Seme Municipality, Volksrust
27 September 2007
Introduction
Prior to 1994 democratic elections, indigenous languages in South Africa
were marginalised and historically diminishing. They were regarded as languages
that would be difficult to be applied in the field of science and technology
and thus their development was retarded. It is for this reason that the
department has crafted one of its strategic objectives that will enable us to
focus on the development and promotion of provincial indigenous languages that
have been historically marginalised and are on the brink of diminishing.
The advent of 1994 democratic elections led to 11 official languages and the
South African Sign language being constitutionally recognised. This was in
accordance with Section 6 (4) and 6(5) (a) (iii) of the Constitution of the
Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996. The recognition of all these
languages put a challenge of dissemination of information since nine of these
official languages are comparatively not fully developed and thus writing in
these languages is minimal. Thus, translation becomes an imperative to ensure
that classical work like the 'Long walk to Freedom,' is read in our indigenous
languages.
Likewise the constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996
was translated in all official languages to ensure that for the first time
people of South Africa may read in their indigenous languages.
In embracing translation, the National Language Policy Framework of 2003
encourages dissemination of information to be in more than the two previously
used languages (English and Afrikaans) for communication, dependent on the
practical use of the other indigenous languages. The government has fully
committed itself to multilingualism as both ethos and practice in South Africa.
Even the constitutional obligations are explicit, stating that :"Recognising
the historically diminished use of the indigenous languages of our people, the
state must take practical and positive measures to elevate the status and
advance the usage of these languages"(Act 108 of 1996,section 6(2).
Background
Today we are gathered in this fashion to remember, honour and celebrate the
patron of translation, St Jerome. He was one of the few Bible translators of
that time. It is therefore as a result of this translator, interpreter and
innovator that today together with the international community we are able to
celebrate the International Translation Day. Globally, it is celebrated
annually on 30 September. Since 1953 when the International Federations of
Translators (IFT) were established, this day was selected on ad hoc basis.
However in 1991 IFT launched the celebration officially.
The National Language Service in the Department of Arts and Culture in
conjunction with language organisations and provinces celebrated this day for
the first time in 2003. Translation serves as a vehicle for language rights as
purported by Hlophe (1998) 2.5 S.C.R 712 at 748 to 749 when he said, "The
importance of language rights is grounded in the essential role that language
plays in human existence, development and dignity."
It is through language that we are able to form concepts, to structure and
order the world around us. Language bridges the gap between isolation and
community, allowing humans to delineate the rights and duties they hold in
respect of one another, and thus to live in society.
It is thus through translation that those who are unable to read in other
languages are enabled to do so in their own languages and order the world
around themselves. The International Translation Day was celebrated under the
following themes:
* 1991: 'Launch of International Federation of Translators'
* 1992: 'Translation â the vital link'
* 1993: 'Translation a pervasive presence'
* 1994: 'The many facets of translation'
* 1995: 'Translation a key to development'
* 1996: 'Translation and copy right'
* 1997: 'Translating in the right direction'
* 1998: 'Good Translation practices'
* 1999: 'Translation â Transition'
* 2000: 'Technology serving the needs of translation'
* 2001: 'Translation and Ethics'
* 2002: 'Translators as agents of social change'
* 2003: 'Translators right'
The Theme for 2005 celebrations was: 'The rights of the Language
Practitioners'. Various speakers made an attempt to talk around the theme as
they made their presentations on the challenges of translation in news
broadcasting, promotion of multilingualism in law-making institutions through
translation and interpreting and achievements and challenges of translating
educational materials.
The Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation makes a call to all of us to
begin to promote our African languages so that we counteract the trend in
tertiary institutions which report a decrease in the number of students
majoring in African languages. The department does so with an aim of making the
youth realise the importance of pursing careers in the fields such as language
teaching (from primary to tertiary level), translation and interpreting,
communication studies (including advertisement and journalism), and the
performing arts and entertainment (e.g. scriptwriters of stage, radio and TV
plays).
As a department, I must point out that we take issues of language
development seriously such that on translation alone we have the following
priorities:
* promoting translation as a profession
* promoting translation of documents into official languages with an emphasis
on indigenous languages
* databasing of translators in the province
* training of translators
Conclusion
In conclusion, Programme Director, I would like to point out that like all
professions, the language field demands a well-trained cadre of practitioners
with a wide range of skills, knowledge and expertise, in order to produce
quality services in these fields. It is therefore necessary to extend the
knowledge base and skills among serving practitioners so that there is adequate
capacity to deal with domains of knowledge from which they may have been
effectively barred by lack of expertise or pre-democracy history.
With the usage of indigenous languages to improve service delivery being
pivotal in government, there is an increasing demand for translation,
interpreting and terminology development services. It would then be the task of
the department through the Language Research and Development Centres (LRDCs) to
locate such expertise, build up a network of such experts and facilitate
in-service programmes for practitioners and contribute to the normal university
programmes to make the courses relevant and appropriate to the language
industry.
I thank you
Issued by: Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation, Mpumalanga
Provincial Government
27 September 2007
