[lg policy] South Africa: Policy to promote protection of languages ’

[Harold Schiffman]

‘Policy to promote protection of languages’
MULTILINGUALISM:


|

Sithandiwe Velaphi

Xoliswa Tom, MEC for sport, recreation, arts and culture, says the
Eastern Cape language policy launched last week at Grahamstown’s
Settlers Monument will promote adherence to constitutional provisions
and requirements regarding language. The Eastern Cape’s provincial
language policy identifies isiXhosa, Afrikaans, English and Sesotho as
the official languages of the province.

The policy makes provision for the development of Khoisan and sign
languages. “This document is in spirit with Section 6 of the
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa which provides a primary
legal framework for multilingualism and the promotion of respect and
tolerance for South Africa’s linguistic diversity,” said Tom.

The document puts emphasis on the equality of access to government
services and to knowledge and information. It further provides for the
department having a unit to translate government documents into the
province’s official languages

The key elements are the promotion and protection of linguistic and
cultural rights, entrenchment of language equity and language rights,
promotion of multilingualism as a resource and redressing the
marginalisation of the country’s indigenous languages. The document
obligates the government to develop human capacity in regards to
training translators, interpreters and editors.

Tom said capacity development of African languages would lead to the
promotion of their economic value “especially by developing them into
instruments of access to material rewards such as employment and
training”.

“We shall continue to support the role of languages as instruments of
human rights and cultural identity,” she said.

provinces at thenewage.co.za

http://www.thenewage.co.za/34434-1016-53-%E2%80%98Policy_to_promote_protection_of_languages%E2%80%99

--
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to
its members
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)

For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to
https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/
listinfo/lgpolicy-list
*******************************************

_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list