THE STATIC AND DYNAMIC ELEMENTS OF TSOTSI LANGUAGE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ZULU—A SOCIOLINGUISTIC STUDY

Abstract

Tsolsi language (also known as isicamtho) developed a long time ago, is still spoken today and In fact, the number of people who use this variety for communicative purposes, is growing steadily. Whereas it was originally used as a secret language to exclude unwanted persons from the conversation, it is nowadays used colloquially to facilitate communication between speakers. Furthermore, the base language of this variety has changed from Afrikaans to Zulu. The paper examines the static and dynamic character of Tsotsi language, as well as its base language. It also examines three functions of Tsotsi language and its use in formal and informal situations. The article concludes that Tsotsi language is a vibrant language variety that is accepted by its speakers because it Facilitates expression in certain social contexts.