South African Language Rights Monitor 2006

Mariana Kriel

Description

The South African Language Rights Monitor (SALRM) Project surveys the mainstream newspapers of South Africa with a view to compile annual reports on the developments on the language front in the country. While the main focus is on language rights and language (rights) activism, the Monitor also covers other language-related problems, including name changes and aspects of language promotion.

Sujets

• Littérature Sud-Africaine
• Littérature sud-africaine
• Name change
• Linguistic rights

Informations

• Publié par: UJ Press
• Date de parution: 01 octobre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781920383169
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 5 Mo

Extrait

of acrimonious conict in South Africa. In Durban, the eThekwini Municipality embarked on a street- renaming process that sparked widespread controversy. In Pretoria and Potchefstroom, Afrikaner activists continued their campaign against the renaming of their hometowns as Tshwane and Tlokwe. And in Ermelo a high school decided to take the provincial education department to court in an attempt to regain its Afrikaans-only status.

Drawing on South Africa’s mainstream newspapers (including, as a îrst, two Zulu newspapers), the Language Rights Monitor for 2007 analyses these and other instances of language conict. The focus, however, is not on strife alone: the Monitor also pays attention to aspects of language promotion and language research that made the headlines during the year.

The SALRM Project is housed in the Department of Language Management and Language Practice at the University of the Free State. Mariana Kriel has been the project manager during 2008 and 2009.

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SOUTH AFRICAN NGUAGE RIGHTS MONITOR 2006

Sixth reporton the South African Language Rights Monitor Project

Mariana Kriel

SOUTH AFRICAN LANGUAGE RIGHTS MONITOR 2006 Fifth report on the South African Language Rights Monitor Project 1 January 2006 – 31 December 2006

Compiled for PanSALB by M S M K LRI E

South African Language Rights Monitor 2006

Fifth report on the South African Language Rights Monitor Project

Published by Sun Media Bloemfontein (Pty) Ltd

Imprint: SunBonani Scholar

All rights reserved

Copyright © 2010 Sun Media Bloemfontein and Department of Language Management and Language Practice, University of the Free State

The author and the publisher have made every effort to obtain permission for and acknowledge the use of copyrighted material. Refer all inquiries to the publisher.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic, photographic or mechanical means, including photocopying and recording on record, tape or laser disk, on microfilm, via the Internet, by e-mail, or by any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission by the publisher.

Views reLected in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

First edition 2010

ISBN: 978-1-920383-04-6 (Print) ISBN: 978-1-920383-16-9 (e-book) DOI: https://doi.org/10.18820/9781920383169

Set in Constantia 11/14 pt Cover design, typesetting and production by Sun Media Bloemfontein

Research, academic and reference works are published under this imprint in print and electronic format.

This printed copy can be ordered directly from: [e-mail] The e-book is available at the following link: https://doi.org/10.18820/9781920383169

Contents

Preface ................................................................................................................ i 1. Introduction ................................................................................................ 1 2. Methodology ............................................................................................... 1 3. Media coverage on language issues during 2006 ....................................... 5 3.1. Language distribution of records ........................................................................... 5 3.2. Types of records ....................................................................................................... 8 3.3. Categories of media coverage .................................................................................. 12 3.3.1. Focus on name changes ............................................................................... 14 3.3.2. Focus on language problems ....................................................................... 27 3.3.3. Focus on language promotion .................................................................... 50 3.3.4. Focus on language research ........................................................................ 65 4. Language-related complaints lodged with ocial bodies ........................ 66 4.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 66 4.2. Complaints lodged with PanSALB ......................................................................... 67 4.2.1. M393 Kotzé vs Super Sport and SABC Sport ............................................. 67 4.2.2. M394 Rust vs Eskom .................................................................................... 68 4.2.3. M395 Swart and others vs South African Revenue Services ...................... 68 4.2.4. M396 Vriende van Afrikaans vs ................................................................. 72 4.3. Complaints lodged with other bodies .................................................................... 72

5. Language litigation ..................................................................................... 74 5.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 74 5.2. Linguistic rights litigation ....................................................................................... 74 5.3. Importance of language in ensuring a fair trial ..................................................... 75 5.4. Language and contempt of court ............................................................................ 75 6. Language activism as covered by the printed media ................................ 75 7. Concluding remarks .................................................................................... 80 8. References .................................................................................................... 83

Preface The South African Language Rights Monitor (SALRM) Project was initiated in 2002 for a trial period of three years, with the aim of reporting to the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) on the developments on the language front in South Africa, as reected in the country’s mainstream newspapers. At the end of the trial period PanSALB agreed to fund the project for a further three years (September 2006 – September 2009) and it is with sincere gratitude that we acknowledge the Board’s generous ïnancial assistance. The ïrst report on the SALRM Project appeared in April 2003, covering the period from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002. The second report, covering the period 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2003, was released in June 2005. The period from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004 was dealt with in the third report, while the fourth report focused on the period 1 January 2005 – 31 December 2005. All these Language Rights Monitors are available on the website of the University of the Free State. This latest Monitor covers the period from 1 January 2006 – 31 December 2006 and is the ïrst to be published. Thanks are due to Wikus van Zyl of SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein for his dedication and patience. Without the input of SA Media, and then particularly Hester van den Berg and Helena Prinsloo, this work would not have been possible. We also had invaluable research assistance from Dolly Mthembu, Nadia van Rensburg and Nandi Venter. Finally, I would like to thank Alice de Jager who has been not only meticulous in the editing process but also wise. (She would, for example, change a phrase such as the following “It has often been remarked – not always without some degree of chauvinism...” to “It has often been remarked – not always without some degree of ”) partiality... The research design for the SALRM was the brainchild of Theodorus du Plessis who is currently Head of the Department of Language Management and Language Practice at the University of the Free State. I am indebted to him and to Johan Lubbe, Elbie Truter and Susan Lombaard who were responsible for previous reports. Johan Lubbe also contributed section 4.3 and chapter 5 to this ïfth report. Needless to say, views expressed in the rest of the report are mine and are not to be attributed to the former Unit for Language Management, the Department of Language Management and Language Practice or PanSALB. Màîàà KîÉ Department of Language Management and Language Practice (Formerly: Unit for Language Management) University of the Free State November 2010 i

1. Introduction The South African Language Rights Monitor (SALRM) is an annual report on the language rights situation and language matters in general in South Africa, primarily as reected in data obtained from the printed media (recorded in the SA Media database). The aim of the Monitor is to help to promote PanSALB’s objective of making all language groups more aware of their language rights. It is envisaged that this heightened consciousness of various groups’ language rights will help to cultivate a proactive language rights culture in South Africa. This, in turn, could contribute towards the transformation of our society, and serve as a deterrent to linguistic discrimination. Important outcomes hereof would include the further democratisation of our society, as well as an increased participation in public life. SALRM 2006, the ïfth annual report of its kind, aims to assist PanSALB to fulïl its mandate, which includes,inter alia, the development of South African languages, the promotion of multilingualism and the protection of language rights. The report provides an overview of the following language issues: a. Media coverage on language issues (in general) b. Language rights complaints c. Language activism d. Language litigation e. Relevant research on language. Since the ultimate focus of the report pertains to language rights issues, conclusions and recommendations will be made in respect thereof.

2. Methodology Data from the printed media were obtained from excerpts/cuttings provided by SA Media at the University of the Free State. SA Media provides access to the important mainstream newspapers, journals and magazines. During 2006, records were received from 27 dierent sources, 23 of which were English and 4 Afrikaans. These included the major newspapers such asRapport, theSunday Times, the Daily Sun, theVolksblad, thePretoria News, theHerald, theCape Argus, theDaily Dispatch, theDiamond Fields Advertiser, theBurger, theCitizen, theStar, the Sowetan, theSunday Independent, theCity Press,Beeld, theSaturday Star, theMail and Guardian, theSunday Tribune, theNatal Witness, theDaily News, theBusiness Day, theIndependent on Saturday, theCape Times, theSaturday Weekend Argus and theWeekend Post. For every clipping, a unique reference number is supplied.

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SOUTH AFRICAN LANGUAGE RIGHTS MONITOR 2006

During the period under review, SA Media had no access to African-language newspapers (for example the Zulu newspapers published in KwaZulu-Natal, namelyIlangaand Isoleswe, or any other newspapers published in an African language).

The questionnaire that served as a data-collection tool during the pilot project had to be reworked. Not only was it too lengthy to be completed within a reasonable amount of time; diculties were also experienced with regard to the use of the questionnaire by all project sta, as well as the conduction of statistical analyses. Moreover, it was now necessary to process information on a monthly basis. A more accessible database that could be easily manipulated by all project sta was required. After careful consideration, a decision was made to utilise Microsoft Access as an instrument to capture data and to build a database that would meet most of the needs of the extended project.

The information captured on the SALRM database concerning the excerpts/ cuttings includes the SA Media source, as well as the date, topic number, reference number and ID number, as provided by SA Media. Furthermore, the source page, language of the record, type of record, author’s name and title of the record, as well as a subtitle of the record, are captured. These particulars are followed by a brief description of the contents of the record; any relevant elaboration, where applicable; a general indication of the focus of the coverage; as well as a more speciïc description of the focus of the coverage. In addition, the primary and secondary languages concerned, as well as the role-players involved, are noted, together with any further language-related keywords. An MS Access form was designed to allow project sta to access the database in order to enter the relevant information electronically. A completed form is displayed:

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SOUTH AFRICAN LANGUAGE RIGHTS MONITOR 2006

Project sta enter the bibliographic details of the record concerned in the language of the record; but the interpretative sections are completed in the language of the individual’s choice. The project manager checks the database on a monthly basis, and alterations to the entries are made on the database if necessary. A list of queries regarding the data that have been collected is compiled on a monthly basis.

The general focus of coverage, together with the more speciïc focus, comprises an important basis for analysis. In order to analyse the contents of the media coverage, we will make use of Kaplan and Baldauf ’s (2003) Framework for Language Planning Goals as a point of departure. Where necessary, certain adaptations will be made to this framework. It is possible to distinguish ïve broad categories of coverage. Coverage focusing on language problems relates mainly to language status, language corpus, language acquisition and language prestige, while coverage focusing on language promotion is mostly concerned with language prestige. Coverage on language renovation (in relation to the language corpus) is treated as a separate category, since this type of coverage usually occurs in the form of a language column, as a special feature of the newspaper concerned. Similarly, coverage on name changes could also be categorised under language problems; but in view of the contentious nature of the debate on name changes in South Africa, coverage on this issue is treated as a separate focus area. The last category of coverage is that of language research. A template was designed to serve as a guideline to project sta. The template covers the following aspects:

Focus of coverage Language problems

More specific focus Language spread Language rights Linguistic issues Language acquisition Languagemaintenance Language prestige

Notes

Related to language status Related to language corpus

Related to language acquisition Relatedtolanguagepromotion

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