Revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in South Africa through writing and publishing
Libraries and librarians play a central role in organising and communicating knowledge. They are an important part of the<br />knowledge production and use chain. The development and sustenance of a knowledge-based economy hinges on their<br />ability to facilitate the accessibility, ret...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch University
2012-12-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science |
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| Online Access: | http://sajlis.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/43 |
| _version_ | 1818135063114547200 |
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| author | Patrick Ngulube |
| author_facet | Patrick Ngulube |
| author_sort | Patrick Ngulube |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Libraries and librarians play a central role in organising and communicating knowledge. They are an important part of the<br />knowledge production and use chain. The development and sustenance of a knowledge-based economy hinges on their<br />ability to facilitate the accessibility, retrievability and usability of the knowledge and information that permeates the<br />information society. Writers and publishers as part and parcel of the knowledge chain are central to the production and<br />distribution of ideas. Language is fundamental to their ability to communicate and get their literal messages, expressions<br />and ideas through. Their preferred language of writing and publishing may mean a difference between the growth and<br />demise of a language of a society and its culture and civilisation. Many indigenous languages around the globe are<br />struggling to survive because of various reasons including neglect by writers and publishers. Publishers and writers as major<br />role players in the knowledge production and reproduction chain may assist in promoting and preserving indigenous<br />languages in general and in South Africa in particular. This may ensure that South Africa’s knowledge economy develops<br />without sidelining or discriminating against any culture or language. There are challenges and opportunities that writers<br />and publishers are likely to face in attempting to revitalise and empower indigenous languages in South Africa, but they<br />are not insurmountable. Using a theoretical approach, the purpose of this article is to highlight the role that writers and<br />publishers may play in revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in South Africa. Recommendations are<br />made on how the role players may deal with the challenges that have culminated in the neglect of the endangered<br />indigenous languages. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T09:18:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-77f70438b16e45e1adab4f4856543a83 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8263 0256-8861 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T09:18:33Z |
| publishDate | 2012-12-01 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-77f70438b16e45e1adab4f4856543a832022-12-22T01:13:18ZengStellenbosch UniversitySouth African Journal of Libraries and Information Science2304-82630256-88612012-12-0178110.7553/78-1-43Revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in South Africa through writing and publishingPatrick NgulubeLibraries and librarians play a central role in organising and communicating knowledge. They are an important part of the<br />knowledge production and use chain. The development and sustenance of a knowledge-based economy hinges on their<br />ability to facilitate the accessibility, retrievability and usability of the knowledge and information that permeates the<br />information society. Writers and publishers as part and parcel of the knowledge chain are central to the production and<br />distribution of ideas. Language is fundamental to their ability to communicate and get their literal messages, expressions<br />and ideas through. Their preferred language of writing and publishing may mean a difference between the growth and<br />demise of a language of a society and its culture and civilisation. Many indigenous languages around the globe are<br />struggling to survive because of various reasons including neglect by writers and publishers. Publishers and writers as major<br />role players in the knowledge production and reproduction chain may assist in promoting and preserving indigenous<br />languages in general and in South Africa in particular. This may ensure that South Africa’s knowledge economy develops<br />without sidelining or discriminating against any culture or language. There are challenges and opportunities that writers<br />and publishers are likely to face in attempting to revitalise and empower indigenous languages in South Africa, but they<br />are not insurmountable. Using a theoretical approach, the purpose of this article is to highlight the role that writers and<br />publishers may play in revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in South Africa. Recommendations are<br />made on how the role players may deal with the challenges that have culminated in the neglect of the endangered<br />indigenous languages.http://sajlis.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/43Cultureindigenous languagesKhoe-san languagespublishingSouth Africa |
| spellingShingle | Patrick Ngulube Revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in South Africa through writing and publishing South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science Culture indigenous languages Khoe-san languages publishing South Africa |
| title | Revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in South Africa through writing and publishing |
| title_full | Revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in South Africa through writing and publishing |
| title_fullStr | Revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in South Africa through writing and publishing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in South Africa through writing and publishing |
| title_short | Revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in South Africa through writing and publishing |
| title_sort | revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in south africa through writing and publishing |
| topic | Culture indigenous languages Khoe-san languages publishing South Africa |
| url | http://sajlis.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/43 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT patrickngulube revitalisingandpreservingendangeredindigenouslanguagesinsouthafricathroughwritingandpublishing |