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Chapter 8.Language and gender in popular music in Botswana

  • Rosaleen O.B. Nhlekisana
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Gender and Language in Sub-Saharan Africa
This chapter is in the book Gender and Language in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

In recent years Botswana has seen tremendous growth in the popular music industry. Many of the songs that have recently been released represent critical commentary on contemporary Setswana society; they arguably construct, as well as reflect, the realities of urbanization, globalization and social change. In this chapter on the topic of popular music in Botswana I seek to answer the following research questions: How is gender represented linguistically in a selection of recent popular music in Botswana? How is such representation realised linguistically? I argue that the Setswana language is a key medium, spoken and written, through which Batswana transmit cultural values, and, as such, through it, gender identities are constructed, sustained and contested. The chapter concludes that these songs reflect the changing nature of Botswana society.

Abstract

In recent years Botswana has seen tremendous growth in the popular music industry. Many of the songs that have recently been released represent critical commentary on contemporary Setswana society; they arguably construct, as well as reflect, the realities of urbanization, globalization and social change. In this chapter on the topic of popular music in Botswana I seek to answer the following research questions: How is gender represented linguistically in a selection of recent popular music in Botswana? How is such representation realised linguistically? I argue that the Setswana language is a key medium, spoken and written, through which Batswana transmit cultural values, and, as such, through it, gender identities are constructed, sustained and contested. The chapter concludes that these songs reflect the changing nature of Botswana society.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements xi
  4. Gender and language in sub-Saharan Africa 1
  5. Part 1. Gender and linguistic description
  6. Chapter 1. Issues of language and gender in iweto marriage as practised by the Kamba in Kenya 29
  7. Chapter 2. Language, gender and age(ism) in Setswana 53
  8. Chapter 3. Variation with gender in the tonal speech varieties of Kera (Chadic) 79
  9. Part 2. Public settings and gendered language use
  10. Chapter 4. Language, gender and social construction in a pre-school in Gaborone 97
  11. Chapter 5. Variation in address forms for Nigerian married and unmarried women in the workplace 117
  12. Part 3. Mediated masculinities and femininities
  13. Chapter 6. A new South African man? 131
  14. Chapter 7. The ‘Tinto’ image in contemporary Tswana songs 149
  15. Chapter 8.Language and gender in popular music in Botswana 177
  16. Part 4. Gendered struggles and change
  17. Chapter 9. Sex discourses and the construction of gender identity in Sesotho 205
  18. Chapter 10. Student Pidgin 217
  19. Chapter 11. Gendered linguistic choices among isiZulu-speaking women in contemporary South Africa 233
  20. Chapter 12. Homophobic language and linguistic resistance in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 253
  21. Chapter 13. “I cannot be blamed for my own assault” 275
  22. Part 5. Epilogue
  23. African feminism? 301
  24. Gender, sexuality and language in African contexts 315
  25. Contributors 325
  26. Index 327
https://doi.org/10.1075/impact.33.12nhl

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements xi
  4. Gender and language in sub-Saharan Africa 1
  5. Part 1. Gender and linguistic description
  6. Chapter 1. Issues of language and gender in iweto marriage as practised by the Kamba in Kenya 29
  7. Chapter 2. Language, gender and age(ism) in Setswana 53
  8. Chapter 3. Variation with gender in the tonal speech varieties of Kera (Chadic) 79
  9. Part 2. Public settings and gendered language use
  10. Chapter 4. Language, gender and social construction in a pre-school in Gaborone 97
  11. Chapter 5. Variation in address forms for Nigerian married and unmarried women in the workplace 117
  12. Part 3. Mediated masculinities and femininities
  13. Chapter 6. A new South African man? 131
  14. Chapter 7. The ‘Tinto’ image in contemporary Tswana songs 149
  15. Chapter 8.Language and gender in popular music in Botswana 177
  16. Part 4. Gendered struggles and change
  17. Chapter 9. Sex discourses and the construction of gender identity in Sesotho 205
  18. Chapter 10. Student Pidgin 217
  19. Chapter 11. Gendered linguistic choices among isiZulu-speaking women in contemporary South Africa 233
  20. Chapter 12. Homophobic language and linguistic resistance in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 253
  21. Chapter 13. “I cannot be blamed for my own assault” 275
  22. Part 5. Epilogue
  23. African feminism? 301
  24. Gender, sexuality and language in African contexts 315
  25. Contributors 325
  26. Index 327
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