It includes words in five different languages: Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, Afrikaans, and English.
Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo,
Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.
Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,
O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho,
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,
Setjhaba sa, South Afrika — South Afrika.
Uit die blou van onse hemel,
Uit die diepte van ons see,
Oor ons ewige gebergtes,
Waar die kranse antwoord gee,
Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom
In South Africa our land.
It also includes part of the former national anthem, a recognition of the pride and nationalism of the Afrikaners.
Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo,
Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.
Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,
O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho,
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,
Setjhaba sa, South Afrika — South Afrika.
Uit die blou van onse hemel,
Uit die diepte van ons see,
Oor ons ewige gebergtes,
Waar die kranse antwoord gee,
Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom
In South Africa our land.
It also includes part of the former national anthem, a recognition of the pride and nationalism of the Afrikaners.
National anthem of South Africa (n.d.). In Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia. Retrieved August 15, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_anthem_of_South_Africa
In South Africa there are eleven official languages: "Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, sisSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, and isiZulu" (Phaswana). English is the de facto official language. It is the language the government operates in the most (Phaswana), the one used to write most newspapers and narrate most television and it is also the language the majority of the population speaks, especially in urban areas. However, ten other languages are not only recognized but nine of those are mandated by the constitution to be elevated and promoted by the government. This language policy is motivated by a concern for the preservation of heritage and culture and also by a concern for equality.
Many South Africans identify strongly with their heritage and therefore the language that goes along with that heritage. A South African is not just a South African but also a Zulu, Afrikaner, Xhosa, and so on. History has played a large role in shaping this identification with one’s ethnic heritage. Prior to the apartheid government, the conflicts between the English and the Afrikaans - peoples of Dutch decent who were the first Europeans to settle in South Africa in large numbers - led to the solidifying and unifying of the Afrikaner culture and identity. The Afrikaners were threatened by the English presence, especially once the English took over the government and implemented policy, such as dictating that the English language be used, to assimilate the people living in South Africa, including the Afrikaners, into the English culture as was their practice when colonizing an area. Once the Afrikaners regained control of the government, they set up an apartheid state. Apartheid meaning separate, their government was based on the concept that different groups should be kept separate so as to develop on their own and in their own way. Of course this seemingly well-intended philosophy was used to maintain a sort of divided and conquered population of nonwhites that could be more easily exploited as a controlled and abused labor source. Under apartheid, the identification of separate groups was maintained and the mixing together that usually occurs when different groups live together for long periods of time was impeded. Not only were white people separated from nonwhites but nonwhites were separated into African, Colored, and Asian and, within the African group, existing ethnic groups were encouraged not mix with each other. For example, the government set up designated areas for people of the same group to live; people were moved from their existing homes and forced to live in these areas. So because of South Africa’s history, its individual groups kept their separate identities more than usual resulting in a population full of many different groups who were looking to preserve their identities, which includes preserving their languages, when the latest constitution was written.
Another reason for the current language policy in South Africa is a concern for equality. While English is widely spoken many people, especially those who live in rural areas and those with limited access to education, do not have the means to learn English. Also, anyone whose second language is English is at a disadvantage to native English speakers when judged, directly or indirectly, on their writing, reading and speaking skills. For example, if someone applies for a job the interview is most likely going to be conducted in English rather than Sesotho or Setswana so it is automatically going to be more difficult for someone whose first language is not English. While people whose first language is not English are expected to be bilingual, it is not expected that native English speakers learn any other language. This creates an extra criterion and burden on people whose first language is not English, i.e. people with a heritage other than English. This burden is magnified by the fact that because of the lingering effects of apartheid, namely the Bantu Education System in which separate and unequal education systems were established for Whites, Coloreds, and Blacks, the system for blacks being the most inferior system, many people of African descent do not have access to competent education systems adding a further disadvantage to their necessity of bilingualism. Also, many of the schools are taught in English or Afrikaans and the textbooks and other class materials are in these languages (another legacy of apartheid). So, children who do not speak these languages are severely disadvantaged. The interest in promoting and recognizing the nine African languages is to work towards equality for people of African descent who are already overwhelmingly disadvantaged because of the apartheid government’s creation of a system in which white economic advancement was supported and black economic advancement made impossible so wealth was passed onto the children of Afrikaans and English parents but not to children of nonwhite parents, especially black parents who were at the bottom of the rigid social ladder.
Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, sisSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, and isiZulu are all recognized as official languages of South Africa in an attempt to recognize and correct the legacies of the oppression of the apartheid government, especially towards South Africans of native African descent, but also in an attempt to recognize and preserve the strong group identities that make up South Africa.
~Caitlin
Many South Africans identify strongly with their heritage and therefore the language that goes along with that heritage. A South African is not just a South African but also a Zulu, Afrikaner, Xhosa, and so on. History has played a large role in shaping this identification with one’s ethnic heritage. Prior to the apartheid government, the conflicts between the English and the Afrikaans - peoples of Dutch decent who were the first Europeans to settle in South Africa in large numbers - led to the solidifying and unifying of the Afrikaner culture and identity. The Afrikaners were threatened by the English presence, especially once the English took over the government and implemented policy, such as dictating that the English language be used, to assimilate the people living in South Africa, including the Afrikaners, into the English culture as was their practice when colonizing an area. Once the Afrikaners regained control of the government, they set up an apartheid state. Apartheid meaning separate, their government was based on the concept that different groups should be kept separate so as to develop on their own and in their own way. Of course this seemingly well-intended philosophy was used to maintain a sort of divided and conquered population of nonwhites that could be more easily exploited as a controlled and abused labor source. Under apartheid, the identification of separate groups was maintained and the mixing together that usually occurs when different groups live together for long periods of time was impeded. Not only were white people separated from nonwhites but nonwhites were separated into African, Colored, and Asian and, within the African group, existing ethnic groups were encouraged not mix with each other. For example, the government set up designated areas for people of the same group to live; people were moved from their existing homes and forced to live in these areas. So because of South Africa’s history, its individual groups kept their separate identities more than usual resulting in a population full of many different groups who were looking to preserve their identities, which includes preserving their languages, when the latest constitution was written.
Another reason for the current language policy in South Africa is a concern for equality. While English is widely spoken many people, especially those who live in rural areas and those with limited access to education, do not have the means to learn English. Also, anyone whose second language is English is at a disadvantage to native English speakers when judged, directly or indirectly, on their writing, reading and speaking skills. For example, if someone applies for a job the interview is most likely going to be conducted in English rather than Sesotho or Setswana so it is automatically going to be more difficult for someone whose first language is not English. While people whose first language is not English are expected to be bilingual, it is not expected that native English speakers learn any other language. This creates an extra criterion and burden on people whose first language is not English, i.e. people with a heritage other than English. This burden is magnified by the fact that because of the lingering effects of apartheid, namely the Bantu Education System in which separate and unequal education systems were established for Whites, Coloreds, and Blacks, the system for blacks being the most inferior system, many people of African descent do not have access to competent education systems adding a further disadvantage to their necessity of bilingualism. Also, many of the schools are taught in English or Afrikaans and the textbooks and other class materials are in these languages (another legacy of apartheid). So, children who do not speak these languages are severely disadvantaged. The interest in promoting and recognizing the nine African languages is to work towards equality for people of African descent who are already overwhelmingly disadvantaged because of the apartheid government’s creation of a system in which white economic advancement was supported and black economic advancement made impossible so wealth was passed onto the children of Afrikaans and English parents but not to children of nonwhite parents, especially black parents who were at the bottom of the rigid social ladder.
Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, sisSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, and isiZulu are all recognized as official languages of South Africa in an attempt to recognize and correct the legacies of the oppression of the apartheid government, especially towards South Africans of native African descent, but also in an attempt to recognize and preserve the strong group identities that make up South Africa.
Barnard, I. (2006). The language of multiculturalism in South African soaps and sitcoms. Journal of Multicultural Discourses, 1(1), 39-60.
Bekker, S. B., Dodds, M., & Khosa, M. M. (Eds.). (2001). Shifting African Identities (Vol. II, pp. 141-152). Pretoria, South Africa: Human Sciences Research Council.
Berger, I. (2009). South Africa in world history. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Bond, P. (2006). Reconciliation and economic reaction: Flaw's in South Africa's elite transition. Journal of International Affairs, 60(1), 141-156.
Kamwangamalu, N. M. (2007). One language, multi-layered identities: English in a society in transition, South Africa. World Englishes, 26(3), 263-275.
Marx, A. W. (1997, November 3). Apartheid's end: South Africa's transition from raccial domination. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 20, 474-496.
Phaswana, N. Contradiction or affirmation? The South African language policy and the South African national government.
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