Abstract

This article it is argued that promoting exoglossic languages in Africa to the detriment of indigenous languages would be a great disservice to Africa and its peoples, especially from a cognitive and educational perspective, but also from the point of view of promoting African unity, identity and economic empowerment. It is also pointed out that the above will only be possible if civil society so intends. This again depends on the extent to which civil society is empowered by governments, the media and so on to make decisions concerning language issues in an informed manner. South Africa’s present language policy is discussed here in relation to the above, as well as in relation to language planning in Africa as a whole. In July 1987 the OAU council of ministers' forty-sixth ordinary session was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Here a language plan of action for Africa was adopted. As yet this language plan has not received wide publicity and politicians have been reluctant to comment on its relevance for Africa. This article explores this plan in relation to South Africa’s language policy and that of other African countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and Namibia. .

Highlights

  • This articleit is argued that promoting exoglossic jtahguages in Africa to the detriment of indigenous languages wiuld be agreatdisservicetoAfrica and itspeoples, especially from acognitive and educationalperspective, butalso from t h e point of view of promoting African unity, identity and economic empowerment

  • Black people were not encouraged to learnEnglish and Afrikaans in South Africa and they were categorisedinto ethnic groups on thebasis of their language

  • Eastern Cape who speaksHlubior Baca may experienceproblems when expectedtowritestandardXhosawhichis closer to thevariety spoken by t h e Gcaleka. Even within these linguistic groups thereisdiversity which needs t o be recognised. The way inwhich such varietiesoccuralongside one anotherin South Africa makes itdifficultto speak of "standard" languages, many language educationalistsstill promote the development of one variety as the standard

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Summary

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

In the past the white, Afrikaans dominated Rational Party government's response to multilingualism and language planning in South Africa was t o appropriate language forfurtheringthe ends of apartheid. Black people were not encouraged to learnEnglish and Afrikaans in South Africa (except for the purposes of communicating i n the work place) and they were categorisedinto ethnic groups on thebasis of their language. I t i s argued that this could lead to Afrikaans taking itsrightful place, freed from unfavourable political baggage, as an African lingua franca in Southern Africa This would have implications f o r language planning, f o r example, i n Namibia. Even within these linguistic groups thereisdiversity which needs t o be recognised The way inwhich such varietiesoccuralongside one anotherin South Africa makes itdifficultto speak of "standard" languages, many language educationalistsstill promote the development of one variety as the standard. I n any event i t would seem t h a t language existsonlyinrelationtothepeople who speak i t and thereareclearly many speakers of Afrikaans in South Africa which w i l l ensure i t s continued survival and allow i t to prosper

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