Linguistic disenfranchisement, minority resistance and language revitalisation: the contributions of ethnolinguistic online communities in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a multicultural nation with multiple ethnolinguistic groups. Since 1980, when the country attained its independence from colonial rule, the government has struggled to fit all linguistic and cultural representations in the public domain. This resulted in disenfranchisement and disillusio...
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| Language: | English |
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2022
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2018.1551764 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4845 |
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| author | Mpofu, Phillip Salawu, Abiodun |
| author_facet | Mpofu, Phillip Salawu, Abiodun |
| author_sort | Mpofu, Phillip |
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| description | Zimbabwe is a multicultural nation with multiple ethnolinguistic groups. Since 1980, when the country attained its independence from colonial rule, the government has struggled to fit all linguistic and cultural representations in the public domain. This resulted in disenfranchisement and disillusionment of linguistic minorities. However, the subject of ethnicity is sensitive and is to some extent associated with undertones of regionalism and division. Against this background, the disenfranchised linguistic minorities have taken advantage of the liberative potential of social media and are regrouping in the virtual space; in the process forming vibrant ethnolinguistic online communities. This study critically analyses the motivations and purpose of ethnolinguistic online communities on Facebook. This is a netnographic study of 10 purposively selected Facebook groups of linguistic minorities in Zimbabwe. The study is grounded in the concepts such as hegemony, hidden transcripts and alternative media. The findings of the study show that ethnolinguistic online communities provide the disenfranchised linguistic minorities with space and agency for protesting against marginalisation and language shift, in the process promoting the use of their languages. This study is a significant contribution to the growing body of scholarship on the nexus between language politics and social media in Zimbabwe. |
| format | Article |
| id | ir-11408-4845 |
| institution | My University |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | Cogent |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ir-11408-48452022-06-27T13:49:06Z Linguistic disenfranchisement, minority resistance and language revitalisation: the contributions of ethnolinguistic online communities in Zimbabwe Mpofu, Phillip Salawu, Abiodun Ethnolinguistic groups Online communities Linguistic disenfranchisement Minority resistance Language revitalisation Zimbabwe is a multicultural nation with multiple ethnolinguistic groups. Since 1980, when the country attained its independence from colonial rule, the government has struggled to fit all linguistic and cultural representations in the public domain. This resulted in disenfranchisement and disillusionment of linguistic minorities. However, the subject of ethnicity is sensitive and is to some extent associated with undertones of regionalism and division. Against this background, the disenfranchised linguistic minorities have taken advantage of the liberative potential of social media and are regrouping in the virtual space; in the process forming vibrant ethnolinguistic online communities. This study critically analyses the motivations and purpose of ethnolinguistic online communities on Facebook. This is a netnographic study of 10 purposively selected Facebook groups of linguistic minorities in Zimbabwe. The study is grounded in the concepts such as hegemony, hidden transcripts and alternative media. The findings of the study show that ethnolinguistic online communities provide the disenfranchised linguistic minorities with space and agency for protesting against marginalisation and language shift, in the process promoting the use of their languages. This study is a significant contribution to the growing body of scholarship on the nexus between language politics and social media in Zimbabwe. 2022-05-11T11:57:18Z 2022-05-11T11:57:18Z 2018 Article 2331-1983 https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2018.1551764 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4845 en Cogent Arts and Humanities;Vol. 5; No. 1 open Cogent |
| spellingShingle | Ethnolinguistic groups Online communities Linguistic disenfranchisement Minority resistance Language revitalisation Mpofu, Phillip Salawu, Abiodun Linguistic disenfranchisement, minority resistance and language revitalisation: the contributions of ethnolinguistic online communities in Zimbabwe |
| title | Linguistic disenfranchisement, minority resistance and language revitalisation: the contributions of ethnolinguistic online communities in Zimbabwe |
| title_full | Linguistic disenfranchisement, minority resistance and language revitalisation: the contributions of ethnolinguistic online communities in Zimbabwe |
| title_fullStr | Linguistic disenfranchisement, minority resistance and language revitalisation: the contributions of ethnolinguistic online communities in Zimbabwe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Linguistic disenfranchisement, minority resistance and language revitalisation: the contributions of ethnolinguistic online communities in Zimbabwe |
| title_short | Linguistic disenfranchisement, minority resistance and language revitalisation: the contributions of ethnolinguistic online communities in Zimbabwe |
| title_sort | linguistic disenfranchisement, minority resistance and language revitalisation: the contributions of ethnolinguistic online communities in zimbabwe |
| topic | Ethnolinguistic groups Online communities Linguistic disenfranchisement Minority resistance Language revitalisation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2018.1551764 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4845 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mpofuphillip linguisticdisenfranchisementminorityresistanceandlanguagerevitalisationthecontributionsofethnolinguisticonlinecommunitiesinzimbabwe AT salawuabiodun linguisticdisenfranchisementminorityresistanceandlanguagerevitalisationthecontributionsofethnolinguisticonlinecommunitiesinzimbabwe |