The Special Collections Book of the Week this week is:

Township Languages, Township Dictionary: A Guide to Township Taal, by Tefo B Thlapane

Township lingo is not like “fanakalo” otherwise known as “kitchen Zulu” which was originally used by people who came to work in the mines from countries outside South Africa, like Malawi, Zambia, Zambia and Mozambique. They used this mix-match of English and African words to facilitate communication with their bosses. “Fanakalo” has since diminished but a new township lingo has emerged. This language cannot be taught at schools because it’s not a proper language and it’s not recognised in institutional circles.

Access: https://univofpretoria.on.worldcat.org/oclc/870891140

This book is available at Special Collections, housed on level 5 of the Merensky 2 Library, and is part of our Africana (ZA) Collection.

The Special Collections unit of the Department of Library Services plays a stewardship role in the acquisition and preservation of the Library's rare and valuable information resources, making t hem accessible to students, staff and researchers, as well as safeguarding them for future generations.