Language, Inequality and Subordination in Postcolonial Discourses: A Study of Chirikure Chirikure and Mathew Takwi’s Selected Poems

Abstract

Postcolonial societies have perpetually been decrying their inferiority to the colonialist. The difficulty to stride to the Centre with ease remains worrisome because of the derogatory language used to describe native culture as opposed to the colonialist culture. This paper aims at highlighting the inferiority complex of postcolonial societies as stemming from the dehumanising language used when referring to the formerly colonized. The paper blends a literary theory (Postcolonial Theory) and a linguistic theory (the Appraisal Systems by Martin, 2000). Language contributes to degrade the identity of the postcolonial people in such a way that the latter think nothing good can come from their end. The derogatory use of language has equally created a kind of mindset that maintains postcolonial countries dependent and underdeveloped. Thus, this type of language used towards postcolonial subjects has given room for an inferiority complex, which has significantly impacted the sociocultural, economic and political lives of postcolonial societies.