Continuities or Change?: A Synchronic and Diachronic Analysis of Documented Language Policies of Selected Universities in South Africa

Abstract

In line with the requirements of Department of Higher Education and Training’s language policy framework, universities in South Africa have crafted language policies that commit to promote multilingualism and contribute to the transformation of higher education. This article is an analysis of previous and current revised language policies of North-West University and Stellenbosch University in South Africa. By focusing on the wording and framing of language policy provisions in the past and present policy documents, we show that language policies of the two institutions have been characterised by continuities than change. Through a theorisation of language policy as a function of ideologies, practices and management, the article exposes how the institutions’ language policies perpetuate the marginalisation and exclusion of indigenous language as languages of instruction and continue to legitimatise Afrikaans and English in varying degrees. While the language policies of the two institutions are full of promise to foster inclusive multilingual education, the wording of the policy provisions betrays the fallacy of this promise by the inclusion of caveats and conditions to be met for indigenous African languages to be used in teaching and learning. The article however notes the positive steps taken by the two historically Afrikaans medium universities to commit to multilingual education by the inclusion of African languages as potential languages of instruction. We conclude that further policy revisions are imperative to eliminate vague and escapist terminology that militates against the implementation and realisation of multilingualism as envisaged in the language policies of the two universities.