Abstract
Language attitudes towards Afrikaans - a reconnaisance from a theoretical point of viewThe main aim of this article is to investigate the language attitude issue from a viewpoint embedded in the theory of language planning. This study was initiated by the fact that, although the public debate regarding Afrikaans is articulated in a lively way, it seems as if it does not benefit the official status of the language. The statement that this hampering effect on Afrikaans is partially caused by negative language attitudes and a lack of language loyalty by the primary and secondary speech communities serves as point of departure for this article. By looking at language attitudes departing from a theoretical language planning framework, the investigator is enabled to derive scientifically clear conclusions regarding the language attitudes of speech communities. This article also discusses the different components of language attitudes in general and the methodology regarding the investigation of language attitudes. The second part of the article presents a brief discussion of language attitude studies undertaken in South Africa, especially those dealing with Afrikaans. The article concludes with the statement that language planners must give considerable attention to language attitudes and their influence on language planning efforts. When this problematic issue is ignored the outcome of language planning projects will show a low success rate. This is of particular importance for the survival of Afrikaans in the multilingual South African society.
Highlights
The main aim o f this article is to investigate the language attitude issue from a viewpoint embedded in the theory o f language planning
The second part o f the article presents a b rief discussion o f language attitude studies undertaken in South Africa, especially those dealing with Afrikaans
The article concludes with the statement that language planners must give considerable attention to language attitudes and their influence on language planning efforts
Summary
Die openbare gesprek random Afrikaans het in die besonder momentum begin kry toe daar in die vroeë negentigeqare begin is met veelpartyonderhandeling oor ’n nuwe grondwet vir Suid-Afrika. Dit word verder gerelativeer deur die feit dat die status, waarde en belangrikheid van ’n taal op ’n bepalende wyse gemeet word aan mense se gesindheid teenoor daardie taal; daarom het houdings/gesindhede wat teenoor ’n taal/variëteit ingeneem word ’n baie groot invloed - ó f op die taal/variëteit se behoud o f herlewing, óf op sy agteruitgang en uiteindelike ondergang (Baker, 1992:9). Ten spyte van die feit dat gesindhede in drie duidelik onderskeibare komponente verdeel is - ’n verdeling wat ’n wetenskaplike aanpak van die studie van taalgesindhede behoort te vergemaklik, word dit bemoeilik deur die teenstrydigheid wat mag bestaan in dit wat individue/taalgemeenskappe as hul gesindheid voorhou en dit wat werklik die gesindheid teenoor die taal is en wat die optrede teenoor sodanige taal/variëteit en sy sprekers motiveer (Swanepoel, 1992:134)
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