Mlamli Diko
Biographic Data
| ID | 5658287 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Mlamli Diko |
| GIVEN NAMES | Mlamli |
| FAMILY NAME | Diko |
| SIGNATURE | DIKO M |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of South Africa |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8516-3586 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 32 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 1 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 32 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2022 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Intlonipho izala uzinzo
AmagqabantshintshiKwintlalo yamaXhosa, ulwimi lokuhlonipha ngumba owondele nzulu kumasiko, izithethe neendlela zokuziphatha njengenxalenye yenkcubeko yesizwe somgquba. Ubukhulu becala, ulwimi lokuhlonipha alutyhilwa ngamazwi entetho kuphela, koko lukwatyhilwa nangezenzo, izijekulo neendlela zokuziphatha. Konke oku kwenziwa egameni lokuhlonipha kwintlalo kaNtu. Ngeso sizathu, oku kubhentsisa imbono ethi zimbini iindlela zokuqhuba unxibelelwano ngo…
Interrogating the politicisation of indigenous South African languages
The politicisation of indigenous South African languages remains an obstruction to balanced linguistic advancement and the preservation of cultural heritage. Despite constitutional obligations to multilingualism, language policy remains captive to linguistic imperialism, which cements hegemonic languages while reducing indigenous ones to token status. Accordingly, this conceptual discourse interrogates the extent to which political manipulation, …
Buried voices, hidden languages
The South African Journal of African Languages was officially established in 1981 to advance the visibility and intellectualisation of indigenous South African languages as outlined in its aims and scope. Regrettably, greatly entrenched imperialist ideologies obstruct these languages’ comprehensive visibility in this journal. Therefore, this article critiques the (in)visibility (presence or absence) of indigenous languages in SAJAL from 1994 to 2…
Unearthing the Cultural Meanings of Burial Rituals
Burial rituals have historically been cultural reflections which represent belief systems about life, death, and the afterlife, and serve as profound tapestries woven with the threads of existential meaning. In this article, I scrutinise the cultural meanings of burial rituals, comparing the New Testament’s focus on rebirth or resurrection and eternal life with the amaXhosa traditions’ emphasis on ancestral recognition, reverence, and communal id…
Cracking the Code of Musical Language
This article applies semiotics as a theoretical framework to uncover the observable layers of meaning that are interwoven in Rihanna’s song “Diamonds”. By examining the linguistic, visual, and musical elements of this song, this scholarly discourse aims to unearth the symbolic significance of “Diamonds” and their implications for contemporary popular music. Over and above this, it is to underscore that there is an intricate relationship between l…
Infertility in 1 Samuel 1
Infertility within amaXhosa, as in 1 Samuel 1:9–20 and Luke 1:5–25, bears a significant cultural stigma and is associated with ancestral and spiritual interpretations. In this article, I unmask the challenges of infertility in these two biblical scriptures through ancestralism and African spirituality as theoretical frameworks. In so doing, I concentrate on the cultural and spiritual lessons these biblical scriptures may offer to amaXhosa in cont…
Uphicothonzulu ngokwenkcazobungcali yenkcubekontlalo ngokobuhlanga kwibali elifutshane lesiXhosa elithi Umgcini-mangcwaba
Iiyantlukwano ngokobuhlanga kunye nocalucalulo zibonisa ukunyathelela phezulu, nto leyo ethi ithintele ubumbano nentsebenziswano phakathi kweentlanga ngeentlanga kwintlalo nenkcubeko yoMzantsi Afrika. Nakubeni umgaqonkqubo wocalucalulo wabhangiswa ngomnyaka we1994, abaNtsundu kunye namaNgesi abonakalisa ukungqubana nokujongana ngezikhondo zamehlo kwiimeko ezithile njengoko kuvela kwibali elifutshane lesiXhosa elithi ‘Umgcini-mangcwaba’. Ngako oko…
Constructing masculinity through ulwaluko
Masculinity and ulwaluko within amaXhosa remain contentious due to two conflicting ideologies. The first one is the construction of male behaviors, attitudes, and identities, and the second one is the obstruction of acceptable cultural norms and values. Ulwaluko, a traditional initiation practice, is fraught with complexities, necessitating ongoing scholarly dialogues. Therefore, this article employs a scoping literature review to unearth how mas…
Silenced Voices, Distorted Identities, Dehumanised, Objectified
This article is dedicated to the Black women whose voices and identities are misrepresented, distorted and silenced in Western music. In so doing, the article critiques the damaging depiction of Black women in selected Western songs produced by Western artists, unmasking how these representations eternalise racial and gender-based stereotypes such as hypersexualisation. This article applies poststructuralist feminist theory as the methodical fram…
Women Redefine Strength
In this article, I apply a Black feminist theory to unmask the biblical experiences of Hagar and The Queen of Sheba, drawing parallels to the experiences of Black South African women and elucidating their roles as immortal symbols of determination. In the process, by synthesising Black feminist ideologies with biblical exposition, this article illuminates the intersections of race, gender, and power dynamic forces within their biblical experience…
Uncovering Hidden Oppressions
In this article I probe the use of patriarchal or male-centric language in Genesis 3:16, Ephesians 5:22–24, and 1 Timothy 2:11–12 through the theory of poststructuralist feminism. By applying poststructuralist feminist theory, which stresses the deconstruction of binary oppositions and rejects the stability of meanings, I unmask how these biblical texts cement gender hierarchies and solidify male hegemony. Genesis 3:16’s depiction of women’s incr…
Children’s rhymes, timeless melodies
Unmasking racial struggles in postcolonial South Africa in Peter Mtuze’s The Way to Madam
This article aims to unmask racial struggles in postcolonial South Africa relying on Peter Mtuze’s The Way to Madam (2004). To achieve this aim, postcolonial literary theory is applied to the discussions. This article reveals covert dimensions of racial struggles in South Africa that go far beyond the cosmetic level of this short story. Research interest is directed at specific expressions the characters use with references to historical and cont…
Anthems of oppressed voices
Given the reality that South African colonialism and apartheid officially ended in 1994, there is a continued visibility of racial and controversial words, phrases, and sentences that prominently seek to dehumanize Black South Africans. Having said that, White South Africans are no exception to racial and controversial turmoils given the perennial use of these problematic expressions by certain senior political figures, as proven during the cours…
Code-switching as a bilingual and multilingual linguistic strategy in the construction of Amathaf’entandabuzo
Code-switching in spoken modes has now been studied fairly extensively and is better understood at the conversational as well as the scholarly level. In a multilingual and multicultural society such as South Africa, code-switching is not only a conventional communicative strategy, but also a blueprint that is used in modern isiXhosa literature in prose narrative and poetry. Given that, this article uses a selected isiXhosa drama to underline how …
IsiXhosa as a preservative instrument of culture
This ethnographic article, which is in the arena of ethnolinguistics in a South African milieu, ventures to underline how and why an indigenous language – isiXhosa – plays a significant role as a preservative instrument of culture in the context of the amaXhosa. This is against the logic that isiXhosa and its culture have methodically suffered subjugation as a direct impact of apartheid, and therefore it stands to reason that an inter-relationshi…
The metamorphoses in the exposition of certain isiXhosa words
This article employed a historical and political theory to argue for the metamorphoses in the exposition of randomly selected isiXhosa words for the very reason that some semantic meanings in the isiXhosa domain have undergone an evolution. Qualitative research methodology and the two theories operate in a relationship to underline the historical meanings of certain isiXhosa words, and how political forces influenced their evolution. During the d…
A semantic-pragmatic deconstruction of Blinding Lights by The Weeknd and Bad Guy by Billie Eilish
While semantic and pragmatic deconstruction has conventionally been nested in general linguistics, contemporary theoretical developments have proven that it can further be applied in the examination of songs in a bid to uncover and unravel covert meanings. This then proves the central role of language in other disciplines such as musicology and songwriting in so far as semanticpragmatic deconstruction is concerned. The primary aim, therefore, of …
An Ecocriticism of One Selected IsiXhosa Folktale as Part of Oral Literature
Whereas amaXhosa literature continues to receive scholarly consideration, there is a deficit regarding scrutinizing amaXhosa folktales, particularly through the ecocriticism theory. As a result of this, there is an asymmetrical understanding of how ecosystems can be integrated into amaXhosa literature to advance the meaning of folktales in addition to the reality that folktales contain didactic and pedagogical components. It stands to reason, the…
The sociocultural significance of naming practices among the amaXhosa
A postcolonial structuralist critique of Yolisa Madolo’s Ndinetyala kusini na? (Am I guilty?)
Yolisa Madolo's Ndinetyala kusini na? ('Am I guilty?') proves the notion that isiXhosa short stories could be viewed as making sociopolitical commentary on pertinent subjects such as natural creation, language and politics, road safety and accidents as well as HIV/AIDS stigmas and mythologies. It cannot be denied that Ndinetyala kusini na? contains covert meanings for the very reason that isiXhosa literary writers commonly use metaphorical expres…
Uphicothonzulu lweentsingiselo zegama elithi ‘ kaffir ‘ kusetyenziswa inkcazobungcali yobuhlanga
Kukho ingcinga ephosayo, neyalatha ukuba amagama ocalucalulo nathoba isidima sabaNtsundu kwimeko yoMzantsi Afrika omtsha
Harmonizing Africa’s linguistic symphony
Whereas translation, as a theoretical and professional discipline, has fairly been scrutinized in the African context and elsewhere in the world, it cannot be downplayed that it continues to suffer a great deal of challenges. Many of these challenges could be pinned on postcolonial and post-apartheid dynamics, which prioritize political agendas over the development of this discipline in the African context. Given this reality, this article proble…
Adapting a Novel for Television
Using a multi-interdisciplinary theory (MIT) approach, this article argues for a process of altering a source literary text into a television production. This article illuminates that while the vision of adapting a source narrative intends to advance the vision of the adapter, the process to accomplish this is multifaceted and requires multi-collaborative efforts. This article further underlines some of the central features that are often altered…
A Symbolic and Ritualistic Exposition of Purification Rites in the Old Testament
This article explores the intricate tapestry of symbolic and ritualistic elements interwoven in the purification rites of the Old Testament. Elucidating the ancient religious practises of the Israelites, this scholarly exposition unravels the profound significance and ethnological underpinnings of purification rituals as documented in sacred or biblical narratives. The Old Testament, a cornerstone of Judeo-Christian tradition, provides a rich rep…
There is something special about a woman who dominates a man’s world
The (re)production of women in isiXhosa literature cannot be disjointed from the social realities that women experience. Young girls are no exception to this view. In fact, women’s issues could be regarded as pertinent to such an extent that dialogues concerning them ought to be initiated within isiXhosa scholarly discourses, among other platforms. This is against the reality that women have often been sidelined, especially in African literature …
SisiXhosa osikhathalele ngantoni na esi ude usindwe ziincwadi ezingaka? Why do you care about isiXhosa so much that you are overwhelmed by so many books
This article, using the qualitative research methodology, seeks to highlight, among other discussions, the significance and role of indigenous African languages using the South African context as a point of departure. The central debates and arguments of this article are centred on the notion that indigenous languages are the core functionalities and important tools for human existence. It is against this backdrop that this article problematises …
Uhlalutyo bunzululwazi ngokomxholo ochongiweyo kwingqokelela yesihobe sikaWelile Shasha ethi Umsila Wembulu
Olu phando lusebenzisa uphando ntyilazwi, lujolise ekugrombonceni isihobe sikaWelile Shasha kwingqokelela yakhe ethi Umsila Wembulu. Apha kweli phepha, eyona nkalo umphandi ajonge kuyo kukuchonga umbongo omnye ogxile kumxholo ongempilo, ze loo mxholo usetyenziswe ukusunduza nokugqwesisa iingxoxo bunzululwazi kuncwadi lwesiXhosa ezingena ncakasana nakwixesha langoku lentsholongwane yeCOVID-19. Isizathu esityhilizele eli phepha ekuchongeni umbongo …
“The Girl Next Door”
This article applies semantic lyrical evaluation to two songs by the South African singer and songwriter, Bulelwa Mkutukana, popularly known as Zahara. The choice of these two songs is driven by her significant contributions to popular music, particularly in the arena of Afro-soul and contemporary African music. Her distinctive voice, heartfelt lyrics, and synthesis of various musical stylistics earned her widespread acclaim both in South Africa …
Unmasking racial struggles in postcolonial South Africa in Peter Mtuze’s The Way to Madam
This article aims to unmask racial struggles in postcolonial South Africa relying on Peter Mtuze’s The Way to Madam (2004). To achieve this aim, postcolonial literary theory is applied to the discussions. This article reveals covert dimensions of racial struggles in South Africa that go far beyond the cosmetic level of this short story. Research interest is directed at specific expressions the characters use with references to historical and cont…
Anthems of oppressed voices
Given the reality that South African colonialism and apartheid officially ended in 1994, there is a continued visibility of racial and controversial words, phrases, and sentences that prominently seek to dehumanize Black South Africans. Having said that, White South Africans are no exception to racial and controversial turmoils given the perennial use of these problematic expressions by certain senior political figures, as proven during the cours…
Code-switching as a bilingual and multilingual linguistic strategy in the construction of Amathaf’entandabuzo
Code-switching in spoken modes has now been studied fairly extensively and is better understood at the conversational as well as the scholarly level. In a multilingual and multicultural society such as South Africa, code-switching is not only a conventional communicative strategy, but also a blueprint that is used in modern isiXhosa literature in prose narrative and poetry. Given that, this article uses a selected isiXhosa drama to underline how …
IsiXhosa as a preservative instrument of culture
This ethnographic article, which is in the arena of ethnolinguistics in a South African milieu, ventures to underline how and why an indigenous language – isiXhosa – plays a significant role as a preservative instrument of culture in the context of the amaXhosa. This is against the logic that isiXhosa and its culture have methodically suffered subjugation as a direct impact of apartheid, and therefore it stands to reason that an inter-relationshi…
The metamorphoses in the exposition of certain isiXhosa words
This article employed a historical and political theory to argue for the metamorphoses in the exposition of randomly selected isiXhosa words for the very reason that some semantic meanings in the isiXhosa domain have undergone an evolution. Qualitative research methodology and the two theories operate in a relationship to underline the historical meanings of certain isiXhosa words, and how political forces influenced their evolution. During the d…
A semantic-pragmatic deconstruction of Blinding Lights by The Weeknd and Bad Guy by Billie Eilish
While semantic and pragmatic deconstruction has conventionally been nested in general linguistics, contemporary theoretical developments have proven that it can further be applied in the examination of songs in a bid to uncover and unravel covert meanings. This then proves the central role of language in other disciplines such as musicology and songwriting in so far as semanticpragmatic deconstruction is concerned. The primary aim, therefore, of …
An Ecocriticism of One Selected IsiXhosa Folktale as Part of Oral Literature
Whereas amaXhosa literature continues to receive scholarly consideration, there is a deficit regarding scrutinizing amaXhosa folktales, particularly through the ecocriticism theory. As a result of this, there is an asymmetrical understanding of how ecosystems can be integrated into amaXhosa literature to advance the meaning of folktales in addition to the reality that folktales contain didactic and pedagogical components. It stands to reason, the…
The sociocultural significance of naming practices among the amaXhosa
A postcolonial structuralist critique of Yolisa Madolo’s Ndinetyala kusini na? (Am I guilty?)
Yolisa Madolo's Ndinetyala kusini na? ('Am I guilty?') proves the notion that isiXhosa short stories could be viewed as making sociopolitical commentary on pertinent subjects such as natural creation, language and politics, road safety and accidents as well as HIV/AIDS stigmas and mythologies. It cannot be denied that Ndinetyala kusini na? contains covert meanings for the very reason that isiXhosa literary writers commonly use metaphorical expres…
Uphicothonzulu lweentsingiselo zegama elithi ‘ kaffir ‘ kusetyenziswa inkcazobungcali yobuhlanga
Kukho ingcinga ephosayo, neyalatha ukuba amagama ocalucalulo nathoba isidima sabaNtsundu kwimeko yoMzantsi Afrika omtsha
Harmonizing Africa’s linguistic symphony
Whereas translation, as a theoretical and professional discipline, has fairly been scrutinized in the African context and elsewhere in the world, it cannot be downplayed that it continues to suffer a great deal of challenges. Many of these challenges could be pinned on postcolonial and post-apartheid dynamics, which prioritize political agendas over the development of this discipline in the African context. Given this reality, this article proble…
Adapting a Novel for Television
Using a multi-interdisciplinary theory (MIT) approach, this article argues for a process of altering a source literary text into a television production. This article illuminates that while the vision of adapting a source narrative intends to advance the vision of the adapter, the process to accomplish this is multifaceted and requires multi-collaborative efforts. This article further underlines some of the central features that are often altered…
A Symbolic and Ritualistic Exposition of Purification Rites in the Old Testament
This article explores the intricate tapestry of symbolic and ritualistic elements interwoven in the purification rites of the Old Testament. Elucidating the ancient religious practises of the Israelites, this scholarly exposition unravels the profound significance and ethnological underpinnings of purification rituals as documented in sacred or biblical narratives. The Old Testament, a cornerstone of Judeo-Christian tradition, provides a rich rep…
Examining corruption in biblical texts through deontological and virtue ethical codes
In contemporary contexts, the understanding of corruption is different from what is illustrated in biblical narratives. Conversely, some of the ways in which corruption is contested and addressed in biblical narratives prove to be applicable in contemporary contexts, particularly in the jurisdictions of leadership and governance, politics and community service. Therefore, this article aims to critique how corruption is (re)produced in the Bible. …
Her influence
This article critiques the constructive roles of women in the lives of Moses and Boaz applying feminist biblical criticism as a theory. By critiquing the significant yet often downplayed contributions of women such as Jochebed, Miriam, Ruth and Naomi, the aim is to provide a more inclusive and multifaceted understanding of their roles in different biblical texts. In the process, feminist biblical criticism, as a theory, unmasks the pervasive infl…
People Living with HIV/Aids are Nothing to be Afraid of
HIV/AIDS stigmas and mythologies continue to sabotage and delay the South African government's attempts to manage and mitigate this epidemic.As a result of this, many people are reluctant to test, seek help, and speak about their HIV/AIDS statuses because of the very same stigmas and mythologies.In view of this reality, this article uses one selected isiXhosa short story to examine how HIV/AIDS stigmas and mythologies are depicted, and how such d…
There is something special about a woman who dominates a man’s world
The (re)production of women in isiXhosa literature cannot be disjointed from the social realities that women experience. Young girls are no exception to this view. In fact, women’s issues could be regarded as pertinent to such an extent that dialogues concerning them ought to be initiated within isiXhosa scholarly discourses, among other platforms. This is against the reality that women have often been sidelined, especially in African literature …
Unearthing the Cultural Meanings of Burial Rituals
Burial rituals have historically been cultural reflections which represent belief systems about life, death, and the afterlife, and serve as profound tapestries woven with the threads of existential meaning. In this article, I scrutinise the cultural meanings of burial rituals, comparing the New Testament’s focus on rebirth or resurrection and eternal life with the amaXhosa traditions’ emphasis on ancestral recognition, reverence, and communal id…
Cracking the Code of Musical Language
This article applies semiotics as a theoretical framework to uncover the observable layers of meaning that are interwoven in Rihanna’s song “Diamonds”. By examining the linguistic, visual, and musical elements of this song, this scholarly discourse aims to unearth the symbolic significance of “Diamonds” and their implications for contemporary popular music. Over and above this, it is to underscore that there is an intricate relationship between l…
Infertility in 1 Samuel 1
Infertility within amaXhosa, as in 1 Samuel 1:9–20 and Luke 1:5–25, bears a significant cultural stigma and is associated with ancestral and spiritual interpretations. In this article, I unmask the challenges of infertility in these two biblical scriptures through ancestralism and African spirituality as theoretical frameworks. In so doing, I concentrate on the cultural and spiritual lessons these biblical scriptures may offer to amaXhosa in cont…
Uphicothonzulu ngokwenkcazobungcali yenkcubekontlalo ngokobuhlanga kwibali elifutshane lesiXhosa elithi Umgcini-mangcwaba
Iiyantlukwano ngokobuhlanga kunye nocalucalulo zibonisa ukunyathelela phezulu, nto leyo ethi ithintele ubumbano nentsebenziswano phakathi kweentlanga ngeentlanga kwintlalo nenkcubeko yoMzantsi Afrika. Nakubeni umgaqonkqubo wocalucalulo wabhangiswa ngomnyaka we1994, abaNtsundu kunye namaNgesi abonakalisa ukungqubana nokujongana ngezikhondo zamehlo kwiimeko ezithile njengoko kuvela kwibali elifutshane lesiXhosa elithi ‘Umgcini-mangcwaba’. Ngako oko…
Constructing masculinity through ulwaluko
Masculinity and ulwaluko within amaXhosa remain contentious due to two conflicting ideologies. The first one is the construction of male behaviors, attitudes, and identities, and the second one is the obstruction of acceptable cultural norms and values. Ulwaluko, a traditional initiation practice, is fraught with complexities, necessitating ongoing scholarly dialogues. Therefore, this article employs a scoping literature review to unearth how mas…
Sociology (21 works) · Philosophy (15 works) · Art (12 works) · Linguistics (12 works) · History (10 works) · Law (9 works) · Political science (9 works) · Literature (8 works) · Psychology (8 works) · Multilingual Education and Policy (7 works)