n Acta Academica - Khoisan influence discernible in the transformation of place names in South Africa

Abstract

Khoisan-invloed bespeurbaar in die transformasie van plekname in Suid-Afrika

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Transformasie van plekname openbaar hom op onder andere fonologiese en ortografiese vlak, in dieselfde taal en in verskillende tale. Name kan uit een taal in 'n ander vertaal word, die spesifieke term, die generiese term of albei. Akademiese transformasie behels die "verbetering" van name wat as foutief beskou word. Politieke transformasie hou gewoonlik die vervanging in van plekname deur diegene wat aan bewind is, 'n aangeleentheid wat soms kontensieus kan wees. Die huidige ondersoek fokus hom op 'n aansienlike hoeveelheid name wat beskou word as van Afrikataal-oorsprong (Bantoetaal-oorsprong), maar wat in werklikheid transformasies van name uit ouer inheemse Khoisantale is. Klapklanke en ander eienskappe van Khoisantale word belig, soos ook tersaaklike Afrikataal-verskynsels soos klas- en lokatiewe voorvoegsels, en agtervoegsels. Plekname in verskeie kategorieë word taalkundig ondersoek en Khoisan-invloed uitgewys. Aanbevelings van die VN in hierdie verband word kortliks bespreek.

Transformation of place names may be manifested inter alia at the phonological and orthographic levels, in the same language or in different languages. Names may be translated from one language to another, either the specific or generic element, or wholly. Political transformation generally involves the replacement of names by those in power; a sometimes contentious issue. Academic transformation involves the "correction" of names perceived to be wrong. The present investigation focuses on a significant proportion of names deemed to be derived from African (Bantu) languages, but which are in reality transformations of names from older indigenous Khoisan languages. Clicks and other characteristics of Khoisan languages are elucidated, as are salient African language phenomena such as class, as well as locative prefixes and suffixes. Place names in various categories are examined linguistically, and Khoisan influence demonstrated. UN resolutions in this regard are discussed briefly.