Kaaps Woriboek / Woordeboek / Dictionary

The Kaaps Woriboek / Woordeboek / Dictionary is an ambitious reference release that marks a major milestone for the language and culture of the Western Cape. As explained in its introduction, Kaaps originated as a slave lingua franca, essentially born out of variations of Cape Dutch, Arabic, Portuguese, Malay, and indigenous Khoi and San languages. It has existed primarily in everyday speech for hundreds of years, but dedicated advocacy in recent years by South African researchers has shifted the conversation around the language, especially in academic circles. In this context, Professor Quentin Williams, director of the Centre for Multilingualism and Diversities Research at the University of the Western Cape, has led a team of linguistic editors on a five-year journey to the realisation of this fascinating resource. Kaaps far surpasses the definition of a mere reference title; it should be considered a major step towards formally recognising, codifying, standardising and preserving Kaaps as a language, making it a book of singular cultural and historical significance. Anton Marshall