Within these years, around 4500 settlers, predominantly rural and urban work-ing class people from London and the Home Counties, arrived in the Eastern Cape, landing at Algoa Bay (see Bowerman 2013: 512; Bowerman 2008b: 164f.; Lass 2002: 109; Mesthrie 1993: 27). Although these settlers shared English as their mother tongue, they used different dialects (see Bowerman 2008b: 165). However, within ap-proximately two generations, the dialectal distinctions had levelled, which gave rise to a new variety with specific linguistic features (see Bowerman 2013: 512). Furthermore, in 1822, English replaced Dutch as the official language of the Cape Colony and gained in significance
Within these years, around 4500 settlers, predominantly rural and urban work-ing class people from London and the Home Counties, arrived in the Eastern Cape, landing at Algoa Bay (see Bowerman 2013: 512; Bowerman 2008b: 164f.; Lass 2002: 109; Mesthrie 1993: 27). Although these settlers shared English as their mother tongue, they used different dialects (see Bowerman 2008b: 165). However, within ap-proximately two generations, the dialectal distinctions had levelled, which gave rise to a new variety with specific linguistic features (see Bowerman 2013: 512). Furthermore, in 1822, English replaced Dutch as the official language of the Cape Colony and gained in significance