News 

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• Introducing: Our Places mobile app. A product from our research focus on place names. Discover the interesting history of the names of your favourite South African places. Our Places (free) as well as Our Places Pro (paid) provide a collection of SASL place-name signs. Both versions available for Android on Google Play Store. Enter the lucky draw for a chance to win lifetime access to Our Places Pro.

• Dr Patrick Sibanda is elected to the Executive Council of the International Association of Transformative Educators of the World Conference on Transformative Education, sponsored by the Global Institute for Transformative Education. This is in recognition of his ever-expanding expertise in Deaf Education.

• Emily Matabane graduates. She is the first Deaf student to successfully complete our BA Honours qualification in South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies. Congratulations, Emily! As a teaching assistant in the department, Matabane continues to do outstanding work in promoting SASL as a vibrant and accessible conversational language among our undergraduate students. Her presence, passion, and commitment are instrumental in fostering a dynamic and inclusive learning environment.

• Congratulations to our Outstanding Students:We are proud to celebrate the achievements of the following students, recognised at the 2025 Faculty Academic Prize-Giving Ceremony:

  - Top 1st Year Student: Noluvuyo Jacobs
  Congratulations, Noluvuyo, on your outstanding performance during your first year.

  - Top 2nd Year Student: Carla Ellis
  Well done, Carla, for your hard work and dedication in your second year.

  - Top 3rd Year Student: Robin Moffat
  Congratulations, Robin, for your academic excellence in your third year.

  - Top Honours Student: Sibusiswe Mlangeni
  Well done, Sibusiswe, on your exceptional achievements in your Honours year.

• Boesman-invloed op Afrikaanse plekname Prof Peter Raper (Professor Extraordinaire) untangles the linguistic etymologies of South African place names in this monograph: https://doi.org/10.36615/9780906785164. Watch the recording of the launch here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Bw7aZk1k9/.

• Onomastics and Sign Language: An Unexplored Terrain - Jani de Lange (Lecturer) presented a lecture in the Onomastics Online series of ICOS, the International Council of Onomastic Sciences, on 12 December 2024. The recording is in English with SASL interpreting. Read the abstract here.

• Signed Language and Cognitive Grammar - Dr Sara Siyavoshi (Postdoctoral Research Fellow) co-authored this monograph, presenting an in-depth look at cognitive grammar and signed languages.

  
  

Events 

• Our Places lucky draw Enter and stand a chance to win lifetime access to Our Places Pro. Entries close 30 September.
   
  
• Signals Sign + Sip 8 August at 13:00 in front of the Main building. The R30 ticket includes a snack box.
  
  
• ISPN on LinkedIn Join our group on LinkedIn to stay informed and share news, knowledge and opportunities in the field of toponomastics.

• International Symposium on Place Names The 8^th International Symposium on Place Names will be held 26-29 November 2025 in Clarens. Abstracts are due on 4 April 2025. For more information, please consult the First Circular and Call for Papers