Mariëtta ALBERTS
Manager: Lexicography and Terminology Development, PanSALB, SA
1. Introduction
The availability of dictionaries is an indication of a country’s social, cultural, economic, scientific and technological development. As contact leads to communication, proper intercultural communication is a high priority in a multilingual society. In multilingual societies the provision of monolingual, bilingual and multilingual dictionaries can contribute significantly to the improvement of communication between language groups and to the maintenance of standards in the various languages. The language communities of all the official South African languages need dictionaries, not only to bridge the communication gap between them, but also to document and preserve the rich variety of their languages. Languages can only develop into functional languages in all spheres of life by the development of their terminologies.
Modern lexicography, seen in its broadest sense, is a highly democratic activity. In the past, dictionaries were compiled by individuals or publishers, often with dogmatic views, who selected the words or terms to be included and decided how they should be defined. These prescriptive dictionaries are very different from modern dictionaries, which are based upon empirical data gathered from the various speech communities and compiled by means of collaborative lexicography and terminography.
There are many aspects to co-operative lexicography and terminography.
According to Van Schalkwyk (1995) co-operative lexicography in its broadest sense refers to cooperation between lexicographers and other interested parties in all fields of lexicography. This paper only concentrates on the holistic collaboration between the Pan South African Language Board’s advisory structures, the National Lexicography Units and the National Terminology Office.
2. PanSALB’s advisory structures
The role of language in redressing historical imbalances in South Africa cannot be overemphasised. In order for languages to assume the role of ‘official languages’ they should be developed. These languages should have the capacity to operate in various domains: economic, judiciary, education, science and technology. The Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) is required by the South African Constitution to develop the official languages and create conditions for use of these languages (Marivate 2001: 5).
PanSALB is a constitutionally mandated Statutory Body established to oversee the process of language development and the protection of language rights. PanSALB was established in 1995 in terms of the PanSALB Act 59 of 1995, amended in 1999.
The Board was established to promote multilingualism and to develop the official South African languages, including the Khoe, Nama and San languages, and the South African Sign language. The Board operates under three clusters:
• Lexicography and Terminology Development;
• Development of Languages, Especially those Previously Marginalized;
• Linguistic Human Rights and Advocacy.
PanSALB has made important strides in addressing language developmental problems through the establishment of different advisory bodies, namely the Provincial Language Committees (PLCs) and the National Language Bodies (NLBs) (Molosankwe 2001: 1). PanSALB also established eleven National Lexicography Units (NLUs) for the development of monolingual dictionaries for each of the official languages. These structures will assist the process of language development, especially the nine official African languages (Marivate 2001: 5).
The PanSALB structures will assist the Board in achieving its mandate that is:
• to promote multilingualism;
• to develop languages, and
• to protect language rights.
2.1. The Provincial Language Committees (PLCs)
Nine Provincial Language Committees have been established – one in each province.
A PLC is a provincial structure with the aim of taking care of the languages of that province. Each PLC serves the linguistic needs of the people by determining the needs of the various local speech communities. It ensures language policy implementation and practice in order to give the necessary advice to PanSALB and to the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) responsible for languages in the province.
A PLC consists of thirteen representatives proportionally representing each language in the province including Sign, Heritage and possibly Khoe and San Languages.
2.2. The National Language Bodies (NLBs)
The National Language Bodies are responsible for providing advice to PanSALB on matters affecting a particular language. There are thirteen NLBs, eleven for the official languages, one for Khoe, Nama and San, and one for the South African Sign Language. An NLB for the Heritage Languages (i.e. Dutch, French, German, Greek, Gujerati, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Tamil, Urdu, etc.) will be established soon.
Each of the thirteen NLBs consists of thirteen members from across the country representing the speech community for the specific language group. The NLBs advise PanSALB on issues relating to:
• the development, promotion and maintenance of its particular language;
• spelling, orthography and language standards;
• terminology development and dictionaries;
• literature.
3. The National Lexicography Units (NLUs)
The history of the establishment of the NLUs starts with the introduction of eleven official languages in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The Government supports the development and preservation of languages whether it is within a bilingual policy or a multilingual policy. In the previous dispensation the country had a bilingual policy and the Government supported two dictionary offices, the Bureau of the Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal (WAT) in Stellenbosch, and the Dictionary of South African English (DSAE) in Grahamstown. With eleven official languages eleven national dictionary offices need Government support.
The eleven NLUs were established according to the revised PanSALB Act of 1999. The NLUs are situated at tertiary institutions within the boundaries of the geolinguistic area where most first-language speakers of the particular languages are living. The two dictionary offices that existed under the bilingual policy (WAT and DSAE) remain where they are.
A Board of Directors consisting of stakeholders was appointed for each of the NLUs. Each of the Boards of Directors employs staff and governs its own NLU that was established as a Section 21 Company. Each Unit has to document, preserve and develop its specific language by compiling a monolingual dictionary and other projects that will assist development. PanSALB finances the NLUs on a monthly basis.
Staff of the newly established NLUs received various forms of training from PanSALB, e.g. training in the principles and practice governing lexicography, and training in various computerisation aspects such as corpus building, the scanning of documents, the analysis of material, including frequency counts, etc. They also received advice on the purchasing of hardware, software, licenses needed, etc. The NLUs receive regular assistance in aspects such as project management, administrative issues, fundraising, marketing, etc.
4. Relationship between the PLCs, the NLBs and the NLUs and the challenges facing these structures
In each province there is an NLB or an NLU, or both, for the official languages with the majority of the speakers residing in that province (e.g. the isiZulu NLB and NLU (ISS) are both situated in KwaZulu-Natal since the majority of isiZulu speakers reside in that province). The PLCs should keep contact with these bodies in order to make them aware of all the language needs that impact negatively or positively in terms of language policy, practice and implementation and the promotion of multilingualism in the province.
Since multilingualism will impact on education, translation and interpreting, and literature, the link between these three types of bodies is inevitable, defining language needs that affect language policy.
The PLCs, NLBs and NLUs play an indirect role of Public Relations in the various provinces on behalf of PanSALB. It is therefore important that they make themselves known to the Provincial Legislatures, Government Departments, NGOs and CBOs.
PanSALB encourages the various structures to form information sharing or publicity partnerships and to collaborate with bodies pursuing similar objectives.
5. Collaboration
5.1. National collaboration
The South African playing field for lexicography and terminology has been defined in a document of collaboration between the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) and PanSALB. The PanSALB Act of 1995 gives a clear picture of the responsibilities of PanSALB. At present PanSALB has three structures that have an impact on lexicography and terminology practices. The eleven National Lexicography Units (NLUs) compile general, monolingual dictionaries for each of the eleven official languages. The thirteen (soon fourteen) National Language Bodies (NLBs) take care of the spelling and orthography and their role in as far as terminology is concerned is to authorize and authenticate the terminology that has been developed by the Terminology Coordination Section (TCS), National Language Service (NLS), and other collaborating groups. In fact members of NLBs form the basis of the collaborating groups in the provinces in respect of the work initiatives of TCS. The nine Provincial Language Committees (PLCs) take care of the languages spoken in their particular provinces.
In broad terms, PanSALB’s NLUs deal with general dictionaries whilst the TCS deals with the professional terminology management principles. PanSALB’s NLBs are the legal authority on all terminology developed in South Africa. Their task, as has been mentioned, is to assist the TCS together with subject and domain specialists, in coining and standardisation of term equivalents. Currently there is a harmonious collaboration and cooperation among all these parties. The TCS cannot develop terminologies for the various languages if they do not consult with the NLBs in respect of spelling and orthography, as the NLBs are the authorising agencies. The NLBs have to determine and document the word-forming principles of each of the official languages. Term creation depends on these word-forming principles.
The Terminology Coordination Section (TCS) of the National Language Service (NLS), Department of Arts and Culture (DAC), promotes the linguistic empowerment of all South Africans through terminological contributions that facilitate communication at different levels in various subject fields and domains of activity. The main objective of the TCS is to coordinate the production of terminologies and external
terminological contributions, forge partnerships with collaborators and stakeholders, and to eventually disseminate term lists to users, clients and collaborators.
The terms documented by TCS will be disseminated to the PLCs, NLBs and NLUs, and all terms created by these bodies should be supplied to TCS for incorporation in the National Term Bank. The terminology products developed by TCS will not only be disseminated to these PanSALB structures, but will also be distributed to other government departments at local, provincial and national level. Such distribution will be meant for optimal utilisation of these terminologies. Feedback and comments on the suitability of the terminology will be sought from these organisations and institutions. Only proper dissemination of lexicographical and terminographical information will allow standardised communication in South Africa. The official South African languages can then become functional languages in all spheres of life.
5.2. International collaboration
The South African terminology and lexicography practice can gain much from collaborating with relevant stakeholders via InfoTerm and TermNet. The international experts are willing to share their knowledge and expertise with South African colleagues. South African lexicographers and terminographers can gain a lot through attendance of meetings, seminars, conferences or contact via e-mail or personal liaison with international experts. The new knowledge can then be utilised to the advantage of the lexicography and terminology practices in South Africa.
6. Conclusion
The PanSALB structures are in place. There is willingness for collaboration amongst the various stakeholders who are members of these structures. There is a working relationship between PanSALB, the NLS and their structures. Indeed, there is a perfect workable situation for the development of terminology in South Africa. However, speakers of the official South African and other languages in South Africa will, according to Marivate (2001: 5) play the bigger role as: ‘They should take pride in their languages, use the languages in various domains, and exploit the indigenous knowledge systems embedded in these languages in order to avoid cultural stagnation.’
References
Marivate, C.N. 2001. A word from the CEO. PanSALB News. July – September 2001:
5.
Molosankwe, I. 2001. PanSALB’s Advisory Structures (PLCs and NLBs). PanSALB News. July – September 2001: 1-5.
Van Schalkwyk, D.J. 1995. Co-operative Lexicography. In J. Cajot et al. Lingua Theodisca: Beiträge zur Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft (Jan Goossens zum 65 Geburtstag) (Niederlande-Studien 16/1): 575-586. Münster: Lit.