The 24th International Conference of the African Languages Association of Southern Africa (ALASA) recently took place at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg from September 26 to 29, 2023.
Hosted by the Tshwane University of Technology’s Department of Applied Languages in collaboration with the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), the conference addressed the intellectualisation of African languages beyond the fundamental requirement of literacy.
Beyond Intellectualisation Insights from the 24th ALASA International Conference
The conference was themed “Beyond the intellectualisation of African languages for awakening potential in Africa.” It aimed to promote research in indigenous African languages and explore innovative ideas to advance their development.
Bringing Global Experts Together
The event brought together global intergenerational experts in various language fields, providing a platform for collaborative efforts to identify and address issues hindering the development of African languages.
Dr Tebogo Rakgogo’s Perspective
Dr Tebogo Rakgogo, Head of Department at Applied Languages, PanSALB board member, and Chairperson of the conference’s organizing committee, expressed gratitude for hosting the conference. He emphasized the need to dispel the notion that African languages have no place in an increasingly hegemonic and globalized society.
African Languages’ Competitiveness
Dr. Rakgogo highlighted the conference’s goal to showcase that African languages can compete academically, professionally, and globally. He stressed that these languages can effectively convey a broad range of human expressions and subjects if their development is fervently pursued.
Appropriate Use of Intellectualised Languages
Discussions during the conference emphasized the importance of using intellectualized languages in various sectors, including government, education, business, professions, mass communication, foreign relations, and information technology.
Focus Areas for Intellectualised Languages
The identified areas for appropriate use of intellectualized languages include government stakeholders, the education system at all levels, business, commerce, industry, professions like engineering and medicine, mass communication, creative writing, foreign relations, international business banking, trade and commerce, and information technology.
Conference Sessions and Presentations
Each day of the conference featured plenary sessions and breakaway sessions where experts presented papers on linguistics and related fields, focusing on the conference theme.
Recognition at the Gala Dinner
During the conference gala dinner, Dr. Yanga Majola from the Department of Applied Languages received an award for the best PhD thesis, acknowledging outstanding contributions to the field.
In summary, the ALASA conference underscored the readiness to move beyond the intellectualization of African languages, emphasizing their significance in diverse sectors and promoting their development on a global scale.
Click below to view the live stream
- Day 1 – https://fb.watch/nB0Hq-dVQ6/
- Day 2/3 – https://fb.watch/nB0MOgJqu4/
- Day 4 – https://fb.watch/nB0ODnq0Fg/