Previous research on CFE phonology

CFE is an under-researched variety overall, but especially in terms of phonology. The main earlier studies are referenced in the CD Rom accompanying this text.

In terms of the phonological system as a whole, CFE (like SAfE) differs little from the reference variety, RP. As with mainstream South African English (SAfE, more specifically WSAfE), probably the only case where a difference in the overall system can be argued for is in the ‘KIT-Split’.

As a type of South African English, CFE most closely resembles the lect of (typically) white SAfE most closely associated with the lowest socio-economic class (that is, the English of white working-class native speakers). This is the lect termed ‘Extreme SAfE’ by Lanham (1982), which in turn closely resembles the L2 English accent of white native speakers of Afrikaans (Afrikaans English, or AfkE).

Wood (1987) argues that a similar dichotomy of lects can be set up for CFE itself, with ‘Extreme’ and ‘Respectable’ sub-lects characteristic of working-class and middle-class speakers respectively. I would argue (Finn [forthcoming]) that this dichotomy tends to correlate with whether or not speakers could be said to have CFE or CVA (Cape Vernacular Afrikaans) as L1, since L2 CFE speakers tend to be working-class and L1 speakers middle-class.