Linguistics
latest news & developments
A Motswana writer, author who argued with colonial power through letters
Beyond his celebrated books, Solomon T. Plaatje used letters, journalism, and Setswana orthography as weapons of resistance against colonial authority, shaping modern African…
Minding the language gap: Why ordinary citizens are thrown under the train
The Botmaskop dispute in Stellenbosch reveals a significant gap between what authorities intend, what they write, and what the public can reasonably understand. This article…
‘So many things’ encumber women, says Ghanaian academic
Women need support to overcome systemic barriers, argues 51-year-old Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, the first female vice-chancellor at the University of Ghana
E-prime makes speakers take responsibility
Being forced to use the active voice and cutting the verb “to be” from our speech can nudge us towards being more accountable — and clearer
AfriKaaps is an act of reclamation
Linguistic activism is central to destigmatising and celebrating AfriKaaps.
More must walk the linguistic talk at universities
Universities that have actively pursued multilingualism have been vindicated.
Letters to the editor: January 31 to February 6 2014
Readers comment on immigrants in the Middle East, the DA’s silence and linguistics, and Cope’s Mosiuoa Lekota challenges the ANC on party funding.
Creole: The original language
Françoise Lionnet, an authority on languages and literature in the Indian Ocean islands, about her work on creolisation, globalisation and culture.
On the mysteries of early learning
Pilot tests in Gauteng schools have cast new light on mediums of instruction in the foundation phase.
Languages of excellence
A school is pioneering a new method of teaching multilingual children in early grades.
On the cusp of reinvention
It is necessary to reach the nation in languages that they understand best.