if
I would like to have lobola I'd like to start with the traditional ceremony and finish with the
traditional ceremony because traditional ceremonies are weddings to us black people too
and it's unfortunate that people only feel married when they have white weddings I still
appreciate the traditional way to do things I feel like it would make my marriage stronger if
I only did a traditional wedding I would also like to do traditional wedding to show other
people younger than me that a traditional wedding is enough and it does not make you
less than and the traditional wedding can also be elegant it's not just traditional way it can
also be traditional way that is beautiful elegant I'd like to show people that it is important to
remember your roots to remember all that your ancestors went through for the freedom
that we have today and forced to be able to embrace who we are without being ashamed

2) Comment from Phila:

(Your name), I can’t believe you are going to church on Sundays and have stopped
communicating with your ancestors. You have completely neglected your culture!

I was born and raised in the Christian family. I feel so much lucky by growing in Christian
family as it helped me to develop character that is positive. Christianity is the most
dominant religion in my family.

Being Christian and following the doctrine is a very important aspect within my family and
community. Our religion forms the basis for our cultural heritage. Because Christianity
plays such a big role in my culture, and is non-conflicting, following and practicing my
culture comes easier. It is my opinion that my religious believes elevates my culture and
how I live my life.

3) Comment from Pieter:

(Your name), I am so disappointed that you chose not to play rugby at your school
and do ballet instead. All boys should play rugby; otherwise, they are not men!

Traditionally girls did ballet and football was for the boys, but the community is working to
tackle this stereotype and make both more inclusive.
If you have ever seen a classical ballet, you will see the men portraying straight male roles
in which the male lead almost always has a romantic interest in the lead female character
and spends all of his effort lifting and supporting and showcasing her while being chivalrous
and accommodating. Modern ballet may sometimes challenge this, but the physiques of
men and women make the male/female partnership a constant for choreographers, despite
trends moving away from that.

In the world of dance, you will encounter people of all races, religions and sexual
orientations, rather than a homogenized group of people who share the same interests
and values. Artists tend to have the ability to be comfortable in that kind of atmosphere,
and they also tend to be people who thrive regardless of criticism. The way the art form is
taught is in a highly critical environment (for professional level dancers). I think that is
partially why the men who are heterosexual and attracted to dance have no problem fitting
in with a group of people who are mixed in their orientations and views and they also are
not prone to staying away from what they want to do merely because there is a stigma
attached.

Final Reflection:

Conclude your Final Portfolio with the following paragraphs: Start each paragraph
by telling us what these terms mean to you. Throughout your reflection, return to
the Study Units, your previous assignments, comments, and assignments from
other students on the Discussion forums, and correctly reference additional
resources.

1. One paragraph regarding what you have learned concerning respecting

linguistic and cultural diversity. 250 Words minimum. (7)

Before I started AFL1501 I thought it was not important to keep ones linguistic identity,
furthermore, I was not aware of the importance there is in interacting with different people
from different cultural background, but now I think I understand much more, hence, I walk
away with a great lesson that the concept of Ubuntu can go a long way, the concept can
be practiced everywhere because It is a universal concept. I have learned to appreciate
and embrace other people's cultures and diversity of languages while still appreciating my
own. I have learned how part of my family' cultural events, language and identity can be
part of me, I've realised that I am what I am today because of other people extended by
the concept of Ubuntu.

AFL1501 is a subject that not only makes you use one’s brain, but it also changes a
person’s whole perspective of the society we live in. South Africa is so rich in cultures and
beliefs, that we sometimes forget that the person we are talking to is reacting the way he
is because of is cultural values and instead of listening to his linguistic identity we listen to
reply.

2. One paragraph regarding appreciation of your linguistic and cultural

background. 300 Words. (8)

Interact with different cultures in a respectful and dignified manner. Lastly, appreciate my
own cultural background and heritage and promote it in an honourable manner. The
module has made me take a deeper look into what makes me who I am, and exactly which
elements are important in my linguistic identity. This is an evaluation of how much of an
impact family members and cultural events had on my identity and development as a
person.

I've learned greatly, I've learned how to demonstrate linguistic and cultural diversity
awareness and sensitivity in order to enhance my interpersonal relationships in day-to-day
situations. In addition, this module has equipped me with appropriate skills, competencies,
attitudes and values to interact across cultures in a respectful way while appreciating my
own linguistic and cultural background in relation to the languages and cultures of others.

3. Conclusion: Wrap up your Final Portfolio with an appropriate conclusion and

share any parting thoughts you may have with regards to language, culture,
and identity. 200 Words. (5)

During my formative there were various languages I was exposed to other than English
which were isiZulu, Afrikaans, and Arabic. I cannot fluently speak any of these four
languages which I have mentioned, however, I do understand certain aspects of these
languages such as the fundamentals. Therefore, these languages form parts of my
language identity. I now understand the correlation between language and cultural identity.
Learning and being able to comprehend new languages opens doors for you to attain
knowledge on other cultures. By doing this I understand that you are adding to your own
cultural identity, and this leads to you having a diverse outlook on life, since you are now
culturally and linguistically diverse.

AFL1501 is a subject that not only makes you use one’s brain, but it also changes a
person’s whole perspective of the society we live in. South Africa is so rich in cultures and
beliefs, that we sometimes forget that the person we are talking to is reacting the way he
is because of is cultural values and instead of listening to his linguistic identity we listen to
reply. This subject has made me more sensitive to others around me and has changed the
way I will respond in the future, since when someone is talking to you, they are actually
sharing a piece of themselves with you.
Bibliography

Karimi, C. (2020, February 12). Here are the cutest Tswana names for boys and girls.
Briefly. https://briefly.co.za/53311-100-beautiful-tswana-names- boys-girls.html

Ntsimane, R. (2007). The ukuhlonipha code of respect. Gender and cultural tensions
around the Zulu nurses: a case of the Emmaus Mission Hospital. Uir.unisa.ac.za.
https://uir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/4473

Possa-Mogoera, R. (2020). A bad name is an omen: Stigmatising names amongst the

Basotho. Literator, 41(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/lit.v41i1.1710

Yates, B. (2021, August 5). A list of the uncommon Xhosa names in 2021. Briefly.
https://briefly.co.za/25257-50-uncommon-xhosa-names-boys-girls- meaning-2021.html