Media News South Africa

Rewarding multilingualism

Nominations for the 2010/11 Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) Multilingual Awards are open and close for entries on 1 March 2011. The awards, which include a Media category, recognise individuals and organisations that actively promote and preserve South Africa's 11 official languages, as well as Khoi, San, Nama and sign language.
Rewarding multilingualism

Categories

  • Music: Open to individuals and groups, for multilingualism in song or an album
  • Media (Thetha Masombuka Award): Open to journalists and programmes in the print or broadcast media, which help to promote and preserve mother tongue while demonstrating respect for any of the other official languages or for Khoi, San, Nama or sign language
  • Language and literature: Open to organisations and individuals, for example writers, who help to promote and preserve the official languages as well as Khoi, San, Nama and sign language
  • Technology and business category: Open to organisations and individuals, for harnessing technology to promote multilingualism in business or consumer affairs
  • Public sector category: Open to national, provincial and local departments, district municipalities and constitutional bodies, for the best service delivery campaign, project or programme that promotes multilingualism
  • Education category: Open to institutions of learning, for multilingualism in their language policy, study guides and the courses they offer
  • Interpretation and translation category: Open to organisations and individuals, for projects that promote multilingualism
  • Chairperson's Lifetime Achievement Award: To the individual or institution adjudged by the judges to have made the greatest contribution to multilingualism

"PANSALB is calling on all agencies, organisations and individuals working in South African indigenous languages to enter the awards. Members of the public are also encouraged to nominate those who promote our South African languages in these various categories," says PanSALB acting CEO, Chris Swepu.

The 2011 awards ceremony promises colourful festivities and will showcase Khoi, San, Nama and sign language, which are recognised by the constitution but not as official South African languages.

Entry forms are available on the website www.pansalb.org.za.

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