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What’s with this “Wren” thing?
The oldest extant version of the fable
we
are presenting here appeared in 1913 in the first volume of a two-volume anthology
of Low
Saxon folktales (Plattdeutsche
Volksmärchen “Low German Folktales”)
collected by Wilhelm Wisser (1843–1935). Read
more ...
Language information: Afrikaans began in the 17th century as a language variety then referred to
as “Cape Dutch.” It developed essentially from Dutch, Zealandic and other Low
Franconian varieties with influences from Low Saxon, Malay, Khoi-San and Bantu
languages, French, English and many others, creating a language that is uniquely
suited for life in Southern Africa.
A
native speaker of Xhosa,
former South African presi-
dent Nelson Rolihlahla
Man-
dela is fluent
in
Afrikaans.
Many
South Africans that are not ethnically “Afrikaaners” can speak, read and write
Afrikaans.
Even though its
status has been lowered and is not rarely discriminated against in “New South
Africa,” Afrikaans is still being used as an educational medium, also in
a few South African Universities.
Contrary to common
belief, Afrikaans is not only used by “Whites” but is used by even more people
of part European
and part African descent, also by people of other ethnic backgrounds, such
as descendants of “Malay” slaves and formerly Khoi-San-speaking aboriginal
Nama (Khoekhoe, formerly “Hottentot”) and Khoe (Kxoe, formerly “Bushmen”).
Afrikaans is currently
used as a native language by close to six million people, the vast majority of
them
in
South
Africa.
Genealogy:
Indo-European > Germanic > Western > Low German > Low Franconian > Dutch > Afrikaans
Historical Lowlands language contacts: English, [Frisian?], [Low Saxon?], [Scots?], [Zealandic?]
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