NORNA-RAPPORTER 88 Binamn. Uppkomst, bildning, terminologi ...

Bynames as an expression of identity 23
Bynames as an expression of identity:
A student profile at the University of the Western Cape
By Bertie Neethling
Introduction
In 2007 a project with the title ‘Exploring the link between name and identity:
A UWC profile’ was conceptualised. The main purpose was to collect data on
naming by means of a wide ranging questionnaire, testing the perception and
understanding of oneself as well as of the ‘Other’ in a multicultural and multilingual
context such as on the campus of the University of the Western Cape
(UWC) located in Belville South near Cape Town, South Africa. The student
population represents an interesting diversity in terms of cultural/ethnic and sociolinguistic
backgrounds.
As the title suggests, the focus was on names and naming, and the perceived
link between one’s name and identity. The questions (there were 18 in total)
were often open-ended, resulting in extremely diverse and interesting responses.
824 questionnaires were returned, representing all the cultural and ethnic
groupings in South Africa, as well as many others from other African states and
other parts of the world.
The focus in this contribution is on bynames or nicknames. After giving information
about their first (given) names at birth that would generally feature
in identity documents and family names (surnames), respondents were also
asked the following:
1. Are you also known by any other name(s), such as a nickname? If yes, kindly
supply that/those name(s).
2. Do you know why you have this/these additional name(s)?
3. Who bestowed it on you, and who calls you by this/these names?
4. Are you happy with all your names? If yes, say why. If not, also say why.
The results were overwhelming in quantity, as well as in the diverse nature.
Around 80 % of all respondents indicated that they have and are called by such
additional names. For the purposes of this presentation, only examples from the
3 main language groupings on campus will be demonstrated. These are the
Xhosa, English and Afrikaans speakers who together represent 652 of the respondents.
The fact that so many respondents (= the name bearers) quite readily
shared these names, suggests that the respondents are generally happy with and
proud of these names. Felecan’s (2009:3, 8) comment that naming by nick-