Multilingualism week underway

The Afrikaanse Taal- en Kultuurvereniging (ATKV), the Department of Afrikaans and the Department of Linguistics of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and Vriende van Afrikaans (VVA) invite everyone to their multilingualism week which is due to take place from March 26 until 29 at the Soweto Campus of UJ.

The idea of a multilingualism week was born when the three groups wanted to launch their joint language project in Soweto.

For some years ATKV, UJ and VVA have been involved on a small scale in Afrikaans classes in Protea Glen and Doornkop.

ATKV language affairs manager Karien Brits said Afrikaans is one of the many languages spoken in Soweto and we intend celebrating this special multilingualism of Soweto in Soweto.

VVA executive officer Amanda de Stadler said her organisation has been involved in Soweto for many years, to make a contribution in a more positive way towards an appreciation for all languages of South Africa.

“We are pursuing an ideal where children never feel that their language is inferior, or that they are not speaking their language correctly.

“We also want to utilise the opportunity, with Afrikaans as the vehicle, to foster a reading culture, especially among little children, out of which they will be able to derive lifelong pleasure,” she said.

UJ senior lecturer in the Department of Afrikaans Donovan Lawrence said the department is increasingly involved with the promotion of multilingualism and the learning of one another’s languages.

“We are particularly excited because we can escalate this involvement to practical effect in 2015 when for the first time we will be offering Afrikaans as part of the BEd course (Intermediate) at our Soweto Campus,” he said.

ATKV Karien Brits said their organisation regards Afrikaans in a new light in a multilingual South Africa.

“We would like to make a positive contribution to nation building.

“We believe that we can do that by speaking one another’s languages, something that bridges important language gaps,” she said.

Brits said people can come and speak their language at their multilingualism week, because interpreting facilities will be continuously available on the Soweto Campus of the University of Johannesburg, and participate in any of the following activities for young and old:

– Reading demonstrations where adults and older children learn to read to younger children.

– A multilingual quiz where children learn one another’s languages in a playful atmosphere.

– Afrikaans classes for people to come and see how they teach Afrikaans to children.

– Symposiums about the impact and handling of multilingualism in the classroom and about educational interpreting.

– A writing course – competition where one can be the Nobel Prize winner of Soweto.

– A visit to the Hector Pierterson Museum.

– Official launch of the multilingualism project in Soweto.

– Language games for children.

– Workshop for Afrikaans language teachers with a focus on second language speakers.

Brits said the programme lasts daily from 8am until 4pm.

“I urge people to come and learn about one another’s languages with us, because we want to understand one another,” she said.

Brits can be reached at 011 919 9136 or email, karienb@atkv.org.za.