Abstract

ALBERTS, Marietta. A comparison between related languages, including Bildts and Afrikaans. Tydskr. geesteswet. [online]. 2024, vol.64, n.4, pp.695-719. ISSN 2224-7912.  https://doi.org/10.17159/2224-7912/2024/v64n4a9.

This article focuses on similarities between isolated but related language varieties, especially Bildts and Afrikaans, both of which developed spontaneously and managed to survive. They share a similar lexical heritage and show similarities in certain terminological areas, especially in agriculture. The terminologies of these and similar language varieties, such as Low German, Friesian and Dutch, will receive attention. Historically, these language varieties were mutually comprehensible. The different language families and their genealogical relationships are discussed in this article, with special emphasis on Low German, Friesian, Bildts and Afrikaans. In the case of Afrikaans, the development of Afrikaans from Cape Dutch to Standard Afrikaans is discussed in broad terms. All of these language varieties were initially only spoken languages that were eventually reduced to writing, which required that their word-formation principles and spelling and orthographic rules be recorded. This process, as well as the documentation of the written form of languages or language varieties, lead to the development of lexicographical and terminographical products. Certain similarities between Bildts, Afrikaans and the official African languages (i.e. the Sintu languages) of South Africa are also discussed. It is interesting to note that related languages can share terms even though they are used on different continents. In addition, it is noteworthy that non-related languages used on the same continent or on different continents can share terms, for instance through the processes of transliteration and borrowing. A language, dialect or language variety has a better chance of developing (and surviving) if it is standardised and the standard form is recognised and accepted, because the standard variety facilitates word and term creation. Language development stimulates the practice of lexicography and terminography. The attitude of language users, establishments dedicated to the promotion of the language concerned and governments also determines whether a language will develop and be used and standardised. In Friesland, the Fryske Akademy and in Het Bildt, the Bildtse Akademie, or Stichting Ons Bildt, are concerned with the furtherance ofthe languages for which they were founded, namely Friesian and Bildts, respectively. These bodies regulate the spelling and orthographic rules and dictionary compilation in their respective languages. In South Africa, the former dispensation of two official languages favoured the development of Afrikaans. Numerous general and technical bilingual dictionaries were compiled between 1925 and 1995. The Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal ("Dictionary of the Afrikaans Language") is a comprehensive monolingual Afrikaans dictionary - an ongoing project since 1925. The current multilingual dispensation was introduced by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993, section 3(9) ofwhich providedfor, among other things, the equal treatment of the eleven South African languages recognised as official languages. This was incorporated in the Constitution, 1996, as well. In 2023, South African Sign Language was included in section 6(1) of the Constitution, 1996, as an official language. Eleven National Lexicography Units were established to develop monolingual dictionaries for each of the official languages. The National Lexicography Unit for South African Sign Language is in the process of being established. South African terminology practice is coordinated by the Terminology Coordination Section, a directorate within the National Language Service of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. A national term bank serves as a national repository for the dissemination of multilingual polythematic terminology in South Africa. Several institutions develop terminology in their respective fields, but these activities are not properly coordinated, which leads to duplication of projects and results in a proliferation of terms for the same concept in the same subject field and/or language. In order to survive, a language should be developed and used and should enable communication in all spheres of human activity. If a language loses its ability so to function, its value diminishes and its linguistic community moves to another, more suitable language. The users of Afrikaans (and the other official South African languages) could learn much from the small number of users of the Bildts language as far as language maintenance and determination is concerned.

Keywords : dialect; heritage; lexicography; lexicon; non-related language; regional speech; related language; similarity; terminology; variety.

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