The Political Future of Afrikaans: The Viewpoints of an Ethnic Party.

The relationship between language and ethnic identity is important. The importance is magnified in societies where language differences are a characteristic of inter-ethnic competition. Where language is connected to a political order, a change in that order can alter its fortunes. Afrikaans in the new South Africa constitutes an interesting context for the study of ethno-linguistics and the relationship between language and politics. With apartheid gone, the language no longer enjoys political patronage. Yet it remains an emotionally relevant and core feature of Afrikaner identity. This article considers the debate about the language's future in the light of research conducted with the Freedom Front Plus—which projects itself as South Africa's Afrikaner party. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]