How many languages can you speak? I can speak two fluently and one very broken interpretation of Afrikaans.
English, basically is my means of communication. Duh. Then I can speak, read and write Greek.
Afrikaans I battle with but can communicate if I need to.
We have 11 national languages in SA. That’s a lot. But are they all relevant or merely an offering to the nation to make us all feel “involved”?
I can’t really understand the need to have all 11 languages as national languages. I do understand that there is a diverse mixture of people who speak varying languages and we feel the need to be entirely representative on every possible level at all times. I get it and I think it’s kinda cool.
South Africa’s 11 national languages:
- Afrikaans
- English
- IsiZulu
- IsiXhosa
- SiSwati
- Ndebele
- Southern Sotho
- Northern Sotho
- Tsonga
- SeTswana
- Venda
Now tell me, how many of these you have heard of? Heard being spoken? Know of? I can’t say many to be honest.
So my ultimate question is this: Will you teach your kids to be multilingual? The reason I ask stems from a stupid funny tongue-in-cheek site I found. The site takes a stab at “What white people like”. It’s funny, don’t take it too seriously.
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February 29th, 2008 at 10:24 am
I can speak about 4 languages, English duh, ukunani – my Nigerian native tongue… a little bit of Spanish and some French.. I must say I cant speak or understand any of the listed South African languages aside from the obvious English, though I have heard of them.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:25 am
I can speak Sesotho, Tswana, Pedi, English, my Afrikaans is a bit broken (but i did Afrikaans 2nd lingo in Highschool 5years ago)..I can hear Zulu pretty well..As for Venda and Tsonga you can insult me 10 times in 3minutes and i would have no idea what you said..!Anyhow..i do support the notion by SA to make the 11 lingo’s official..we lean more towards diversity because of this (with the exception of the Free State)..!
March 1st, 2008 at 1:24 pm
English, Afrikaans a bit of Yiddush and a lot of kugel…
Hope you’re doing well young man.
March 1st, 2008 at 11:51 pm
I have obviously heard of all 11 languages. I have only actually heard Zulu, Xhosa and Sotho being spoken though. Have never been in a conversation with someone speaking one of the other languages.
I can speak Afrikaans, English and German. Am still learning French and would really like to learn Russian later, as I have been taught some basic vocabulary and the basics of the Cyrillic alphabet.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
English, Afrikaans and I get by in Dutch.
I admire multilingual South Africans.
August 13th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
English and “Stralian.
Dropped the Afrikaans as it is dying language. (have not spoken it is many many years) It also resembles Racism and apartheid as Nic says and that is my bit i am doing to help ZA. – Jammer vir all daardie jare.
September 23rd, 2010 at 7:29 pm
Well, I have heard all of them, and regualarly hear most of them bing spoken. isiZulu is the most widley spoken and understood, but there would be an uproar if it was made a main official language unlong with English and Afrikaans at the exclusion of others. If you live in Gauteng, especially Jozi, you will hear all of them spoken in the course of a day