The Language Question and the Role of the University in South Africa Revisited

Abstract

This article revisits the language question and interrogates the role of, among other stakeholders, the university in South Africa.It traces the evolution of the language question from the arrival of European settlers up to the present, showing how the question became a complicated one over about three centuries.The article underscores the enormous importance of the intellectualization of African languages, calling for a critical approach to the relevant tasks, bearing in mind their demanding nature.Similarly, a call is made for circumspection regarding the recently emerged concept of translanguaging in relation to African languages, given the African context that is different from Western contexts that started experimenting and theorizing on the concept.Overall, the paper calls for South African language activists, practitioners and scholars to view their work as a long-term selfless struggle that should liberate future generations.

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