Towards a Democratisation of New Media Spaces in Multilingual/Multicultural Africa: A Heteroglossic Account of Multilocal and Multivoiced Counter-Hegemonic Discourses in Zambian Online News Media

Abstract

This paper explores the production of hybrid cultural identities in Zambian online news websites. Using extracts from five popular online newspapers, namely Lusaka Times, The Post, Kachepa360, Zambia Reports and Zambian Watchdog, the paper shows how writers construct polyphony (many voices) and multiple locality which transcend ethno-linguistic, cultural, geographical/national, orthographic and linguistic boundaries. Through the notion of heteroglossia (Bakhtin 1981), the paper shows how the writers manipulate multiple Zambian languages and English, cultural knowledge and orthographic conventions to achieve various shades of meaning; as well as to produce multiple voices and cultural identities, some of which appear contradictory on the surface but effectively disseminate particular messages. In particular, the paper shows how traditional proverbs and idioms, 'standard' language and spelling systems are used together with so-called "urbanised" and globalised discourses to (re)shape and (re)create language. I argue that what is critical is not knowledge of static and rigid norms of 'traditional' grammar, spelling systems and associated cultures, but an appreciation of how writers manipulate (trans)cultural capital across traditional and modern cultural boundaries and between complementary and contradictory logics. In turn, I argue that to analyse from and to apply 'centre' or 'standard' norms to these discourses is inappropriate and can lead to misinterpretation and misunderstanding of the messages. I conclude that the harnessing and representations of this cultural capital and these diverse voices in the (co)(n)texts not only constitute the peculiarities of the heteroglossic (and even heterotopic) practices of speakers/writers, but also demonstrate that language and 'culture' are products of social activities. Successful deciphering of the cultural materialities of the multilingual (co)(n)texts demands that one divorce the traditional understanding of what constitutes 'language', particularly through decentring 'centre' norms about how language is produced and consumed.

Multilingual examinations: towards a schema of politicization of language in end of high school examinations in sub-Saharan Africa

“…Fourthly, and significantly for arguments made later on in this article about translanguaging, the heteroglossic practices evident in the broader society in Africa (Banda 2016;Githiora 2016;Mc Laughlin 2009;Fardon and Furniss 1994) are also reflected in all tiers of education (Yevudey 2013; Antia 2017a; Antia and Dyers 2016, 2017), and (specifically of interest to this article) in the manner high school students in the sub-continent learn across African and European languages (Banda 2010;Tabaro 2013;Ferguson 2003). Yet, these students are expected to demonstrate this knowledge in examinations through one, the European, which for many of them is the weaker language.…”

Birds and Bees, the ‘R’ Word and Zuma’s p*nis: Censorship Avoidance Strategies in a South African Online Newspaper’s Comments Section

“…By inserting a full stop in a word, participants the commentators are trying to deceive automatic blocking software not to detect the 'taboo'. Banda (2016) also found the breaking of words into syllables with full stops/and/or slashes as a typical censorship avoidance strategy employed by users in online newspapers comments. This study corroborates Banda's (2016) conclusion that the use of full stops for random syllabification is a common censorship strategy.…”

“…Banda (2016) also found the breaking of words into syllables with full stops/and/or slashes as a typical censorship avoidance strategy employed by users in online newspapers comments. This study corroborates Banda's (2016) conclusion that the use of full stops for random syllabification is a common censorship strategy. In the case of this study as illustrated by extracts 1-8, random syllabification is primarily used to camouflage words that can be associated with racism and/or racial prejudices.…”

Access to the affordances of literacy: reflections on the evolving influence of ICT in Zambia

“…For instance, social groups such as bloggers influence public opinion through a widely distributed network of mobile phones that reaches a larger and more immediate audience than the older technology of print, radio and TV. Banda ( 2016 ) has provided a nuanced analysis of politically argumentative discourse at campaign rallies and on social media websites to illustrate how participants deliberately deviate from formal linguistic norms of (indigenous) Zambian languages to express their modernity and lay claim to progressive authority. With creative and borderline-obscene humour, these speakers and writers play with consensual knowledge of grammatically and socially correct usage to shock their audience, emphasising the intensity of the author’s critical sentiments by refusing to comply with those rules.…”