Afrikaans and the university language debate (Part 2): The ‘costs’ of institutional bilingualism - Part 2 - 2

Origin date: 2 December 2019
Updated: 2 Dec 2020

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Summary

Within the domain of higher education, the decline of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction comes on the back of a more fundamental shift: The gradual erasure of the longstanding white institutional division between Afrikaans universities and what used to be called English liberal universities. On the eve of South Africa’s democratic dispensation, a language deal was reached between the incumbent National Party and the aspirant African National Congress. The nine African languages that had previously received sub-national recognition within the “grand apartheid” Bantustan system were granted official status, alongside Afrikaans and English.

How we know this

01Hill, L. (Dr.). (2019). Afrikaans and the university language debate (Part 2): The ‘costs’ of institutional bilingualismfrom Daily Maverick, 2 December 2019. Available at https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-12-02-afrikaans-and-the-university-language-debate-part-2-the-costs-of-institutional-bilingualism/?tl_inbound=1&tl_groups[0]=80895&tl_period_type=3&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Afternoon%20Thing%20Monday%202%20December%202019%20Audi%20A7&utm_content=Afternoon%20Thing%20Monday%202%20December%202019%20Audi%20A7+CID_4487655facf3fb61fb2c7f7b359a1e84&utm_source=TouchBasePro&utm_term=Afrikaans%20and%20the%20university%20language%20debate%20Part%202%20The%20costs%20of%20institutional%20bilingualism . Accessed on 2 December 2019

Last updated · 2 Dec 2020

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2019, December 4). Afrikaans and the university language debate (Part 2): The ‘costs’ of institutional bilingualism - Part 2 - 2. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/R-0149791

South African History Online (2019) 'Afrikaans and the university language debate (Part 2): The ‘costs’ of institutional bilingualism - Part 2 - 2', South African History Online, 4 December. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/R-0149791 (Accessed: 29 August 2026).

South African History Online, Afrikaans and the university language debate (Part 2): The ‘costs’ of institutional bilingualism - Part 2 - 2 [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/R-0149791, (accessed 29 August 2026).

"Afrikaans and the university language debate (Part 2): The ‘costs’ of institutional bilingualism - Part 2 - 2." South African History Online, 4 Dec. 2019, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/R-0149791. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Afrikaans and the university language debate (Part 2): The ‘costs’ of institutional bilingualism - Part 2 - 2." South African History Online. December 4, 2019. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/R-0149791.