International Mother Language Day: 'Use it, preserve it!'

Abongile Nzelenzele speaks to Professor Nhlanhla Mpofu of Language Education at Stellenbosch University about International Mother Language Day, celebrated every year on 21 February. 

What's International Mother Tongue Day? 

International Mother Language Day is observed annually around the world on 21 February to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism and linguistic diversity. 

The day was declared by UNESCO in recognition of the significance of the Bengali Language Movement in 1999. Since then, this day has been celebrated to encourage the use of mother languages as a tool to preserve and transmit culture.

South Africa has lots to celebrate as it's home to 12 official languages with each granted equal status in the Constitution. That is important because language binds us to culture, aids how we perceive the world, and how we communicate, and allows us to be global citizens, says Mpofu.

Each year the day is celebrated under a specific theme.

This year's theme is... multilingual education – a pillar of learning and intergenerational learning.

Mpofu says the day is reserved for:

• Acknowledging the importance of mother languages.
• Making concerted efforts to protect mother languages.
• Celebrating achievements in how we use mother languages in different spheres of our lives.

To preserve your mother language, you have to use it.

"The preservation of your language is through its usage."

- Professor Nhlanhla Mpofu, Stellenbosch University

How can educators support students in using their mother language at school?

"When you have the conversation about mother languages, it becomes a very emotive and a political issue and we understand why but it is through our language that we have access to the world. So, if we do not help learners develop their mother language, it will be difficult to transfer their mother language skills into the acquision of a second language."

- Professor Nhlanhla Mpofu, Stellenbosch University

Mother languages also help learners preserve their cultural identity in the learning process, says Mpofu...

"A mother language acts as a prior linguistic resource for learners to be able to use English or Afrikaans as a second language."

- Professor Nhlanhla Mpofu, Stellenbosch University

Mpofu says it would be helpful for teachers to ask:

"How can we package languages in such a way that we have English as a language  of learning and teaching, but how does the learner's mother language come in so learning is accessible for all?"

- Professor Nhlanhla Mpofu, Stellenbosch University

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.