Attitudes of university students towards Sesotho: a case study of students enrolled in Sesotho modules
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Date
2019
Authors
Khetoa, Soyiso Godsave
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Language attitudes towards Sesotho remain a largely unexplored area of sociolinguistics in South Africa. African languages in parts of Africa did not enjoy the parity of use in business, justice system, politics and media during colonial and apartheid eras. This limited function given to indigenous languages in formal functions or settings has significantly affected the perceptions of speakers of African languages about their languages. The depravation of African languages an opportunity for equivalent usage in various prestigious domains by the governments that ruled South Africa until the collapse of apartheid has dented African languages. Linguistic practices observed in the education, business and legal system prior democratic rule in South African have not significantly changed. The hegemony of English is still observed. Indigenous languages have yet to play significant roles in society and in strategic sections of the state. This study, therefore, aimed at establishing university students’ attitudes towards one of the formerly marginalised indigenous South African languages, Sesotho. While the primary objective was to establish students’ attitudes, attention was also given to factors which are responsible for the attitudes possessed by university students enrolled in Sesotho towards Sesotho. The study used a multipronged approach in its elicitation of data. Employing both questionnaires and interviews. The findings indicate that there are positive attitudes towards Sesotho among students enrolled for Sesotho modules. Students’ responses largely suggested that they want the language to be meaningfully developed so that it can be actively used in education, particularly higher education. Students also realised the benefits inherent in getting education in their own languages. Moreover, students indicated bilingual practices in teaching practices within lectures may prove to benefit their education in higher education especially at the university which this study used as its research site. This study therefore recommends that practical steps must be taken to advance the use of Sesotho in higher domains. The language question in higher education must be taken seriously. Independent structures and bodies must be established within universities to monitor and enforce adherence to prescriptions as provided in institutional language policies. Institutions must quickly realise impact that indigenous languages can have in the development of the country. The government together with its chapter 9 institutions must actively engage institutions with clear-cut programmes on the elevation of indigenous languages.
Sesotho: Ditsela tseo batho ba bonang Sesotho kateng e dutse e le karolo ya phedisanopuong ya linkwistiki e sa natsweng haholo Afrika Borwa. Dipuo tsa Maafrika dikarolong tse ding tsa Afrika ha di a ka tsa fumana monyetla wa ho sebediswa kgwebong, ditshebeletso ho tsa toka, dipolotiking le bophatlatsing ba ditaba nakong ya bokoloniale le dinakong tsa kgethollo. Tlhokeho ena ya tshebediso ya dipuo tsa lapeng mesebetsing e amohelehileng kapa ditikoloho tse tshwanelehileng e behile tjhebeho ya dipuo tsa Maafrika ka mosing mabapi le tshebediso ya dipuo tsa bona. Taba ya ho kotela dipuo tsa Maafrika, ho se di nehe tokelo ya ho tshwana le dipuo tse ding tshebedisong ya Makala a mmusong wa Afrika Borwa, ho entse hore seriti sa dipuo tsa Maafrika se we. Ho boha tshebediso ya dipuo tsa Maafrika thutong, kgwebong le tshebetsong ya toka pele ho puso ya tokoloho Afrika Borwa ha ho a fetoha ho hang. Taolo ya puo ya English e ntse e bonahala. Dipuo tsa lapeng di ntse di na le kabelo eo di lokelang ho ba le yona setjhabeng le mafapheng a mang a hlokolosi mmusong. Ka hoo, sepheo sa boithuto bona ke ho utolla pono ya baithuti ba yunivesithi ho e nngwe ya dipuo tsa lapeng e neng kgellwa fatshe dipuong tsa Afrika Borwa, Sesotho. Leha sepheo sa motheo e ne e le ho utolla pono ya baithuti, ho ile ha boelwa ha shejwa dintlha tse ding tse nang le seabo ponong ya baithuti ba ingodiseditseng Sesotho. Boithuto bona bo sebedisitse mawa a mangata a fapaneng ho bokella datha, ho sebedisitswe mmoho le mathatama a dipotso le diinthavui. Diphetho di bontsha hore ho na le pono e ntle ka Sesotho ho baithuti ba ingodiseditseng dimojule tsa Sesotho. Dikarabo tsa baithuti di lekanya hore baithuti ba lakatsa ha puo ya Sesotho e ka ntshetswa pele hore e tle e kgone ho ka sebediswa thutong e phahameng. Baithuti ba boetse ba hlokometse molemo wa ho fuwa thuto ka dipuo tsa bona. Haholoholo, baithuti ba elelletswe tshebediso ya dipuo tse ngata ha ho rutwa ke barupelli ba bona le kamoo ho etsahalang kateng thutong e phahameng haholo yunivesithing moo boithuto bona bo etseditsweng teng. Boithuto bona bo kgothaletsa hore mehato e bonahalang e lokelwa ho nkuwa ho phahamisa tshebediso ya Sesotho thutong e phahameng. Taba ya puo thutong e phahameng e lokelwa ho tsotellwa haholo. Mekgatlo le dibopeho tse ikemetseng di lokelwa ho hlongwa ka hare ho diyunivesithi ho lekola le ho hatella tshebediso ya maano le dipholisi tsa tshebediso ya puo. Ditheo di lokela ho elellwa ka potlako sekgahla seo dipuo tsa lapeng di nang le sona ntshetsopeleng ya naha. Mmuso hammoho le ditheo tsa kgaolo ya 9 di lokela ho kenyeletsa ditheo tse ding tse nang le mananeo a ho phahamisa dipuo tsa lapeng.
Sesotho: Ditsela tseo batho ba bonang Sesotho kateng e dutse e le karolo ya phedisanopuong ya linkwistiki e sa natsweng haholo Afrika Borwa. Dipuo tsa Maafrika dikarolong tse ding tsa Afrika ha di a ka tsa fumana monyetla wa ho sebediswa kgwebong, ditshebeletso ho tsa toka, dipolotiking le bophatlatsing ba ditaba nakong ya bokoloniale le dinakong tsa kgethollo. Tlhokeho ena ya tshebediso ya dipuo tsa lapeng mesebetsing e amohelehileng kapa ditikoloho tse tshwanelehileng e behile tjhebeho ya dipuo tsa Maafrika ka mosing mabapi le tshebediso ya dipuo tsa bona. Taba ya ho kotela dipuo tsa Maafrika, ho se di nehe tokelo ya ho tshwana le dipuo tse ding tshebedisong ya Makala a mmusong wa Afrika Borwa, ho entse hore seriti sa dipuo tsa Maafrika se we. Ho boha tshebediso ya dipuo tsa Maafrika thutong, kgwebong le tshebetsong ya toka pele ho puso ya tokoloho Afrika Borwa ha ho a fetoha ho hang. Taolo ya puo ya English e ntse e bonahala. Dipuo tsa lapeng di ntse di na le kabelo eo di lokelang ho ba le yona setjhabeng le mafapheng a mang a hlokolosi mmusong. Ka hoo, sepheo sa boithuto bona ke ho utolla pono ya baithuti ba yunivesithi ho e nngwe ya dipuo tsa lapeng e neng kgellwa fatshe dipuong tsa Afrika Borwa, Sesotho. Leha sepheo sa motheo e ne e le ho utolla pono ya baithuti, ho ile ha boelwa ha shejwa dintlha tse ding tse nang le seabo ponong ya baithuti ba ingodiseditseng Sesotho. Boithuto bona bo sebedisitse mawa a mangata a fapaneng ho bokella datha, ho sebedisitswe mmoho le mathatama a dipotso le diinthavui. Diphetho di bontsha hore ho na le pono e ntle ka Sesotho ho baithuti ba ingodiseditseng dimojule tsa Sesotho. Dikarabo tsa baithuti di lekanya hore baithuti ba lakatsa ha puo ya Sesotho e ka ntshetswa pele hore e tle e kgone ho ka sebediswa thutong e phahameng. Baithuti ba boetse ba hlokometse molemo wa ho fuwa thuto ka dipuo tsa bona. Haholoholo, baithuti ba elelletswe tshebediso ya dipuo tse ngata ha ho rutwa ke barupelli ba bona le kamoo ho etsahalang kateng thutong e phahameng haholo yunivesithing moo boithuto bona bo etseditsweng teng. Boithuto bona bo kgothaletsa hore mehato e bonahalang e lokelwa ho nkuwa ho phahamisa tshebediso ya Sesotho thutong e phahameng. Taba ya puo thutong e phahameng e lokelwa ho tsotellwa haholo. Mekgatlo le dibopeho tse ikemetseng di lokelwa ho hlongwa ka hare ho diyunivesithi ho lekola le ho hatella tshebediso ya maano le dipholisi tsa tshebediso ya puo. Ditheo di lokela ho elellwa ka potlako sekgahla seo dipuo tsa lapeng di nang le sona ntshetsopeleng ya naha. Mmuso hammoho le ditheo tsa kgaolo ya 9 di lokela ho kenyeletsa ditheo tse ding tse nang le mananeo a ho phahamisa dipuo tsa lapeng.
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Keywords
Thesis (Ph.D. (African Languages))--University of the Free State, 2019, Endoglossic, Exoglossism, Indigenous language, Language attitudes, Language shift, Language rights, Linguistic dominance, Triangulation, Mixed methods, Qualitative, Quantitative, Sesotho language, Sociolinguistics - South Africa