Beyond 2000: Sharpening the focus on the indigenous languages

Abstract

This article is intended to stimulate intense discussions on the issue of the indigenous languages in South Africa. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa stipulates that the South African indigenous languages are historically disadvantaged, and therefore extra effort should be applied to elevate their status and to advance their usage. The Bill of Rights stipulates that everyone has a right to use the language of his/her choice. This, therefore, means that the development of the indigenous languages is fully backed by our country's constitution. The Pan South African Language Board has given us correct guidelines towards developing our indigenous languages. In developing our indigenous languages we should observe language ownership, language diffusion and language empowerment.