Exploring intellectualisation of South African indigenous languages for academic purposes

Language represents an individual’s identity in many respects. It is a natural ability of any average person that they use to express thoughts and ideas, investigate their traditions and experiences, and better their community and the laws that govern it. The ability to choose the official language...

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Main Authors: Matefu L. Mabela, Thabo Ditsele
Format: Article
Language:Afrikaans
Published: AOSIS 2024-02-01
Series:Literator
Subjects:
Online Access:https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/1980
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author Matefu L. Mabela
Thabo Ditsele
author_facet Matefu L. Mabela
Thabo Ditsele
author_sort Matefu L. Mabela
collection DOAJ
description Language represents an individual’s identity in many respects. It is a natural ability of any average person that they use to express thoughts and ideas, investigate their traditions and experiences, and better their community and the laws that govern it. The ability to choose the official language was acknowledged in the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution acknowledges that indigenous languages are a commodity which has not been fully used. By studying the difficulties of intellectualising indigenous languages in modern South Africa, this research aims to promote the usage and enhance the prestige of indigenous languages. The challenge in basic education in South Africa is that South African indigenous languages are not prioritised. Moreover, there appears to be a disconnection between language policy and implementation. Contribution: A document analysis was undertaken to review literature on the possibility of intellectualising South African indigenous languages by considering various theories and methods of terminology development, including interborrowing within South African indigenous languages and adaptation of some English and Afrikaans words as already entrenched languages in education.
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spelling doaj.art-a5d30a69f9094764b8eceb62d2d15e292024-03-01T13:28:15ZafrAOSISLiterator0258-22792219-82372024-02-01451e1e1010.4102/lit.v45i1.19801426Exploring intellectualisation of South African indigenous languages for academic purposesMatefu L. Mabela0Thabo Ditsele1Department of Applied Languages, Faculty of Humanities, Tshwane University of Technology, TshwaneDepartment of Applied Languages, Faculty of Humanities, Tshwane University of Technology, TshwaneLanguage represents an individual’s identity in many respects. It is a natural ability of any average person that they use to express thoughts and ideas, investigate their traditions and experiences, and better their community and the laws that govern it. The ability to choose the official language was acknowledged in the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution acknowledges that indigenous languages are a commodity which has not been fully used. By studying the difficulties of intellectualising indigenous languages in modern South Africa, this research aims to promote the usage and enhance the prestige of indigenous languages. The challenge in basic education in South Africa is that South African indigenous languages are not prioritised. Moreover, there appears to be a disconnection between language policy and implementation. Contribution: A document analysis was undertaken to review literature on the possibility of intellectualising South African indigenous languages by considering various theories and methods of terminology development, including interborrowing within South African indigenous languages and adaptation of some English and Afrikaans words as already entrenched languages in education.https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/1980intellectualisationafrican languages developmentterminology developmentlanguage policy and planningword coinageterminology theory
spellingShingle Matefu L. Mabela
Thabo Ditsele
Exploring intellectualisation of South African indigenous languages for academic purposes
Literator
intellectualisation
african languages development
terminology development
language policy and planning
word coinage
terminology theory
title Exploring intellectualisation of South African indigenous languages for academic purposes
title_full Exploring intellectualisation of South African indigenous languages for academic purposes
title_fullStr Exploring intellectualisation of South African indigenous languages for academic purposes
title_full_unstemmed Exploring intellectualisation of South African indigenous languages for academic purposes
title_short Exploring intellectualisation of South African indigenous languages for academic purposes
title_sort exploring intellectualisation of south african indigenous languages for academic purposes
topic intellectualisation
african languages development
terminology development
language policy and planning
word coinage
terminology theory
url https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/1980
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AT thaboditsele exploringintellectualisationofsouthafricanindigenouslanguagesforacademicpurposes