Strategies to promote language use in

multilingual South Africa

Mtholeni N. NgcoboDepartment of Linguistics – UNISA

ngcobmn@unisa.ac.za

Introduction Promoting the use of all official languages - one of

the aims of National Language Policy Framework Impediment – inadequate development for some

of these languages Pressure – the government (policy

implementation) and people (attitudes) Solutions: modern strategies Availability of information and language use in

communication

Intro… Information and medium, i.e. ICTs for modern society Reaching wide audience “…an endangered language will progress if its speakers can make

use of electronic technology.” (Crystal 2000:141) Pre-democracy and language status – ideological

motivation Underlying line of argument – modern approach Normalisation – extending the use of language into an optimum

range of domains, i.e. the public sector and technology (Williams, 1993)

Intro… Data – extracted and adapted from PNC on ISAD

draft report, through structured interviews Theory – Language Management – “Behaviour-

towards-language” – language is considered as communication (the process of language use)

Communication is a process between people and people want to communicate (Jernudd, 2001)

The language management perspective Represents an independent alternative to language

planning (LP) Considers macro language planning (government

sanctioned) and micro language planning (individuals) – a dialectic relationship

Organised management vs. simple management Origins, Neustupny (1978) – interactions (discourses) are a

source of language problems. LP starts with language problems in discourse and LP is

complete if the removal of problems is implemented in discourse

The LM perspective

IMPLEMENTATION(Individual interaction)

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION(Individual interaction)

ADOPTION OF MEASURES(Planning institution)

The LM perspective Stages of LM development:- deviation from a

norm, notation of deviation, selection of adjustment plan, implementation of a plan.

Two processes which characterise language use:- 1. production and reception of discourse 2. activities aimed at the production and reception of discourse, i.e. metalinguistic activities (Language Management)

Distal, Proximal and Immediate circumstances LP in SA is at macro level – micro is obscured – “…

but the two dimension of social phenomena should elaborate on one other” (Nevakpil and Nekula, 2006)

Social structure as condition and consequence of the production of interaction (Giddens, 1993) – Explained in terms of distal (e.g. gov. regulations), proximal (e.g. planning by schools) and immediate circumstances (correction by teachers in particular interactions) – Visa versa problems from interactions can lead to a gov. legislation

A comprehensive LM programme Status + corpus = spread Spread = linguistic landscape, signage,

place names (toponyms), street names (odonyms), language used on radio, TV and press.

Perceptions can be changed through value

Factors that influence perception (Robbins 2001)

FACTORS IN THE PERCEIVER

AttitudesMotivationInterestsExperienceExpectations

PERCEPTION

FACTORS IN THE PERCEIVED OBJECT

MotionNoveltySoundsProximityBackgroundSize

FACTORS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

TimeSetting

…circumstances Language as a perceived object The role of information and

communication – changing perceptions Transformed expectations

Promoting language use through information and technology As a strategy Not provision only, but also access What does access mean? What

arrangements do we need to ensure public access to information and services? How do we monitor and review access to information and services?

Information that is linked to services

…information… English dominance vs. little understanding

– exclusion Language preference

African 64%

English 26%

Both 9%

…information… Mediums/tools ICTs – fastest and largest depositories Access to ICTs

…information…Radio 96%

TV 83%

Cell phone 63%

Landline 52%

Internet 9%

…information… Localizing content Language use vs. ICT use Empowerment, participation in

development, building an information society

Encouraging information exchange and communication

Access to information as a basic human right

…information… Websites with local content – acknowledge, raise

awareness, facilitate and promote the use Dependency on language – facilitated through

ICTs (an innovation that facilitates adoption, Norman, 1999) ICTs and content – external activators. Increased valence (relative attractiveness) –

encouraging choice

…information… SA Constitution of 1996 –emphasis on

equal rights Government interventions Institutions Problems

Communication and the role of public service figures The role of

government figures Communication

essence Communication as the

process of language use (Jernudd, 2001)

Preferred medium

Face-to-face 65%

Telephone 19%

More than 1 16%

Communication… English – a de facto language of

government The violation of equity Communication difficulties Creating subjective conditions Expectancy as a motivational factor– an

internal activator

Conclusion What became apparent: majority of

information readily available in English, Inaccessibility, ICT potential and increased value, the importance of the role of public figures (a motivational expectancy).