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DF Malherbe Memorial Lecture: Children’s verse and nursery rhymes promote language skills

18 March 2022 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Charl Devenish

The 35th DF Malherbe memorial lecture donned a new, fun coat when the lecture was delivered by the well-known children’s book author, Jaco Jacobs, on 16 March 2022. Jacobs’ children’s verses and nursery rhymes, poems and stories were an ode to his hobby, his bread and butter, and his great passion – books for children and young people.

The topic of the lecture was On My Planet: The Wonderworld of Children’s Verse, presented by the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French. As the author of children’s books, Jacobs often speaks to audiences, but not in front of students or scholars. “With children, I talk about topics such as the pros and cons of your granny deciding to become a rock star, ways in which to steal a sheep at a church bazaar, and how it will feel to have spaghetti between your toes.”

The purpose of the lecture was not to be a warning, a wake-up call, or a plea on the status of Afrikaans, but rather to discuss nursery rhymes as a subgenre of Afrikaans children’s and youth literature. After all, Jacobs has more than 20 years of experience in this subgenre.

Rhymes and verse, even poetry, important from an early age

“Indeed, a rhyme seems like fun, a rhyme seems like something that may wink, smile, and knows what red cold drink tastes like,” he says. So, he poses the question: why then are children and teachers afraid of poetry?

The connotation to poetry reminds many people of the double periods in Afrikaans where they were trapped in a classroom, which, according to Jacobs, “smelled of sweaty socks, bone-dry pages filled with alliteration, assonance, and enjambment”! According to him, children are not afraid of poetry from an early age, since they “are born with an ear for poetry”; even before we attach meaning to it, we learn from a very young age to carefully listen to the rhythm of our mother or father’s voice. “Many studies have been done on the benefits of reading poetry to an unborn baby – they strongly respond to words they have heard while in the womb,” says Jacobs.

Jacobs says a young child who ingests rhymes with its breast milk learns that language can be comforting – as with this rhyme:

Slaap kindjie slaap

Daar buite loop ’n skaap

’n Skaap met witte voetjies

Hy drink sy melk so soetjies

Skapie met sy witte wol

Kindjie drink sy magie vol

Slaap kindjie slaap

Children’s verse plays an important role, because it usually includes nursery rhymes that are part of everyday playing. “The wonderworld of nursery rhymes are filled with sounds, rhymes, steps, rhythm, and patterns. Nursery rhymes sometimes need to be mischievous and test the boundaries a bit,” says Jacobs.

The DF Malherbe memorial lecture is presented every second year. Previous speakers include Coenie de Villiers, and the language activist Bettina Wyngaard in 2018.

Watch the lecture below:

From the left: Prof Angelique van Niekerk, Dr Molapo Qhobela, Jaco Jacobs, and Prof Heidi Hudson.

Jaco Jacobs and Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

Dr Molapo Qhobela, Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships, and Societal Impact

News Archive

Dr Khotso Mokhele joins ranks of distinguished Chancellors

2010-11-21

Attending the inauguration ceremony are, from the left: Mr Pule Makgoe, MEC for Education in the Free State and member of the UFS Council; Judge Ian van der Merwe, Chairperson of the UFS Council; Dr Khotso Mokhele, newly inaugurated Chancellor of the UFS; and Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS.
Photo: Dries Myburgh

Dr Khotso Mokhele joined the ranks of distinguished Chancellors of the University of the Free State (UFS) with his inauguration as the new Chancellor of the institution at a ceremony on Friday, 19 November 2010.

The lustrous ceremony took place on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein and was attended by hundreds of guests from all over South Africa.

Dr Mokhele said in his speech: “I am excited to have been invited by the UFS to join its community at the time when it is attempting to reinvent itself into an institution that will be counted amongst those that will shape the local, regional, national will, and by so doing, contribute to the shaping of an African will.”

Dr Mokhele follows in the footsteps of Dr Franklin Sonn, former Ambassador of South Africa in the United States of America and receiver of many awards, acknowledgements, and honorary doctorates, who retired earlier this year. Dr Sonn was preceded by Ms Winkie Direko, former premier of the Free State.

His acceptance of the role of Chancellor is a great honour for the UFS.

According to Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, it is a proud moment to welcome someone from the Province as the Chancellor of this university. With his strong academic values and deep sense of human compassion, Dr Mokhele is one of but a few uncompromising leaders. He is also an inspiring, determined pioneer and a role model to all our students.

Few have done as much to guide the development of science in South Africa since democracy in 1994 as Dr Mokhele. His vision and actions as a senior science manager have been guided by his deep conviction that for a truly democratic society to emerge in South Africa all people must be empowered to be its architects and must have unhindered access to those careers upon which our economy is built.

Dr Khotso Mokhele was born and raised in Bloemfontein. After matriculating from the Moroka High School he went on to study at Fort Hare, where he graduated with a B.Sc. in Agriculture, winning the Massey-Ferguson award for the best student in that field. As a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright-Hays Scholarship, he entered the University of California in Davis where he took a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. degree, both in Microbiology. He was awarded post-doctoral fellowships at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, and at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Dr Mokhele returned to South Africa in 1987, set on becoming a top-class academic and researcher. He held lecturing posts at the Universities of Fort Hare (1987-1989) and Cape Town (1990-1992). In 1992 he joined the Foundation for Research Development (FRD) as one of its Vice-Presidents. He succeeded to its presidency in 1996 and then from 1999 to 2006 became the first President of the National Research Foundation (NRF). He successfully merged the FRD and the Centre for Science Development of the Human Sciences Research Council. Under his visionary leadership the NRF has come to play a pivotal role in the development agenda of the country. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the South African Academy of Sciences serving as its founder president (1996-1998).

Dr Khotso Mokhele's contribution to science in South Africa has received wide recognition locally and abroad. He has received nine honorary doctorates. He was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by the President of France in recognition of his personal efforts in strengthening scientific ties between France and South Africa, and was appointed a director of the Salzburg Seminar, an institution focused on global change, and subsequently a member of its Council of Senior Fellows.

He also serves on the boards of major companies such as Implats, Adcock Ingram and Afrox.

Complete speech (Pdf)

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za19 November 2010

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