Coverage of language-related topics, and in particular, language rights and language policy issues in the South African printed media

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Date
2006
Authors
Lubbe, Johan
Truter, Elbie
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The printed media is an important instrument in bringing about community mobilisation, and can make a contribution in the debate on language matters by influencing the political (ideological) orientation of policy-makers which at this stage can be characterised as internationalisation. Internationalisation leads to language hierachisation or linguicism. Linguicism entails that the resources of minority groups, which include language, are seen as handicaps. The empirical investigation reported on in this article established inter alia the percentage of topics reported on, the distribution of reporting per language medium of newspapers, the types of records on language complaints, and the sources of language rights incidents. In order to determine the validity of the conclusions the results are compared to official complaints lodged with PanSALB. It was established that the printed media is a reliable barometer of the feelings and attitudes of its readers, and a government can benefit by ensuring that citizens’ constitutional rights are upheld, and avoid conflicts by seeking to solve problems before they escalate.
Afrikaans: Die gedrukte media is ‘n belangrike instrument in die mobilisering van die gemeenskap en kan in die taaldebat ‘n bydrae lewer deur die beleidsmakers se politieke (ideolo- giese) oriëntasie te beïnvloed. Die huidige oriëntasie kan as internasionalisasie bestempel word. Die onderskrywing hiervan mag lei tot taalhiërargisering of linguisme. Linguisme behels dat die hulpbronne van minderheidsgroepe as struikelblokke beskou word. Die empiriese ondersoek waaroor verslag gedoen word in hierdie artikel, was gerig op die dekking van taalsake deur die gedrukte media. Die persentasies van onderwerpe waaroor berig is, is onder meer bepaal, asook die verspreiding van beriggewing per taalmedium van die koerante, die tipes beriggewing oor taalregteklagtes, en die bronne van taalregte- insidente. Ten einde die geldigheid van die gevolgtrekkings vas te stel, word verge- lykings met die amptelike taalregteklagtes wat aan Pansat gerig is, getref. Daar is vas- gestel dat die gedrukte media ‘n betroubare barometer is van die gevoelens en ge- sindhede van sy lesers. Dit kan dus die regering loon om toe te sien dat elke burger se grondwetlike regte gehandhaaf word, en om konflikte te vermy deur aandag te skenk aan probleme voor hulle eskaleer.
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Keywords
Language policy, South Africa, Printed media, Language rights
Citation
Lubbe, J., & Truter, E. (2006). Coverage of language-related topics, and in particular, language rights and language policy issues in the South African printed media. Acta Academica, Supplement 2, 160-178.