Intellectualisation Projects

Intellectualisation projects

The University Language Planning and Development Office (ULPDO) is charged with a mammoth responsibility of operationalising the University Language Policy and Plan on an annual basis. Since 2013, it has embarked on a multipronged African languages’ intellectualisation project. These Running Projects include but not limited to Bua le nna, IsiZulu National Corpus (INC), Bilingual Tutorials and Doctoral Abstracts Translation (DR9).

Bua Le Nna

Synopsis: The Bua le Nna (Let’s Talk) program, a running project, is part of implementing multilingualism at the University to initiate and foster social cohesion within the University community in the student residences. The purpose of the program is to teach conversational Sesotho to non-Sesotho-speaking students. The project, initiated in 2014, is important in creating both linguistic and cultural awareness and tolerance within the university’s diverse (multilingual and multicultural) student body.

Objectives:
To teach conversational Sesotho Language to non-Sesotho speaking UKZN students

To strengthen and intensify social cohesion amongst UKZN students.
To mobilize students to take pride in their own languages and cultures.
To popularize UKZN language policy and Plan
To create multilingual community
To strengthen social cohesion amongst the society in general
To achieve full participation in the UKZN Language Policy and Plan.

isiZulu Corpus Building

Synopsis: One of the major initiatives towards the development of isiZulu is the building of an isiZulu National Corpus (INC). A Corpus is a carefully designed and systematically collected natural language data from a variety of text types and sources following a particular set of principles, which constitutes a sample that statistically reflects the use of that particular language, and is stored and accessed by means of computers.

Objectives:

To develop the open-source isiZulu corpus that can be accessed easily and used for different purposes such as research and development of Human Language Technologies (HLTs).

To promote the isiZulu as provided for in the University of KwaZulu-Natal language policy
To develop the isiZulu National Corpus as important reservoirs for the development of robust Human Language Technologies and for posterity.
To promote the development of isiZulu to be a language of research and innovation while accentuating the role of English as a primary academic language

DR9

Synopsis : The DR9 rule is a graduation requirement enforced by the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), which compels all PhD graduates at UKZN to have bilingual (English and isiZulu) thesis abstracts reflected on their thesis. This project is administered by the ULPDO. The DR9 project seeks to implement the University’s Language Policy and Plan and the ULPDO’s vision and mission, which is to be the centre of excellence in the promotion, development and the scientification of indigenous languages with specific reference to isiZulu. Also, to embrace and foster functional bilingualism at the UKZN through the promotion of equitable use of English and isiZulu as provided for in the University Language Policy. The ULPDO works closely with all College administrators and Library services to ensure that the DR9 project runs smoothly.

Objectives:
The focus of the ULPDO is to have all PhD graduate abstracts received from colleges translated to isiZulu and/or English.

To promote the isiZulu as provided for in the University of KwaZulu-Natal language policy
To make isiZulu the language of administration, teaching and learning, research, and innovation.

Bilingual Tutorials

Synopsis : The Bilingual Tutorial Training programme is specially designed to train and equip tutors with the appropriate skills to facilitate tutorial sessions bilingually, i.e. using both English and isiZulu in tutorials. ULPDO works closely with the discipline coordinators and lecturers in various disciplines to ensure that the bilingual tutorial training workshops for all disciplines are a success. The programme is facilitated by lecturers from the UKZN School of Education, Edgewood Campus.

Objectives:

To promote the use of isiZulu and English in the classrooms
To disseminate the developed isiZulu terminology.
To train the tutors and learners to teach and learn bilingually.
To make isiZulu the language of administration, teaching and learning, research and innovation.

Terminology Development

Synopsis: The development of African languages has been the subject of scepticism for the longest time. The sceptics were lamenting lack of requisite jargon in the African languages as a hindrance. It has been said that the African languages cannot articulate the scientific rigor that is expected at higher level of education, research, administration, trade, science or technology. It is therefore for this reason that the University of KwaZulu-Natal through ULPDO prioritised Terminology Development in order to boost the use of these African languages with specific focus on isiZulu. Language pundits view this field as central to the intellectualisation of a language. The University has embarked on the institution-wide development of glossaries, thesaurus, and dictionaries both text and online is critical.