ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in the preceding chapters of this book. The book explores the relationship between language and African society. It outlines the differences between languages, varieties and dialects, drawing from African examples. The book examines varieties in the language of individual speakers known as idiolects, as well as the notion of variety within a single and within different language(s). It seeks to create awareness of gender-based language and differences in gendered speech, using a rich array of African examples. The book focuses on intercultural communication in the workplace, particularly within the legal and medical spheres. It discusses the way in which dialectal differences as well as differences in varieties can determine social as well as power relations. It suggests that these can be manipulated by power holders and that the phenomenon should be guarded against by those who practice critical language awareness.
