Heritage Month: Do you know the official languages?

The majority of South African citizens are fluent in at least three languages; their mother tongue, profanity and ‘sign’ language, but how many of us can identify (and maybe speak) one or more of our 11 official languages?

With September being Heritage Month, we at the Record/ Northsider decided to focus a bit more on these languages, and we want to give you an opportunity to show off your linguistic skills as well.

How, you may ask? It is quite simple. All you have to do is send us a short video clip (between 30 and 40 seconds) showing you teaching someone else a phrase in one of our official languages – Afrikaans, English, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi (Northern Sotho), Setswana, Sesotho, Xitsonga, siSwati, Tshivenda, isiNdebele or even South African Sign Language (which is not yet recognised as an official language).

When you are finished with your recording, send it to us via email to roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za and who knows, your video might be featured in our 25 September print edition.

If your are not sure how to do it, just watch our journalists’ attempts here: 

So, what are you waiting for? Send in those videos and help broaden others’ horizons by helping them to learn something new!