Boerneef en die volkspoësie

Authors

  • Wium van Zyl University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4314/tvl.v40i1.53619

Keywords:

Boerneef, I.W. van der Merwe, volkspoësie, oral poetry

Abstract


The poet Boerneef (pseudonym of I. W. van der Merwe, 1897-1967) referred to his own poetry as volkspoësie (oral poetry). This is in contradistinction to the usual conception of oral literature as traditional verbal art handed down by word of mouth and distinguished from the written traditions produced by individual authors. This article investigates the relationship between Boerneef's work and traditional Afrikaans and Dutch oral poetry. An analysis shows a variety of similarities: In a few poems traditional material is presented directly, while in the rest of his work various oral poetic elements are transformed into highly original literary procédè's. In the process Boerneef succeedes in bringing his poetry closer to the primitive tradition than any other Afrikaans author.

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Published

2003-04-01

How to Cite

van Zyl, W. (2003). Boerneef en die volkspoësie. Tydskrif Vir Letterkunde, 40, 54–70. https://doi.org/10.4314/tvl.v40i1.53619

Issue

Section

Research articles