The intersection of Indian culture and language in three secondary schools in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

Nearly one quarter of the population of eThekwini is Indian. With the Indian population of South Africa forming a key segment of the democratic society, this article focuses specifically on secondary school learners of this population group. My key purpose is to explore how language repertoires and ideologies about language intersect with religious affiliations and cultural interests. In this article, I examine what factors may play a role in the development of learners’ identities in three selected schools in eThekwini. My study also aims to establish the social dynamics that emerge from the different Englishes that are spoken. Specifically, this study explores how social variables including socio-economic background, religion and residential status affect the choice of language usage. I explore in an in-depth discussion the interlinks of variables such as religion, race, colourism and language among the South African Indian community. In this community, different religious groups are widely associated with certain socio-economic standing, and these class divisions also have a significant impact on the varieties of languages that are employed. It was particularly evident that Indian languages are not viewed as important to identity and belonging in Indian communities.