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23 March 2021 | Story Mbali Moiketsi
International Mother Language Day

The Office for International Affairs recently celebrated International Language Day.  This year, we invited all faculties to submit the names of people who would be willing to contribute video clips to educate us about their mother tongue.  The videos submitted were from diverse academic staff members and postdoctoral fellows currently based in different parts of the world.  Extensive research has created this edutainment video, featuring famous language quotes, indigenous languages across the African continent, and business languages used across the African continent. Some of the indigenous languages on the African continent are fading away, caused by colonial influence.

Fun facts:
From 1994 to 2013, South Africa was in the Guinness Book of World Records for most official languages.  These are Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Sepedi, Sesotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu.

Since the adoption of the 2013 Constitution, Zimbabwe now holds this title with 16 official languages, namely Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, Sign Language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa. Zimbabwe therefore now holds the Guinness World Record for the country with the largest number of official languages.  

Albeit the main languages in Zimbabwe are English, Shona and Ndebele, the minor languages are Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Kunda, Lozi, Manyika, Nambya, Ndau, Nsenga, Tsonga-Shangani, Sotho, Tjwao, Tonga, Tswa, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa.

WATCH: International Mother Language video


News Archive

Rugby, die Ga(y)me (Afr), 25-29 August 2009
2009-08-07

Rugby, die Ga(y)me (Afr)
25-29 August 2009
Scaena Rehearsal Room
19:30


“Rugby, die Ga(y)me”, is a brand new script out of the pen of award winning young writer, Ilne Fourie. It is the first time that Fourie puts her hand to a one-man show. The script tells the story of Jottie, a young boy who struggles with his own identity and with gaining recognition and support from his rugby infatuated father, who wants nothing more than his own little rugby hero on the sport grounds; the only problem is: Jottie doesn’t want to play rugby. The script delves deep into Jottie’s upbringing, exploring his first loves and his greatest losses.

“Rugby, die Ga(y)me” is directed by DeBeer Cloete, director of “MURE”, an avant-garde production earlier this year. Cloete has also been involved in two SPAT (Sanlam Prize for Afrikaans Theatre) winning productions (“Zollie” 2005 and “Lewensreg” 2007) and is awarded double University Colours in 2005 and 2006. The role of Jottie will be portrayed by Heinrich Keogh, a familiar face to Volksblad Arts Festival goers where he played the title role in “Boer Manie se Melk word Suur”. Other appearances by this young actor include roles in “Alladdin” (2008), “Romeo and Juliet” (2006) and “the Jubileum” (2008).

Tickets for this production are available through Computicket and shows will start at 19:30 every evening from the 25th to the 29th of August in the Scaena Rehearsal Room.

 

 

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