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Current News

WSU PIONEERS TEACHING IN ISIXHOSA

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Walter Sisulu University remains the leading university in teaching African languages in terms of the content and what the market needs.

The university became the first university in South Africa to teach its African language in its own language under the leadership of the Linguistics lecturer, Professor Nompumelelo Jafta in the 1980s and other universities followed. 
 
The Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) recently held an Imbizo at Mthatha where they were discussing Xhosa words that are considered as insults.
Walter Sisulu University was part of the discussion as they have pioneered teaching these words as part of their IsiXhosa curriculum for the past three years.
 
Sinoyolo Nokutywa, Lecturer in the department of Arts said, “We have been teaching these words because they are part of our literature, you will find them in our clan names and our songs.”
 
He added that as the Faculty of Humanities Social Sciences and Law they never saw anything wrong with the words from the beginning, while other universities will start incorporating these words after PanSALB has regulated them.
 
Dr Zanoxolo Gobingca, dean in the Faculty of Educational Sciences said, “ There is a need for a list of dictionary words clearly explaining these words and those that are not insults. Also people need to be educated about these words through campaigns or imbizo, roadshows, conferences and any social gatherings, the platform to share insight about izithuko and not izithuko words should be created.”
 
He further added that media such as radio, newsletters and newspapers should also be explicit in explaining which words are izithuko words and people need to be educated that these words are acceptable to use in the society. 
 
Nokutywa added that these words only become insults through facial expressions and the tone of the voice but generally they are used as compliments in the African context.
 
By Anita Roji
 

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  • Home
    • Discover WSU
      • Overview
      • Focus Areas
      • FAQs
      • Important Facts
    • Vision & Mission
    • Governance & Leadership
      • Governance Structures
        • Council
        • Institutional Forum
        • Institutional & Campus SRCs
      • Leadership
    • Organisational Strategy
      • Higher Education Act
      • Statute
      • Policies
      • 2030 Strategic Plan
      • TRANSFORMATION AND LANGUAGES DIRECTORATE
      • Annual Performance Plan
      • University Calendar
      • Annual Report
  • Study with Us
    • Undergraduate Programmes
      • New Students
        • Admission Requirements
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
          • Fees
          • NSFAS & Funza
          • ISFAP
          • Other
        • How to Apply: The Process
        • Students with Special Needs
        • International Students
        • Important Dates
        • Student Online Services Portal
      • Returning Students
        • Re-Admission Requirements
        • Online Results
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
        • Students with Special Needs
        • International Students
        • Important Dates
        • Student Online Services Portal
      • Faculties
        • Engineering, Built Environment And Information Technology
        • Management and Public Administration Sciences
        • Economic and Financial Sciences
        • Law, Humanities And Social Sciences
        • Medicine And Health Sciences
        • Natural Sciences
        • Education
    • Postgraduate Programmes
      • Postgraduate Students
        • Admission Requirements
        • Online Results
        • Residence Support
        • Fees & Financial Support
          • Fees
          • NRF
          • Other
      • Faculties
        • Engineering, Built Environment And Information Technology
        • Management And Public Administration Sciences
        • Economic And Financial Sciences
        • Law, Humanities And Social Sciences
        • Medicine And Health Sciences
        • Natural Sciences
        • Education
    • Application Guide
      • 2023 Prospectuses
      • 2023 Registration Guidelines
      • Students with Special Needs
      • International Students
      • Important Dates
      • WSU Figshare
    • Graduation
  • Teaching & Learning
    • Directorate Overview
    • Policies & Strategic Documents
    • Student Development & Support
      • Academic Advising
      • Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL)
      • Extended Curricula
    • Teaching & Learning Development
      • Staff Development Programmes
    • Learning & Teaching with Tech
    • Scholarship of Teaching & Learning
    • Writing Centre
  • Research & Innovation
    • Directorate of Research Development & Innovation (DRI)
    • Research at WSU
    • Innovation at WSU
    • Research Facilities & Centres
    • NRF-Rated Researchers
    • Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (PDRF)
    • Postgraduate Studies at WSU
    • Grants, Bursaries, Conferences & Other Funding
    • Policies & Documents
  • Community
    • CE&ID Director's Introduction
    • About CE&ID
    • Work-Integrated Learning
    • Service Learning
      • Implementation Guides
      • Community Learning
    • Internationalisation
      • International Partnerships
      • National Partnerships
    • International Education
      • International Education Admission
      • International Education Events
      • Financial Information & Liability
      • Pre-Arrival Information
  • Library
    • Search Library Resources - OPAC
    • LibGuides
    • Library Services
    • Library Membership
    • Electronic Resources
      • E-Journals
      • Ebsco E-books
      • Proquest E-books
    • Research Support
    • Online Newspapers
    • WSU Vital Repository
    • WSU Figshare
    • Off Campus access to Library
    • Student Email Access
    • Open Educational Resources Commons
    • DHET List of Approved Journals
  • Student Life
    • Directorate Overview
    • Student Services Policies
    • Institutional & Campus SRCs
    • Student Societies
    • Student Health and Wellbeing
      • Sport & Fitness
      • Campus Clinics
      • Student Counselling Unit
    • Residence Support
    • Quick Links
    • Campus Life
      • Campus SRCs
  • Media
    • Current News
    • Media Releases
    • Media Resources
    • Speeches
    • Newsletters
    • Gallery
    • login