The First Ever Kaaps Dictionary Authenticates Cape Flats Culture

The  first ever Kaaps dictionary is in full existence all thanks to the Centre for Multilingualism and Diversities Research at the University of the Western Cape (UWC)  along with the hip hop-driven community NGO Heal the Hood Project.

The trial lingual dictionary is in Kaaps, English and Afrikaans a language used largely by working class speakers on the Cape Flats in Cape Town is set to bring about a democratic resource.

The language has been in full existence since 1500s means the dictionary is created to help authenticate and celebrate Kaaps culture in its own right. It is also used for online and offline contexts of socialization, learning, commerce, politics and religion. Because of language contact and the temporary and seasonal migration of speakers from the Western Cape, it is written and spoken across South Africa and beyond its borders.

The dictionary will be a great resource for speakers also valuable to educators, students and researchers. It will affect the ways in which institutions engage speakers of Kaaps. It will also be useful to the media industry and publishers as well who are keen to learn more about how to engage Kaaps speakers.

Done by: Lucille Dyosi