32: The Intellectualization of African Languages

The Academic Citizen

African scholarship wears a linguistic mask, making it invisible to the majority in Africa, accessible only to those with keys manufactured in Europe” Ngugi wa Thiong’o (2017). In this episode “Intellectualization of African Languages”, Dr Nosipho Mngomezulu reflects with Associate Prof Brenda Mhlambi, Head of Department of African Languages (University of the Witwatersrand) on the major factors responsible for the low status and restricted roles for African languages in South African higher education institutions. They discuss key themes of decolonization of higher education, African languages beyond orature, nationalism, young people’s linguistic creativity and the impact of evolving linguistic practices on and off-line on higher education. Photo Cred: Samantha Sophia