Abstract
M.A. (Applied Linguistics)
The main aim of this study is to evaluate the implementation of government’s language policy in terms of the Implementation Plan: National Language Policy Framework (NLPF). This involved investigating the extent to which the NLPF has or has not been implemented. The study began to quantify and to conduct an in-depth micro level analysis into the gap between the language policy and implementation through a comparison of what exists or does not exist on the ground against the stipulations of the Implementation Plan – NLPF.
The research design involved making use of a combination of primary data and documentary analysis. The primary data was obtained from interviews and questionnaires from a range of respondents including language practitioners and experts in the field of language management and practice. Data was also gathered from former members of the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB). The documentary analysis involved perusing the Annual Reports of the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) and the questions from Members of Parliament to the Minister of Arts and Culture on language policy implementation matters.
The role of the DAC was explored as it is the department with the language portfolio within government. The mandate of the DAC on language policy implementation is also reflected in their vision, mission and strategic objectives as follows: to ‘develop and promote official languages of South Africa and enhance the linguistic diversity of the country’ and to ‘develop, promote and protect the 11 official languages through policy formulation, legislation and implementation of the language policy in order to allow South Africans to realise their language rights’ (DAC Annual Report 2008/2009: 10 and 59).
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The Pan South African Language Board was also identified because in terms of the Constitution of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 and legislation (Pan South African Language Board Act 59 of 1995) PanSALB is the entity and statutory body tasked with promoting and creating conditions for the development of all the official languages.
The City of Tshwane Municipality was used as a case study to shed some light on what is possibly happening at other spheres of government on the implementation of the language policy. The purpose of the case study was to establish if the City of Tshwane Municipality has developed and adopted a language policy. And if there is a language policy to establish its main elements and to ascertain to what extent such a language policy of the City of Tshwane Municipality has been aligned to or informed by the National Language Policy Framework (NLPF). For this purpose the Director of the Language Services Unit of the City of Tshwane was interviewed. A small sample of the residents of City of Tshwane was also requested to respond to a questionnaire. The purpose of the questionnaire to the residents of the City of Tshwane was to elicit their views and perceptions about the language policy and practice of the City of Tshwane so as to validate what emerges from the Language Services Unit of the City of Tshwane Municipality about the implementation of its language policy.