African Languages
Welcome to Stellenbosch University

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COURSE INFORMATION

The Department of African Languages offers isiXhosa, which is also an official language of the Western Cape Province, as an undergraduate module. The general aim of these undergraduate modules in isiXhosa is to develop students' communication skills in isiXhosa and to provide an introduction to first and second language learners of isiXhosa to the two broad study fields: literature and linguistics.


1. BASIC XHOSA 114, 144 (INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION IN ISIXHOSA)

  • No prior knowledge of isiXhosa is required.
  • Students who have passed isiXhosa in the Matriculation examination may not take Basic Xhosa as a subject. This course is developed for students who have had no previous contact with isiXhosa.
  • Basic Xhosa is a fully-fledged first-year course. Only in Department exceptional cases this course may be acknowledged for the purpose of continuing to the study of isiXhosa at second - third year level (214/244 – 318/348).
  • Basic Xhosa equips students with the basic communication skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing in isiXhosa.


2. ISIXHOSA 178 (INTRODUCTION TO ISIXHOSA LANGUAGE AND CULTURE)

  • No prior knowledge of isiXhosa is required.
  • Leads to the second-third year course in isiXhosa (214/ 244 – 318/348).
  • Xhosa 178 has two additional components, namely literature and linguistics. This is required because Xhosa 178 leads to the second year Xhosa course.
  • The course is geared towards social communication and everyday situations, which are applicable to any career choice.
  • The course is language-related culture for basic communication in isiXhosa.


3. ISIXHOSA 188 (INTRODUCTION TO ISIXHOSA LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE)

  • IsiXhosa 188 is geared towards students who have passed isiXhosa or Zulu as first language on a Matric level, or who have
  • a high level of communication skills in either isiXhosa or Zulu.
  • This course includes a study of the literature and language theory of isiXhosa, and the theory and practice of effective verbal and written communication in a variety of communication contexts, e.g:
    • Personal communication
    • Organisational communication
    • Persuasion
    • Mass communication
    • Negotiation
    • Political communication
    • Pragmatics
  • Leads to the second-third year course in isiXhosa (224/ 254 – 328/358).

Authentic isiXhosa material from magazines, newspapers, radio and television programs are used in the above-mentioned courses. Computer-aided presentations are also used in the teaching of specific components.


CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

The multi-lingual South African community has a variety of communicative needs, and a knowledge of at least one African language is vital for effective functioning in respect of communication needs on both a personal and professional level. Good communication abilities in an African language and an insight into aspect of communication of the African Languages is a

great benefit in the workplace, in practically any career. A good knowledge of the literature, language theory and communication aspects of isiXhosa, is of particular value in any career which requires language and communication skills in IsiXhosa. These careers include those of language teachers and language teaching practitioners (who teach isiXhosa to adults for specific work-related needs), publishing houses, translators and language and communication divisions in the government sector as well as in the business world, as well as people involved in advertising and the broadcast media.


SOME B.A. PROGRAMMES WITH ISIXHOSA AS A SUBJECT

The following are some of the new B.A. degree programmes in which isiXhosa can be studied as one of the subjects:

  • B.A. in language and culture (isiXhosa III) with various language subjects and social sciences subjects. In addition, music may be taken as subject in which the following aspects are studied: Music Skills - notation and musical elements; Western Music, Township music; Traditional African Music, Music in advertisements, films, videos etc. Choir and singing South African Music Playing of a musical instrument.
  • B.A. in Fine Arts with subjects like Western Art, South African Art and African Art
  • B. in Drama and Theatre Studies includes study odf the following:
    • Theatre in Western Drama
    • Drama texts
    • Drama in the media and films
    • African theatre and drama
    • South African theatre
  • B. Psychology - A degree in Psychology that equips students with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to meet the need for psycho logical services at the primary mental health level (isiXhosa II).
  • B.A. in Humanities (isiXhosa III) - A unique programme in which students choose from a wide range of B.A. subjects, which equips them with insight into the problems of South Africa in the 21st century.


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