Betwee Case Study

The social history of WhSAfE starts with the establishment of a trading and re-freshment station by the Dutch in the Eastern Cape at the end of the 18th century, con-trolled by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and frequented by British ships on their itinerary to the Far East (see Bowerman 2013: 512; Bowerman 2008b: 164). Due to the military capture of the Netherlands and its oversea possessions by Napoleon, the station, together with the surrounding area, was taken over by the British in 1795 in order to ensure their strategic interests in the region (see Bowerman 2008b: 164; Lass 2002: 108). However, after the foundation of the Batavian Republic, the Cape was re-established as a Dutch colony in 1802 (see Bowerman 2013: 512; Lass 2002: 108). Nevertheless, after France had annexed the Netherlands again, Britain eventually took over the Eastern Cape in 1806 and declared it a British colony (see Bowerman 2008b: 164). …show more content…
Within these years, around 4500 settlers, predominantly rural and urban work-ing class people from London and the Home Counties, arrived in the Eastern Cape, landing at Algoa Bay (see Bowerman 2013: 512; Bowerman 2008b: 164f.; Lass 2002: 109; Mesthrie 1993: 27). Although these settlers shared English as their mother tongue, they used different dialects (see Bowerman 2008b: 165). However, within ap-proximately two generations, the dialectal distinctions had levelled, which gave rise to a new variety with specific linguistic features (see Bowerman 2013: 512). Furthermore, in 1822, English replaced Dutch as the official language of the Cape Colony and gained in significance