AHC: Anglocise the Afrikaans

Is it possible to move to a situation where virtually all the whites in South Africa think of themselves as a single pro-Empire English-speaking people, like in Australia?
 
Is it possible to move to a situation where virtually all the whites in South Africa think of themselves as a single pro-Empire English-speaking people, like in Australia?

I doubt strongly that you could get an Australian analogue, if just for the reason that most white Australians were (till after WW2) descendants of immigrants from the various British nations many of which continued to see themselves as British for some time. As opposed to the Afrikaner's mixed origins of Dutch, German, French, random British or other groups (including non whites in some cases) who were never principally British.

That being said, without obvious conflict, say with an 1850s POD, perhaps the two cultures would not be so alienated. Without the attempted coup or the two wars the relationship would be far closer. Perhaps without the second war anyway, the nationalist identification with the formalisation of the Afrikaner language would not be so complete. But that being said, most cultures don't like surrendering their languages, even if to friends
 
What about the Germans in the United States? I believe much of the Midwest between the Appalachians and the Great Lakes was German-speaking for a while...
 
What about the Germans in the United States? I believe much of the Midwest between the Appalachians and the Great Lakes was German-speaking for a while...

It never was, in every state west of the 13 Colonies settlers born in America made up a majority. There were a large number of German speaking communities but the Mid-west was never German speaking.

As for Anglicising the Afrikaaners a better comparison is Quebec. Above a certain threshold there is sufficient critical mass to ensure a language won't die out unless you are willing to do a spot of ethnic cleansing and we didn't do that to white people.
 
It never was, in every state west of the 13 Colonies settlers born in America made up a majority. There were a large number of German speaking communities but the Mid-west was never German speaking.
The actual quote was "much", not "most". And yes, there were huge populations of German speakers in much of the MidWest. Rarely a majority in area beyond, oh say county size, but lots of them.

As for Anglicising the Afrikaaners a better comparison is Quebec. Above a certain threshold there is sufficient critical mass to ensure a language won't die out unless you are willing to do a spot of ethnic cleansing and we didn't do that to white people.
Exactly.

The Germans in the US came to an Anglo culture, and existed as a subgroup.

The Anglos in South Africa and Quebec came to a land that was already populated by whites speaking other languages, and formed a minority there.

So, the OP is very, very difficult to achieve.
 
Is it possible to move to a situation where virtually all the whites in South Africa think of themselves as a single pro-Empire English-speaking people, like in Australia?
Very, very difficult.

WHY would they be pro-British. You'd have to really change history.

Here's a stab. France/Spain/Portugal conquers the Cape, and tries to impose Roman Catholicism. The British arrive after ?a generation? of oppression, conquer the place for themselves, and impose a 'protestant' ruling structure. By now the Boers are so happy, they'll take ANY protestant rulers, even Arminian Anglicans. (Boy, that would take a LOT of RC oppression first:))

That's the only thing I can see that would work.
 
Well...Could we have the equivalent of the welsh note in South Africa? I admit i'm not enough knowledgable about english linguistic policies to propose it.
 
Well...Could we have the equivalent of the welsh note in South Africa? I admit i'm not enough knowledgable about english linguistic policies to propose it.

Welsh is alive and kicking as a language now. France's attitude to Breton is a fairly good example of how to stamp out a strong and unique cultural group.
 
Welsh is alive and kicking as a language now. France's attitude to Breton is a fairly good example of how to stamp out a strong and unique cultural group.

Well, actually the french policies had little importence into the disapperence of breton itself. More about its minorisation and making it shameful, but the modern society actually did the big job.
 
Top