Intellectualisation of African languages with particular reference to isiXhosa
- Authors: Maseko, Pamela
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Xhosa language -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Language and education -- South Africa , African languages
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/58035 , vital:27035
- Description: The research explores the relationship between language and education, and motivates for the intellectualisation of African languages, isiXhosa in particular, and for their use in education. The main rationale behind this is that access to, and success in education can largely be realised if that education is mediated in one’s first language. The thesis discusses works of prominent scholars who have written on the subject - relating cognitive abilities and achievement in education to language in which that education is offered. The lack of terminology in new domains in African languages as barrier to mother tongue education is laid bare by looking specifically at the history of intellectualisation of isiXhosa, from the missionaries in the 1820s up to the new endeavours as recently as 2008. Terminologies that were developed during the Bantu Education era, where development of isiXhosa and other indigenous African languages was accelerated in order to respond to the demands of moedertaal-onderwys (mother tongue education) are surveyed, and the process of their development analysed. Three main terminology lists developed during this period are analysed against terminology development principles, approaches and methods that are seen as a measure to ensure quality terminology development. The efforts of the development of isiXhosa during the post-apartheid South Africa, especially the government-driven initiatives, are also critiqued even though these are not as effective and as extensive, especially in education. The result of this analysis is that African languages and isiXhosa in particular, can be used in scientific disciplines and at the highest levels of education. Its grammar is advanced, and its lexicon is extensive such that new concepts that need to be named can be named, using appropriate term creation strategies. There are also technological tools such as WordSmith tools that can be used that can advance its development, ensuring that the concept represented in the newly-created term is precise, concise and appropriate in terms of its discipline. Therefore it is argued that, in the interim, terminologies should be developed, in various subjects, to support learning, which at this stage is mediated in English, for those students who have other languages as mother tongue. Those terminologies that have been developed in the various historical periods should be collated, revised and brought into the classrooms. The thesis argues that real intellectualisation of isiXhosa and other African languages rests on the use of these languages in classrooms and lecture halls, and in the value that all role players place on these languages.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Maseko, Pamela
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Xhosa language -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Language and education -- South Africa , African languages
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/58035 , vital:27035
- Description: The research explores the relationship between language and education, and motivates for the intellectualisation of African languages, isiXhosa in particular, and for their use in education. The main rationale behind this is that access to, and success in education can largely be realised if that education is mediated in one’s first language. The thesis discusses works of prominent scholars who have written on the subject - relating cognitive abilities and achievement in education to language in which that education is offered. The lack of terminology in new domains in African languages as barrier to mother tongue education is laid bare by looking specifically at the history of intellectualisation of isiXhosa, from the missionaries in the 1820s up to the new endeavours as recently as 2008. Terminologies that were developed during the Bantu Education era, where development of isiXhosa and other indigenous African languages was accelerated in order to respond to the demands of moedertaal-onderwys (mother tongue education) are surveyed, and the process of their development analysed. Three main terminology lists developed during this period are analysed against terminology development principles, approaches and methods that are seen as a measure to ensure quality terminology development. The efforts of the development of isiXhosa during the post-apartheid South Africa, especially the government-driven initiatives, are also critiqued even though these are not as effective and as extensive, especially in education. The result of this analysis is that African languages and isiXhosa in particular, can be used in scientific disciplines and at the highest levels of education. Its grammar is advanced, and its lexicon is extensive such that new concepts that need to be named can be named, using appropriate term creation strategies. There are also technological tools such as WordSmith tools that can be used that can advance its development, ensuring that the concept represented in the newly-created term is precise, concise and appropriate in terms of its discipline. Therefore it is argued that, in the interim, terminologies should be developed, in various subjects, to support learning, which at this stage is mediated in English, for those students who have other languages as mother tongue. Those terminologies that have been developed in the various historical periods should be collated, revised and brought into the classrooms. The thesis argues that real intellectualisation of isiXhosa and other African languages rests on the use of these languages in classrooms and lecture halls, and in the value that all role players place on these languages.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
The development and technologizing of selected Sepedi ICT terminology
- Authors: Magagane, Raesetja Linah
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Northern Sotho language -- Terms and phrases Northern Sotho language -- Terminology Northern Sotho language -- Computer-assisted instruction Communication -- Technological innovations
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3581 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002156
- Description: It is my wish that the Sepedi language speakers, through the development and technologization of certain Sepedi ICT terminology, are able to operate a computer in their own language, and implement the new developed and technologized ICT terminology (technologization). The pupils and students at their various institutions should be made comfortable in using the developed and technologized Sepedi language terminology. In the long run the Sepedi language speakers should be ensured access to the web in order to find information about Sepedi language, culture and terms in disciplines such as ICT. It is recommended in this thesis that higher learning institutions offer bursaries to students to develop all South African languages in such a manner that they can be used in all high status functions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Magagane, Raesetja Linah
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Northern Sotho language -- Terms and phrases Northern Sotho language -- Terminology Northern Sotho language -- Computer-assisted instruction Communication -- Technological innovations
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3581 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002156
- Description: It is my wish that the Sepedi language speakers, through the development and technologization of certain Sepedi ICT terminology, are able to operate a computer in their own language, and implement the new developed and technologized ICT terminology (technologization). The pupils and students at their various institutions should be made comfortable in using the developed and technologized Sepedi language terminology. In the long run the Sepedi language speakers should be ensured access to the web in order to find information about Sepedi language, culture and terms in disciplines such as ICT. It is recommended in this thesis that higher learning institutions offer bursaries to students to develop all South African languages in such a manner that they can be used in all high status functions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
The development of isiZulu as an academic language for the teaching of fundamental concepts in economics
- Authors: Makhatini, Freedom Nkanyiso
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Zulu language -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa African languages -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa Economics -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3589 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002164
- Description: This thesis looks at language as the medium of all our ideas and sentiments. The thesis represents a position statement regarding the development of isiZulu as an academic language. The field of Economics is used to merely illustrate and support the points that are being made in this work. It is argued that each language is viewed as the means of expression of the cultural heritage of its people, and it remains a reflection of cultural groups who speak that particular language. It is a fact that indigenous African Languages have been, for obvious reasons, blatantly understudied during the apartheid years in South Africa (Rudwick 2004). Languages have market value and the desirability of English as the most important global language today has an effect in most Black learners in South Africa. The study examined the development of indigenous African languages, isiZulu in particular, in Zululand University where ninety percent of students and lecturers are isiZulu first language speakers, and came to a conclusion that there is an urgent need for Black South African students to learn academic subjects through their mother tongues. This would help them in thorough understanding and interpretation of analytic text presented in a foreign language such as English. The study advocates that isiZulu, which is the mother-tongue of many students at the University of Zululand, should be a language for upward mobility to these students, but as the situation stands, isiZulu becomes a neglected or marginalised language since it is not the normal medium of instruction and it is not used for effective communication in their education system.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Makhatini, Freedom Nkanyiso
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Zulu language -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa African languages -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa Economics -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3589 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002164
- Description: This thesis looks at language as the medium of all our ideas and sentiments. The thesis represents a position statement regarding the development of isiZulu as an academic language. The field of Economics is used to merely illustrate and support the points that are being made in this work. It is argued that each language is viewed as the means of expression of the cultural heritage of its people, and it remains a reflection of cultural groups who speak that particular language. It is a fact that indigenous African Languages have been, for obvious reasons, blatantly understudied during the apartheid years in South Africa (Rudwick 2004). Languages have market value and the desirability of English as the most important global language today has an effect in most Black learners in South Africa. The study examined the development of indigenous African languages, isiZulu in particular, in Zululand University where ninety percent of students and lecturers are isiZulu first language speakers, and came to a conclusion that there is an urgent need for Black South African students to learn academic subjects through their mother tongues. This would help them in thorough understanding and interpretation of analytic text presented in a foreign language such as English. The study advocates that isiZulu, which is the mother-tongue of many students at the University of Zululand, should be a language for upward mobility to these students, but as the situation stands, isiZulu becomes a neglected or marginalised language since it is not the normal medium of instruction and it is not used for effective communication in their education system.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »