Abstract
2.2 LITERATURE PART A
2.2.6 LITERATURE ON MULTILINGUALISM AND THE ECONOMY Bradley (1997) asserts that;
relevant matters. The prestige of English over other languages I believe does not give citizens equal democracy
2.2.6 LITERATURE ON MULTILINGUALISM AND THE ECONOMY
discuss it among themselves and with outsiders without the barrier of somebody else‟s language”. True to that are the local government‟s initiative programmes such as Vukuzenzele (by Department of Transport), Food for Waste programme etc. In these local projects, local people are being provided with skills training offered in their languages. At the end of the day people are trading their products in their local languages hence challenging the world market opportunities.
To take this discussion further, the West African women‟s markets are a case in point. Women in these markets take charge of their own economic independence and engage in trading activities. It is notable that 65% of the Nigerian economy arises from the informal sectors, in which the women‟s markets comprise a significant and growing part. When participating in the everyday workings of these markets, the women use local, regional and sometimes pidgin languages in ways that reinforce their own carefully structured, market based social and welfare systems. Young women are inducted into market via apprenticeships that include the teaching and learning of unwritten codes of conduct in local languages. As per analyses revealed by Robinson (1996) that, “intricate socio- political mechanisms whereby multilingual language use provides a resource for economic development. The intersection of local languages and economic autonomy offers women alternatives to the male oriented formal sectors, which elsewhere frequently renders women invisible, dependent and inferior” (p.90).
This is true when one observes women in rural areas of South Africa, especially KZN, waking up early in the dawn with babies on their backs carrying them to their places of work to do their arts and craft projects.
Far from being an aberration that can be wished away, the informal sector,”
deserves all possible assistance in areas such as management training and credit” comments, Bruthiaux, (2001: 282). This aid should be provided in the languages used in „private‟ sectors as well. This is of direct advantage to the linguistic communities themselves. Bruthiaux, also mentions numerous examples of how the development of local economic control of grassroots projects, through
bookkeeping and accountancy practice in local languages, have given rise to a flourishing use of local languages in processes of political concretization.
A telling example of how the development and cultivation of languages and local literacy for economic purposes bring advantages to the individuals well-being and beyond the purely material, is illustrated by women‟s literacy in Mozambique. In this case, when the women learnt to read and to write ostensibly to manage bookkeeping in their agricultural collective, they immediately started to employ their new skills to write letters to their husbands, migrant labourers in the South African mines. This kind of skill, has allowed them to create a unique, gendered, female private space after having earlier been forced to rely on (male) literacy brokers, where they were subject to surveillance, further explains Bruthiaux (2001). The question at hand that we need to ask ourselves is why is it imperative for South Africa to implement a multilingual policy in our workplaces and economy?
To conclude this discussion, one has to remember that in this approach an attempt is made to stress the advantage of being multilingual. Multilingualism not only gives one access to different cultures and literatures but also allows one to compete for jobs in a much wider range of markets. This research has revealed perhaps one out of many questions that any reader can pose in this regard which is, Why is it imperative for South Africa to implement a multilingual policy in our workplaces and economy, quite a few are listed below,
Democratisation of the workplace is part of the process of transforming our society in general, and part of developing a human rights culture and practice. Respect for other peoples‟ languages and culture is part and parcel of this;
Literacy for the society at large and the workforce in particular will contribute to an informed workforce and to further development.
Educationists assert that literacy is best run in the primary languages of the learners;
The need for efficiency and productivity in our economy requires effective communication, collaboration and co-operation, and sharing of information which involves utilising the languages of the workforce;
Constitutionally and legally, we are required to respect and accommodate the linguistic and cultural diversity of all the members society and in this case the workforce;
The imperatives for economic growth requires the involvement of all the citizens as far as is possible in productive economic activities. This involvement can also encourage job creation, and entepreneurial ventures. Multilingual training programmes and multilingual practices can guarantee the involvement of all;
Language skills will enable all the citizens to make a contribution to the general production and economic growth, and positive work ethic attitudes;
The need for accessing markets internally and externally requires that multilingual policies and practices should be developed and pursued by the business sector;
The low levels of competency in English limit the levels of participation in the workplace. Even where an employee has a basic knowledge in English or any language for that matter, this does not enable a person to function effectively and adequately at a complex production, business, and technical level.
Even though some industries are involved in English literacy programmes, sufficient language competency will take a long time to develop to a point where people can function effectively and adequately in the acquired language.
Experience has shown that people or learners receiving education and training in a foreign language under-perform compared to those who use their first or primary language.
Australia has progressed further in terms of this approach than most other multilingual counties. Thus, the Japanese language in Australia is not seen as problem but as a resource that enables Australians to do business with Japan more successfully than other counties who try to do business in English.
2.2.7 THE ROLE OF ISIZULU IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR