Abstract
M.A.
In terms of the new Constitution (Act 108 of 1996) South Africa has 11 official
languages (RSA, 1996: 4). Because of past political imperatives, this de facto and
constitutional multilingualism makes South Africa one of many countries
experiencing language problems. Difficulties in the realm of language policy are
therefore not unique to South Africa. To South Africans language is an emotional
issue. Many believe that English, being a universally understandable language,
should be the exclusive medium for communication.
There is a great need to study language requirements and difficulties in multilingual
hospitals (especially hospitals catering for the needs of people speaking African
languages). The aim of this thesis is to study shortcomings and needs that may exist
and to make recommendations for appropriate RDP intervention. The principle of
multilingualism and of advancing the use of all official languages in South Africa is
supported in this thesis. The main area of focus is therefore the identification of
difficulties and the suggestion of remedies for these problems.
To be able to make suggestions, it is necessary to identify the problems in health
care. Because language planning is concerned with solutions to language-related
problems, this study should be regarded as a language planning activity. To this
end, the principles of language planning are discussed, with the focus on definitions
of language planning, the types of language planning, the steps of language
planning (mainly step 1, data accumulation), the responsibilities of the language
planner and language planning already done in South Africa.
An analysis of language needs will show that communication between physician and
patient is unsuccessful in multilingual hospitals, because the parties involved do not
understand each other's languages. To solve the problem, hospital staff and other
individuals are being used as interpreters. However, this causes a multitude of
difficulties, which are highlighted in the empirical study in chapter 4. The biggest
problem in respect of interpreting is that the people who perform this function are
not trained as interpreters. This leads to further problems, like misinterpreting as
well as resistance to the fact that these people have to perform this function without
remuneration. The opinions of hospital staff are reflected in the answers given to the
questionnaires which they completed. These opinions are discussed in detail along
with the problems referred to earlier as well as other problems identified.
Because translation and interpreting are so closely related and because interpreting
is the main focus of this thesis, a distinction between the two concepts is made.
Criteria which interpreters must meet, as well as a literary overview concerning
problems in health care with regard to interpreting, are addressed.
From the information accumulated, suggestions are made in chapter 5 as to how
these language problems might be solved. The most important suggestion to solve
these problems in the field of interpreting is to make use of well-trained interpreters.
A wide spectrum of aspects surrounding the training of interpreters is discussed and
recommendations are made in chapter 5.