Multilingualism for empowerment

This 9th edition of the Studies in Language Policy in South Africa series follows on the 2012 MIDP Symposium, “Multilingualism for Empowerment”, held on the QwaQwa campus of the University of the Free State on 11?12 September 2012.
It includes the proceedings of a selection of papers, both from local and international scholars. The objective of the symposium was to draw together scholars from different fi elds and countries that work in the broad area of language in South Africa or study multilingual policies and practices which fit the conference theme in other regions or countries.
The South African legislative framework for language provides for a mixed approach towards institutionalised multilingualism. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the required language legislation, policies and regulations are not efficiently implemented as English is fast becoming the de facto official and national language.
Nevertheless, studies on language practices at grass-roots level in South Africa do point to empowering policymaking initiatives that take cognisance of societal multilingualism and which benefit citizens. It is the contention of the contributors to this book that from a language interventionist perspective these local solutions are often not taken into account when top-down policies are formulated and approaches to language regulation developed.
It may be argued that a more coherent approach to institutionalised multilingualism will contribute to the empowerment of citizens at grass-roots level and to the broadening of democracy. This book presents important insights into language issues in education (both on school and tertiary level), service delivery, language ideology and politics, onomastics and legal aspects of language. Scholars in the field will find it useful and the insights offered stimulating.