37.3380, Media: Onomastics Online Lecture Series | A Socio-Onomastic Analysis of Basotho Blanket Names and Colours: From Representations of Unity to Turf Wars

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-37-3380. Fri Oct 16 2026. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 37.3380, Media: Onomastics Online Lecture Series | A Socio-Onomastic Analysis of Basotho Blanket Names and Colours: From Representations of Unity to Turf Wars

Moderator: Steven Moran (linguist at linguistlist.org)
Managing Editor: Valeriia Vyshnevetska
Team: Helen Aristar-Dry, Daniel Swanson
Jobs: jobs at linguistlist.org | Conferences: callconf at linguistlist.org | Pubs: pubs at linguistlist.org

Homepage: http://linguistlist.org

Editor for this issue: Daniel Swanson <daniel at linguistlist.org>

================================================================


Date: 16-Oct-2026
From: Chrismi-RInda Loth [LothC at ufs.ac.za]
Subject: Onomastics Online Lecture Series | A Socio-Onomastic Analysis of Basotho Blanket Names and Colours: From Representations of Unity to Turf Wars


Onomastics Online
12 November 2026
17:00 UTC+1 / 18:00 GMT+2
Microsoft Teams
Speaker: Maleshoane Rapeane-Mathonsi (Durban University of Technology,
South Africa)
Moderator: Chrismi Loth (University of the Free State, South Africa)
Talk: A socio-onomastic analysis of Basotho blanket names and colours:
from representations of unity to turf wars
Abstract: Lesotho, a former British protectorate, inherited what is
now commonly known as the Basotho blanket from the British rule.
Today, it stands as a powerful symbol of unity and cultural identity
among the Basotho people. These blankets are given distinct names
based on their motifs or the occasions they are worn, reflecting their
deep cultural significance. Due to this strong attachment, many
Basotho prefer authentic blankets over cheaper imitations found in
neighbouring SADC countries. However, the blanket also reflects
divisions within Basotho society. It has become a marker of identity
for rival accordion music groups, Seakhi and Terene, who wear
blue/black and yellow blankets respectively. Political parties
similarly associate themselves with specific blanket colours, turning
a symbol of unity into one of factionalism.
This paper explores the various names given to Basotho blankets and
how these names reflect both national pride and group identity. Using
socio-onomastics as its framework, the study draws on data from Aranda
and other blanket retailers, family collections, and literature. It
highlights how the blanket, while representing the Basotho nation,
also serves as a visual language for political, musical and other
affiliations.
Keywords: Basotho blanket, cultural identity, group identity,
socio-onomastics, symbolism
Biography: Maleshoane Rapeane-Mathonsi is an Associate Professor in
Media, Language, and Communication at Durban University of Technology.
She began her academic career at the University of Cape Town, where
she earned her PhD, and later worked at the National University of
Lesotho before joining Durban University of Technology (DUT). Her
research explores formal linguistics, socio-onomastics, and
language and gender. She co-founded DUT’s Faculty of Arts and
Humanities conferences. She contributed to the Lesotho Sign Language
Dictionary and also works as a translator. She served as Deputy
President of the Names Society of Southern Africa and sits on the
International Symposium on Place Names panel.
Register here (required):
https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/863e914b-25d8-4940-82a6-6feddd0914b4@8efc1bb9-b90f-4a48-bf6c-ba0686193b80
- Upon registration you will receive an email with the link.
- The system will also circulate a reminder with the link an hour
before the event.
ICOS policy on privacy:
https://icosweb.net/membership/icos-personal-data-protection-policy/
Onomastics Online lecture series:
Onomastics Online is a series of online lectures dealing with
important timely topics related to names and naming. Given by
distinguished scholars from various academic backgrounds, the lectures
demonstrate the importance and the multidisciplinary nature of
onomastic research. To see the list of upcoming and past lectures,
please visit our webpage at: https://icosweb.net/onomastics-online/.
Previous lectures can be found on our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@theinternationalcouncilofo2460.
If you are interested in ICOS membership, please visit our website:
https://icosweb.net/membership/membership-registration/.

Linguistic Field(s): General Linguistics
                     Sociolinguistics




------------------------------------------------------------------------------

********************** LINGUIST List Support ***********************
Please consider donating to the Linguist List, a U.S. 501(c)(3) not for profit organization:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=87C2AXTVC4PP8

LINGUIST List is supported by the following publishers:

Australian Linguistics Society https://als.asn.au/Home

Bloomsbury Publishing http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/

Cambridge University Press http://www.cambridge.org/linguistics

Cascadilla Press http://www.cascadilla.com/

De Gruyter Brill https://www.degruyterbrill.com/?changeLang=en

Edinburgh University Press http://www.edinburghuniversitypress.com

European Language Resources Association (ELRA) http://www.elra.info

John Benjamins http://www.benjamins.com/

Language Science Press http://langsci-press.org

MDPI Languages https://www.mdpi.com/journal/languages

MIT Press http://mitpress.mit.edu/

Multilingual Matters http://www.multilingual-matters.com/

Narr Francke Attempto Verlag GmbH + Co. KG http://www.narr.de/

Netherlands Graduate School of Linguistics / Landelijke (LOT) http://www.lotpublications.nl/

Peter Lang AG http://www.peterlang.com

SIL International Publications http://www.sil.org/resources/publications

University of Toronto Press https://utppublishing.com


----------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List: Vol-37-3380
----------------------------------------------------------