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The anti-apartheid activist and Constitutional Court judge Albie Sachs once said, “Humour is one of the great solvents of democracy … It is an elixir of constitutional health”.
The Art of the South African Insult is an exploration of South Africa through the prism of the insult. The chapters cover everything from our history to ethnic insults, sport, politics, religion and other aspects of life. South Africa may not possess an Oscar Wilde of our own, but our insults measure up to the most devastating the world has to offer.
We have a rich vocabulary of rude words; our public life is filled with moegoes and foot-in-mouth disease rages through the land. Our languages are rich and expressive. Zulu and Afrikaans are the best languages to use for insulting, says the popular columnist Fred Khumalo. “Only in Zulu (and possibly in Afrikaans) can you swear in a manner that drives the fear of God into your adversary’s heart.”
Insults are our most accurate barometer of democracy, and that applies anywhere in the world. Beware those in power who reserve the right to insult others, while denying it to the ordinary citizens in the street.
About the Author
Sarah Britten was born and grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The power of humor, especially through social observation, interested her from an early age. She studied Drama at the Univesrity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, where she also completed a doctorate in Applied English Language Studies.
One of the theories she came across while writing her thesis was the idea that “national identity is most keenly felt in those aspects of ourselves we find embarrassing.” For South Africans, that would probably be minibus taxis, corrupt politicians and crime. For Americans, it might be Paris Hilton and George Bush.
The author says, “Writing the book was, in many ways, a means for me to bring my ideas about national identity across in a format that is as suitable for reading while sitting on the toilet (where, let’s face it, a lot of reading takes place) as it is in a more serious setting. ”
Britten says “I would love to tackle the art of the Canadian insult, the Australian insult – even the American insult, though the latter would be a massive project. So much material to choose from.”
Stumble it!
