In a decade, the world will speak half of the current languages. Most languages will be extinct. Already, more indigenous language speakers are using English to communicate to their children than their mother tongue. More families are speaking English than any other time in our country. This has been identified as our key strategy to…
Coauthored by Dr Zakeera Docrat (Chair of ILAF) & Dr Conrad Steenkamp (CEO of Afrikaans Taalraad) When we think of heritage, the first thoughts that spring to mind are culture, family, ancestry and language. We should consider language, culture and heritage as unitary. We celebrate our mother tongues on 21 February (UNESCO) as part…
Koketso Sachane of SAfm The Meeting Point in conversation with ILAF Chair, Dr Zakeera Docrat. Dr Docrat described Ilaf as a bottom up network of educators, artists and activists for the promotion of indigenous languages alongside English in the country. Docrat said language is central to the legal system of South Africa. Language is fundamental…
The Indigenous Languages Action Forum (ILAF) is excited to announce changes in our steering committee. Prof. Monwabisi Ralarala, former ILAF chairperson, will now serve as ILAF’s first patron as from 23 April. He is also the dean of the Arts & Humanities at the University of the Western Cape and chair of the South African…
Naa go bohlokwa gore baswa ba Afrika Borwa ba boute? Ingaba kubalulekile ukuba luvote ulutsha lwaseMzantsi Afrika? Gaan jy Stem? Will you vote? Uyavota na? Naa ke eng seo baswa ba ka se dirago go šireletša temokrasi? Why is it important for youth to vote and to participate in democracy? Sê vir SA hoekom jy…
Friday, 3 June 2022 ATTENTION: The British High Commissioner to South Africa Dear Mr Phillipson, Our citizens travelling to the UK from European destinations must fill in a general knowledge questionnaire in Afrikaans to demonstrate that they are South African. These allegations were confirmed in various social media posts and by numerous news platforms. …
In a multilingual environment, language is not a cost but a valuable corporate resource. This was heard at the webinar held by the Indigenous Languages Action Forum (ILAF) in partnership with the Pendoring Awards and the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB). The webinar under the topic, Language: A strategic resource, brought linguists and…
The Indigenous Languages Action Forum (ILAF), in partnership with Pendoring Awards, Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) and Fin24 have the pleasure of inviting you to join our upcoming interactive digital seminar. Language is business: in an increasingly diverse business environment, the ability to use language flexibly to build, maintain and expand business…
A first of its kind on the African continent, a handbook on Legal Languages and the quest for linguistic equality in South Africa and beyond by Rhodes University alumna Dr. Zakeera Docrat, in partnership with Professor Russell Kaschula and Professor Monwabisi Ralarala, has been launched. The handbook is based on Dr. Docrat’s PhD thesis awarded…