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Afrikaans Excluded from South African Language Policies

Afrikaans Excluded from South African Language Policies

05/03/2014

According to an article on IOL News, Afrikaans is being left out in the new language policy created by the South African government. As a result, the writer says, the language is slowly pushed to the margins of South African society. In an article on IOL News, Andries Visagie points out the downfall of the…

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The Challenges of the Written Somali Language

The Challenges of the Written Somali Language

04/03/2014

Even though the spoken Somali language is thriving, experts believe measures need to be taken to strengthen the written Somali language as the number of people who can properly write in the language is dwindling. In an article on Sabahi Online, Abdi Moalim gives us an insight into the state of the Somali language. He…

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Can Swahili Really be a Future International Language?

Can Swahili Really be a Future International Language?

03/03/2014

The dynamics of languages change over time. You could probably count the number of people on your hand who spoke Chinese 10 years ago; now most of us can say “neehow”. Does Swahili have the same potential? This is the question posed in the article, “Seven reasons to pay attention to the Swahili language”. What…

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Zambian Languages Only in Primary Schools says Government

Zambian Languages Only in Primary Schools says Government

19/02/2014

In Zambia, the government recently passed a new rule which states primary school children have to be instructed in the local languages spoken in the country instead of English. This decision, however, struck a negative chord with people from all ranks of society. As you might have read, the Zambian government has decided all primary…

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Tanzanian Minister Encourages the Promotion of Kiswahili Language

Tanzanian Minister Encourages the Promotion of Kiswahili Language

07/02/2014

Now that the Kiswahili language is spreading on the African continent, the National Swahili Council has been asked by the Tanzanian Minister for Information, Youth, Culture and Sports to stimulate the use of the language as this will greatly benefit the country’s inhabitants. Journalist Christopher Majaliwa gives account of the latest call for promoting an…

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New, Online Ways to Prevent the Extinction of Angolan Languages

New, Online Ways to Prevent the Extinction of Angolan Languages

17/01/2014

In many countries, national languages are becoming increasingly less important as more and more communication in daily life occurs in the official language(s). The Angolan people are having none of this, however! In an article on the website Global Voices, journalist Mário Lopes discusses the way people in Angola are trying to bring the disappearance…

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BBC’s Best African Proverbs of 2013

BBC’s Best African Proverbs of 2013

13/01/2014

As far as we at African Language Solutions know, every language in the world makes use of proverbs. These are often very creative and interesting sayings, so it is a shame we are usually unaware of the proverbs used in foreign languages. However, in 2013, the BBC asked their readers to send them their favourite proverb…

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10 Surprising Facts about the Swahili Language

10 Surprising Facts about the Swahili Language

02/01/2014

Hakuna Matata – does it ring a bell? Yes it’s from The Lion King. Did you know it’s actually a Swahili phrase? With Swahili becoming more important not only in East Africa but in the world of international commerce, we thought we would take a look at some interesting words, names and facts about the…

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