Texting Africa

Writing as performance

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3615029
AutoresAna Deumert (0000-0002-0199-8955, University of Cape Town South Africa), Kristin Vold Lexander (0000-0002-1907-5219, University of Cape Town South Africa)
Año2013
Volumen17
Número4
Páginas522-546
Fecha de publicación2013-09-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Sociolinguistics (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1360-6441 • E-ISSN: 1467-9841
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/josl.12043
OpenAlexW2060250688
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas27
Referencias citadas46

This paper discusses African multilingual digital writing, focusing on one digital genre: texting. Our analysis draws on quantitative and qualitative data from five highly multilingual African countries: Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa. Writers are shown to draw on local as well as global linguistic resources in crafting their messages. Being a good texter requires the performance of 'textual linguistic dexterity': the ability to articulate meaning through the skillful use of both global and local forms. Good texters are valued by their audiences not only for the speed with which they reply, but also their ability to 'play with words'. The quantitative data shows such practices to be widespread, while the qualitative data allows us to understand writers' motivations and underlying linguistics ideologies. Texting is frequently used in intimate interactions, especially for expressions of love, affection and attraction. Through the juxtaposition of linguistic material, and drawing on the social meanings of different resources within their multilingual repertoires, writers are able to project particular personae and to negotiate various forms of emotional attachment

Affection · Ideology · Linguistics · Meaning (existential · Negotiation · Political science · Qualitative property · Social science · Sociology · Computer Science · Digital Communication and Language · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies · Multilingual Education and Policy · Psychology · Social Psychology