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Exploring the embodied linguistic repertoires of language practitioners in South Africa
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1869484205269843968 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Erasmus, Gert Herman |
| author2 | Mashazi, Simangele |
| author_browse | Erasmus, Gert Herman Mashazi, Simangele |
| author_facet | Mashazi, Simangele Erasmus, Gert Herman |
| author_sort | Erasmus, Gert Herman |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135815 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-07-01T04:11:11.493Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135815 Exploring the embodied linguistic repertoires of language practitioners in South Africa Erasmus, Gert Herman Mashazi, Simangele Oostendorp, Marcelyn Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics. Multilingualism -- South Africa Sociolinguistics -- South Africa Applied linguistics Language and culture -- South Africa Discourse analysis Linguistics -- Study and teaching -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Erasmus, G. H. 2026. Exploring the embodied linguistic repertoires of language practitioners in South Africa. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/6d88cea0-e182-4a91-b0c0-d6572d4db605 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores how multilingual interpreters and translators in South Africa embody and express their linguistic repertoires in both personal and professional contexts. Drawing on Bourdieu's (1977) concept of linguistic capital and theory of practice, Bucholtz and Hall's (2016) framework of embodied sociolinguistics, and Busch's (2015, 2018) theory of Spracherleben or lived experience of language, I address a significant gap in understanding how language practitioners themselves navigate their multilingual identities within South Africa's complex linguistic landscape. I employ a qualitative, multimodal methodology utilizing language portraits as the primary data collection instrument, supplemented by written narratives and clarifying semi-structured interviews. Twenty language practitioners working across South Africa's official languages participated in the research, representing interpreters (45%), translators (35%), and practitioners who perform both roles (20%). This research addresses two primary questions: how multilingual interpreters and translators embody their individual linguistic repertoires, and how this embodiment impacts their lived experiences both personally and professionally. Data analysis employed Clarke and Braun's (2016) thematic analysis, consisting of inductive coding with structured pattern identification, and Georgakopoulou's (2015) small story analysis framework, which utilizes positioning analysis to identify patterns in linguistic embodiment and professional practice. Key findings reveal distinct patterns of linguistic embodiment across professional roles. Interpreters demonstrated more dynamic language representation, aligning with Bucholtz and Hall's (2016) theoretical framework of language as bodily practice, while translators' embodiments suggested intellectualized relationships with working languages that reflect their more cerebral professional engagement. Across all participants, mother tongues were represented in a way that indicates deep emotional connections that transcend professional contexts and support Busch's (2015) emphasis on the affective dimensions of Spracherleben. The study uncovered sophisticated integration strategies among practitioners, with many describing fluid transitions between languages without conscious translation processes, demonstrating what Bourdieu (1977) conceptualizes as embodied linguistic habitus. Professional working languages developed their own emotional significance over time, while maintaining clear hierarchical relationships with participants' native languages that reflect broader power dynamics. The research demonstrated how practitioners navigate complex linguistic hierarchies within South Africa's multilingual landscape, where English and Afrikaans maintain socioeconomic dominance despite the country's twelve official languages, illustrating the practical manifestation of linguistic capital in professional contexts. These findings contribute significantly to embodied sociolinguistics theory by extending language portrait methodology beyond educational contexts to professional language practice. I provide empirical evidence for language as a lived, embodied phenomenon while illuminating how linguistic repertoires function as holistic, dynamic resources rather than static skill sets, supporting theoretical frameworks developed by Busch (2015) and Bucholtz and Hall (2016). The study's findings advance understanding of how multilingual professionals navigate complex linguistic and cultural landscapes, offering insights relevant to other multilingual contexts globally. The study demonstrates the value of visual research methodologies in exploring linguistic identity while positioning participants as collaborators rather than subjects in understanding their own embodied language experiences, reflecting the methodological principles advocated by Busch (2018) and Pavlenko (2007). The study concludes by offering practical implications for language practitioner training, policy development, and professional support structures. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek hoe meertalige tolke en vertalers in Suid-Afrika hul linguistiese repertoires beliggaam en uitdruk in sowel persoonlike as professionele kontekste. Deur gebruik te maak van Bourdieu (1977) se konsep van linguistiese kapitaal en praktykteorie, Bucholtz en Hall (2016) se raamwerk van beliggaamde sosiolinguistiek, en Busch (2015, 2018) se teorie van Spracherleben of die geleefde ervaring van taal, spreek ek ’n beduidende leemte aan in die begrip van hoe taalpraktisyns self hul meertalige identiteite binne Suid-Afrika se komplekse linguistiese landskap navigeer. Ek gebruik ’n kwalitatiewe, multimodale metodologie waarin taalportrette as die primêre data-insamelingsinstrument dien, aangevul deur geskrewe narratiewe en verhelderende semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude. Twintig taalpraktisyns wat oor Suid-Afrika se amptelike tale heen werk, het aan die navorsing deelgeneem en verteenwoordig tolke (45%), vertalers (35%) en praktisyns wat albei rolle vervul (20%). Hierdie navorsing spreek twee hoofvrae aan: hoe meertalige tolke en vertalers hul individuele linguistiese repertoires beliggaam, en hoe hierdie beliggaming hul geleefde ervarings persoonlik en professioneel beïnvloed. Data-analise het gebruik gemaak van Clarke en Braun (2016) se tematiese analise, bestaande uit induktiewe kodering met gestruktureerde patroonidentifikasie, asook Georgakopoulou (2015) se small story-analiseraamwerk, wat posisioneringsanalise gebruik om patrone in linguistiese beliggaming en professionele praktyk te identifiseer. Belangrike bevindinge toon duidelike patrone van linguistiese beliggaming oor professionele rolle heen. Tolke het meer dinamiese taalvoorstelling getoon, wat strook met Bucholtz en Hall (2016) se teoretiese raamwerk van taal as liggaamlike praktyk, terwyl vertalers se beliggaming meer geïntellektualiseerde verhoudings met hul werktale weerspieël het, wat hul meer kognitiewe professionele betrokkenheid weerspieël. Oor alle deelnemers heen is moedertale op ’n wyse voorgestel wat dui op diep emosionele verbintenisse wat professionele kontekste oorskry en Busch (2015) se klem op die affektiewe dimensies van Spracherleben ondersteun. Die studie het gesofistikeerde integrasiestrategieë onder praktisyns blootgelê, met baie deelnemers wat vloeibare oorgange tussen tale beskryf sonder bewuste vertaalprosesse, wat demonstreer wat Bourdieu (1977) as beliggaamde linguistiese habitus konseptualiseer. Professionele werktale het met verloop van tyd hul eie emosionele betekenis ontwikkel, terwyl dit duidelike hiërargiese verhoudings met deelnemers se moedertale behou het, wat breër magsdinamika weerspieël. Die navorsing het getoon hoe praktisyns komplekse linguistiese hiërargieë binne Suid-Afrika se meertalige landskap navigeer, waar Engels en Afrikaans steeds sosio-ekonomiese dominansie handhaaf ten spyte van die land se twaalf amptelike tale, en sodoende die praktiese manifestasie van linguistiese kapitaal in professionele kontekste illustreer. Hierdie bevindinge lewer ’n beduidende bydrae tot die teorie van beliggaamde sosiolinguistiek deur die taalportretmetodologie verder as opvoedkundige kontekste na professionele taalpraktyk uit te brei. Ek verskaf empiriese bewyse vir taal as ’n geleefde, beliggaamde verskynsel en belig hoe linguistiese repertoires funksioneer as holistiese, dinamiese hulpbronne eerder as statiese vaardigheidstelle, wat teoretiese raamwerke wat deur Busch (2015) en Bucholtz en Hall (2016) ontwikkel is, ondersteun. Die studie se bevindinge bevorder die begrip van hoe meertalige professionele persone komplekse linguistiese en kulturele landskappe navigeer, en bied insigte wat relevant is vir ander meertalige kontekste wêreldwyd. Die studie demonstreer die waarde van visuele navorsingsmetodologieë in die verkenning van linguistiese identiteit, terwyl deelnemers as medewerkers eerder as navorsingsobjekte geposisioneer word in die verstaan van hul eie beliggaamde taalervarings, in ooreenstemming met die metodologiese beginsels wat deur Busch (2018) en Pavlenko (2007) voorgestaan word. Die studie sluit af deur praktiese implikasies vir die opleiding van taalpraktisyns, beleidsontwikkeling en professionele ondersteuningstrukture aan te bied. Masters 2026-04-10T13:10:12Z 2026-04-10T13:10:12Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135815 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 215 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Multilingualism -- South Africa Sociolinguistics -- South Africa Applied linguistics Language and culture -- South Africa Discourse analysis Linguistics -- Study and teaching -- South Africa UCTD Erasmus, Gert Herman Exploring the embodied linguistic repertoires of language practitioners in South Africa |
| title | Exploring the embodied linguistic repertoires of language practitioners in South Africa |
| title_full | Exploring the embodied linguistic repertoires of language practitioners in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the embodied linguistic repertoires of language practitioners in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the embodied linguistic repertoires of language practitioners in South Africa |
| title_short | Exploring the embodied linguistic repertoires of language practitioners in South Africa |
| title_sort | exploring the embodied linguistic repertoires of language practitioners in south africa |
| topic | Multilingualism -- South Africa Sociolinguistics -- South Africa Applied linguistics Language and culture -- South Africa Discourse analysis Linguistics -- Study and teaching -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135815 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT erasmusgertherman exploringtheembodiedlinguisticrepertoiresoflanguagepractitionersinsouthafrica |