Browsing by Author "Swart, Christel"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    'n Houdingsondersoek na die taalbeleid en taalplan van die Universiteit Stellenbosch : die houdings van derdejaarstudente en dosente
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-12) Swart, Christel; De Stadler, L. G.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept of Afrikaans and Dutch.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study researches the extent to which the attitudes of third year students and lecturers toward the Stellenbosch University (SU) language policy changed since the previous attitude studies were conducted – with specific reference to the Leibowitz-study (2006). To demonstrate this an empirical study was done in 2015, with both qualitative and quantitative data, among third year students and lecturers in five faculties of the SU. Attitudes toward language and language policy, which could also determine behaviour related to the policy – as was seen at various instances in the history of South Africa – is an important aspect of the successful implementation of a language policy. When attitudes toward a specific policy is negative, it could potentially influence how the policy is accepted as well as the willingness to apply the policy in question. Attitudes, however, are not static, which is why it is of importance to conduct research on this matter on a regular basis and to test these attitudes, as it can change in accordance with the changing context in which the policy is implemented. When revising a language policy these changing attitudes should be kept in mind. Among other things, the contextualisation of the SU language policy (both the contemporary and historical contexts) pointed out that the circumstances in which the SU language policy is applied, changed – especially over the past decade. This would necessarily have led to changing attitudes toward the Language Policy, but also toward Afrikaans as an important issue in the SU language debate. From the results of the survey it is evident that attitudes regarding Afrikaans have changed since the previous studies. Other important attitude shifts were also noted from the empirical results, including attitudes regarding the importance of the languages in question (Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa), the role of multilingualism, attitudes regarding the importance of English, the language preferences of students and lecturers, the use of more than one language in class rooms, as well as attitudes toward different language options and the implementation of the Language Policy within the specific faculties.