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<div class="gmail-td-post-author-name">By <a href="http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/author/staff-reporters/">Staff Reporters</a> - </div> <div class="gmail-td-post-date"><time class="entry-date gmail-updated gmail-td-module-date" datetime="2016-11-15T13:21:54+00:00">November 15, 2016</time></div> </div>
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<p>In Recent weeks, Metro FM radio personality Bonang Matheba, unintentionally, contributed to the language debate. <span id="gmail-more-161486"></span></p>
<figure id="gmail-attachment_161487" style="width:640px" class="gmail-wp-caption gmail-aligncenter"><a href="http://i2.wp.com/www.dispatchlive.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/BonangMatheba.jpg"><img class="gmail-size-large gmail-wp-image-161487 gmail-td-animation-stack-type0-1" src="http://i2.wp.com/www.dispatchlive.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/BonangMatheba.jpg?resize=640%2C425" alt="Talk show host Bonang Matheba" width="640" height="425"></a><figcaption class="gmail-wp-caption-text">Talk show host Bonang Matheba</figcaption></figure>
<p>Social media was abuzz with comment on the linguistic “incident” that
happened live on Metro FM, where a listener calling in to Matheba’s
radio show conveyed their thoughts through the medium of an African
language.</p>
<p>The listener was immediately rebuked by Matheba, who consequently
told the listener to speak in English instead. It appears that when
Matheba was asked why the listener was not permitted to speak in an
African language and in English instead, she retorted that Metro FM was
an “English” radio station.</p>
<p>The statements by Matheba reminded us of an old French cartoon we use
in our classes, the caption of which states: “Speak French, you English
dogs” and in doing so alerted us to the need to remind fellow citizens
of the status, use and role of our African languages across society.</p>
<p>In doing so, we need to question whether or not our African languages
are in fact competing against the dominance of English on media forums
and in society more generally?</p>
<p>In our opinion, it concerns an important topic of linguistic
awareness and whether or not statements of this nature should be
accepted and the implications on the dignity of an African language
speaker and their right to linguistic equality.</p>
<p>When we refer to linguistic equality, the constitution is our guide.
The constitution, firmly protects our African languages and the use
thereof. In fact, Section 6 provides for the elevation and use of
African languages, to ensure practicability.</p>
<p>What is important for us is that the Constitution protects African
language speakers’ linguistic rights, through Section 9(4), where
persons may not be unfairly discriminated against on grounds of
language.</p>
<p>The question remains then as to whether Matheba’s statements are in
fact a linguistic “storm in a teacup” or whether it undermines our
constitutional language rights?</p>
<p>In our opinion there is no simple answer to this question, unless being engaged with legally.</p>
<p>If we were to contextualise the comments made by Matheba within the
constitutional framework, it undoubtedly undermines the status, use and
development of our African languages, where we are mandated to ensure
that our African languages are not marginalised as was the case during
the Apartheid regime.</p>
<p>If this approach is being adopted, we are in fact elevating the
status of English and contributing to the hegemonic growth of English at
the expense of our African languages.</p>
<p>Undoubtedly this is the complete opposite of what the constitution envisages.</p>
<p>Given, however, that Matheba’s utterances were made on a media
platform, it necessitates the need to engage with the policy position
surrounding language, in particular with Metro FM, where we question
whether we do in fact have linguistic freedom and whether this freedom
is curtailed to English only.</p>
<p>We have no doubt that many of you will be questioning, as to whether
one incident which took place on Metro FM, can contribute or have the
disastrous effect of marginalising our languages.</p>
<p>Indeed it can, if these are the responses to all listeners attempting
to convey their opinions and thoughts through their mother tongues.</p>
<p>Our intelligence is not measured by the level of English we are able
to speak, or whether in fact we can speak English at all. Language is
the medium through which our thoughts, expressions, cultures and
identities are expressed.</p>
<p>These characteristics are the core of who we are; a unique,
linguistically diverse people. Our languages and cultures, a culture on
its own which needs to be respected, embraced and celebrated, as part of
one which contributes to social cohesion.</p>
<p>Public spaces, such as national radio stations, should reflect this
linguistic diversity, allowing people to convey their thoughts in a
language they are comfortable in.</p>
<p>There was nothing prohibiting Matheba from requesting that the
listener attempt to repeat their thoughts in English if this was needed,
even if Matheba herself could have opted to do that was unable to do
this herself.</p>
<p>Sensitivity is critically important where language is concerned and
we expect radio personalities on national radio stations to be equipped
with such sensitivities.</p>
<p>It is ironic that Matheba made this statement given that Metro FM is
an SABC radio station which, according to their various policies, have
adopted the values in the constitution and in line with the language
rights provisions therein, committed themselves to the elevation of the
African languages. More specifically the SABC’s language policy claims
to realise “the crucial part radio plays in the lives of many South
Africans, as it is often the only medium available to them in their home
language, and in many ways the only medium available at all”.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the SABC claims to have unique responsibility programmes
that promote development and national identity while supporting
development of the country’s languages and cultures.</p>
<p>The motivation behind this can be said to be the corporation’s
acknowledgement of the underdevelopment of previously disadvantaged
people and their languages in South Africa, and suggests to be redressed
as excellent radio services depend on these.</p>
<p>The SABC further commits itself to “providing comprehensive radio
news, and information programmes in all the official languages (SABC’s
Ed. Policies, 29)”.</p>
<p>In promoting multilingualism, the SABC claims it encourages
production of meaningful multilingual programmes (programmes that
include substantial amounts of more than one language), as means of
attaining its language broadcasting objectives.</p>
<p>In our opinion, this in itself would necessitate the need for Matheba
and other radio personalities to act in accordance with the policy
objectives. On perusal of the Metro FM webpage, a primary objective of
the station is to foster transformation “in a constantly changing
environment”.</p>
<p>This can mean a number of things, however, in our opinion there is no
better manner in which to contribute to transformation than through the
elevation of our languages, nationally.</p>
<p>Metro FM has a major role to play in this regard given that their
listenership comprises of six million listeners, broadcast across seven
of the nine provinces.</p>
<p>According to the 2011 Census, only 9.6% of the population speaks
English, with the majority of persons in South Africa speaking an
African language as their mother tongue.</p>
<p>In essence, Matheba’s statements of Metro FM being an English station
are displaced, in the context of the statistics in the National Census.</p>
<p>We need to engage and, where we assess how we view our African
languages and to further assess the value of these African languages.</p>
<p>We need statements of this nature to be condemned, through all means
possible, in illustrating how important our African languages are.</p>
<p>These statements raises a critical points of engagement which affects
all South Africans. We need to find our collective African voice and
ensure that we are able to express ourselves through our African
languages, after all we have the right to do so.</p>
<p>We cannot run a democracy, or engage with each other, if we are not
linguistically sensitive and aware, lest we exclude each other. This is
what makes and defines a good citizen living in a multilingual country.</p>
<p>lZakeera Docrat is a masters student in African languages at Rhodes
University and holds a BA degree, BA honours degree in African languages
(cum laude) and an LLB degree.</p>
<p>Russell H Kaschula is professor of African language studies at Rhodes
University and is the NRF SARChI chair in the Intellectualisation of
African Languages, Multilingualism and Education.</p><p><a href="http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/opinion/2016/11/15/not-just-storm-linguistic-teacup/">http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/opinion/2016/11/15/not-just-storm-linguistic-teacup/</a><br></p><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/" target="_blank">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
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