In this article, I give a bird’s eye view of the development of Kaaps (Afrikaans) drama: from the early days of Dutch Afrikaans drama when the use of so called “Hottentots Dutch” was first introduced to contemporary works that make use of Kaaps. Since “language” in drama is foregrounded by the use of dialogue by the characters in a play, the focus of this discussion is mainly on dramatic dialogue. Some insights of Vimala Herman as discussed in her seminal study, Dramatic discourse: dialogue as interaction in plays (1995), are used to structure this article’s theoretical parameters. She makes the point that dramatic dialogue is not simply the reflection of ordinary speech between speakers or even the “refinement” of such speech but is, in fact, much more complicated and should rather be seen as an imitation of the rules and conventions underpinning real life discourse. The playwright simply creates the illusion that a specific conversation is taking place between characters. An analysis of dramatic dialogue should, however, also be accompanied by an understanding of the greater contextual context of a play (eg. the socio political issues addressed or implied in such a work). From the various examples given in the article, one can discern through the use of dramatic language a particular development from the early Dutch Afrikaans play’s paternalistic depictions of so called “Hottentot” characters by white playwrights, to more sympathetic contemporary depictions of Khoisan characters by white playwrights. Today the use of Kaaps is increasingly used by their own playwrights to give authentic portrayals of urban coloured communities.
Opsomming
In hierdie artikel word 'n voelvlug van die ontwikkeling van Kaapse Afrikaans (Kaaps) in die Afrikaanse drama verskaf: vanaf die vroee dae van Hollands Afrikaanse drama tot by kontemporere werke wat van Kaaps gebruik maak. Aangesien “taal” in drama hoofsaaklik na te gaan is in die dialoog wat karakters gebruik, is die fokus in hierdie bespreking op dramatiese dialoog. Die artikel se teoretiese raamwerk word gerig deur die toepassing van sommige insigte soos bespreek in Vimala Herman (1995) se seminale studie, Dramatic Discourse: Dialogue as Interaction in Plays. Herman verwerp 'n dikwels algemene oortuiging dat dramatiese diskoerse grotendeels 'n weerspieeling is van alledaagse gesprekke—moontlik net fyner verwerk of aangepas deur 'n dramaturg vir die verhoog. Dramatiese dialoog is in der waarheid die nabootsing van die spraakreels en spraakkonvensies wat gewone gesprekke onderle en skep gewoon die illusie dat 'n bepaalde gesprek gevoer word. 'n Analise van dramatiese dialoog moet egter ook vergesel word van 'n begrip van die groter konteks waarbinne 'n drama geplaas is (byvoorbeeld die sosiopolitieke aangeleenthede wat die werk aanspreek of impliseer). 'n Mens kan wel 'n bepaalde ontwikkeling opmerk uit die onderskeie voorbeelde wat kortliks bespreek word, naamlik vanaf die vroee Hollands Afrikaanse dramas se paternalistiese uitbeeldings van sogenaamde “Hottentot” karakters tot meer simpatieke kontemporere uitbeeldings van Khoisan karakters deur Wit dramaturge. Vandag vind ons toenemend die gebruik van Kaaps om outentieke uitbeeldings te gee van stedelike Bruin gemeenskappe deur hulle eie dramaturge.
