Cry, the Beloved Country

What features of the language of the novel strike you as signifcant?

The language of the book has been discussed a good deal. One of its features is that it offers literal translations of Zulu phrases: "Go well" and "Stay well" are the English versions of "Hamba Kahle" and Sala Kahle". What other features are significant?

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Last updated by edward a #270205
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Paton's diction and grammar are mostly simple throughout the novel. This befits the initial setting and the simple life Stephen Kumalo comes from. The diction's simplicity also requires the reader to make inferences about reasons for the characters' utterances. Finally, I believe the language's simplicity, in addition to being "appropriate" for country (and presumably uneducated) people, impels much of the story's emotional wallop.

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