LIN1502/104/0/2024

Tutorial Letter 104/0/2024

Multilingualism: the role of languages

in South Africa

LIN1502

Semester 2

Linguistics and Modern Languages

This tutorial letter contains important information about your module.

HTR4801
 LIN1502/104

CONTENTS
Page

1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Assessment due dates ................................................................................................................ 3
1.2 Submission of assessments ........................................................................................................ 4
2. ASSESSMENTS.......................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Assignment 1 (5 August 2024) .................................................................................................... 5
2.2 Assignment 2 (2 September 2024) .............................................................................................. 5
2.3 Assignment 3 (16 September 2024) ............................................................................................ 8
2.4 Assignment 4 (No deadline) ........................................................................................................ 8
2 Answers to self-assessment Assignment 4 .......................................................................... 16
1.3.1 Plagiarism .................................................................................................................................. 21
1.3.2 Cheating .................................................................................................................................... 21
For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below: ............................................................... 22
4. STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES ........................................................................................ 22
5. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS .............................................................................................. 22
6. SOURCES CONSULTED ................................................................................................................. 22
7. IN CLOSING...................................................................................................................................... 22
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1 INTRODUCTION
Dear Student

Welcome to your Tutorial letter 104 which contains all your assignments for this semester
course.
Please take note of the following important points:

• Examination admission. To gain admission to the examination, you need to:

o Complete assignment 1 by the due date.
o Obtain a year mark average of 50% for the three assignments.
• Assessment 4: This assessment does not count towards your year mark and you do
not hand it in. Please mark it using the feedback provided at the end of the
assessment.
• Extensions. Extensions will only be granted in special cases, for example in
instances of illness or bereavement. In such cases the maximum extension period is
normally 14 days. If you need an extension, please telephone or e-mail us and explain
your predicament.
• Referencing. If you quote information directly from your study guide, please
remember to place that quote in inverted commas and include a citation, giving
the author, date of publication and the page number. For example: "Linguistics
is the formal study of language” (Sanderson 2014, iv). This is an important
academic convention, because you cannot copy information and use someone else’s
exact words while pretending it is your own work. Where possible, always use your
own words; use quotes as little as possible.

We hope you will find the m odule interesting and rewarding. Good luck with your studies.
Ms J Raison Prof MN Ngcobo
Module Leader Secondary Lecturer

1.1 Assessment due dates

Assignment Percentage Due date

towards year mark
Assignment 1 10% 05 August 2024, 11:00 pm

Assignment 2 45% 2 September 2024, 11.00 pm

Assignment 3 45% 16 September 2024, 11.00 pm

Assignment 4 0% No Deadline

Your final mark for this module is calculated as follows:

year mark (three assignments) 20% + examination mark 80% = final mark.
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1.2 Submission of assessments

• Unisa, as a comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CODeL), is moving

towards becoming an online institution. You will therefore see that all your study material,
assessments and engagements with your lecturer and fellow students will take place
online. We use myUnisa as our virtual campus.

• The myUnisa virtual campus will offer students access to the myModules site, where
learning material will be available online and where assessments should be completed.
This is an online system that is used to administer, document, and deliver educational
material to students and support engagement between academics and students.

• The myUnisa platform can be accessed via https://my.unisa.ac.za. Click on the

myModules 2024 button to access the online sites for the modules that you are
registered for.

• The university undertakes to communicate clearly and as frequently as is necessary to

ensure that you obtain the greatest benefit from the use of the myModules learning
management system. Please access the announcements on your myModules site
regularly, as this is where your lecturer will post important information to be shared with
you.

• When you access your myModules site for the module/s you are registered for, you will
see a welcome message posted by your lecturer. Below the welcome message you will
see the assessment shells for the assessments that you need to complete. Some
assessments may be multiple choice, some tests, others written assessments, some
forum discussions, and so on. All assessments must be completed on the assessment
shells available on the respective module platforms.

• To complete quiz assessments, please log on to the module site where you need to
complete the assessment. Click on the relevant assessment shell (Assessment 1,
Assessment 2, etc.). There will be a date on which the assessment will open for you.
When the assessment is open, access the quiz online and complete it within the time
available to you. Quiz assessment questions are not included in this tutorial letter and
are only made available online. You must therefore access the quiz online and complete
it online where the quiz has been created.

• It is not advisable to use a cell phone to complete the quiz. Please use a desktop
computer, tablet or laptop when completing the quiz. Students who use a cell phone find
it difficult to navigate the Online Assessment tool on the small screen and often struggle
to navigate between questions and successfully complete the quizzes. In addition, cell
phones are more vulnerable to dropped internet connections than other devices. If at all
possible, please do not use a cell phone for this assessment type.

• For written assessments, please note the due date by which the assessment must be
submitted. Ensure that you follow the guidelines given by your lecturer to complete the
assessment. Click on the submission button on the relevant assessment shell on
myModules. You will then be able to upload your written assessment on the myModules
site of the modules that you are registered for. Before you finalise the upload, double
 LIN1502/104
check that you have selected the correct file for upload. Remember, no marks can be
allocated for incorrectly submitted assessments.

2. ASSESSMENTS
You need to complete all the assignments for this module.

2.1 Assignment 1 (5 August 2024)

Aim

The aim of this assignment is to help you familiarise yourself with the content of your Tutorial
Letter and your Study Guide.

ASSESSMENT 01

This assessment counts 10% of your year mark. The assessment has to be submitted by the due
date for you to obtain admission to the examination. This assessment contains multiple choice
questions. Please access this assessment online on myUnisa.

Instructions

Familiarise yourself with the content of Tutorial Letter LIN1502/101/2024 as well as the
structure of your Study Guide, Multilingualism: The Role or Languages in South Africa, and
then answer the Multiple-Choice Quiz under Assessment 1 on myUnisa. You will need access
to both your Tutorial Letter and your Study Guide in order to answer the questions. You have
one attempt to complete this Quiz, however, there is no time limit once you have begun your
attempt.

2.2 Assignment 2 (2 September 2024)

ASSESSMENT 02

This assessment counts 45% of your year mark. This is a written assessment and needs to be
submitted under Assessment 2 on myUnisa.

Aim

The aim of this assignment is to prompt you to work through Study Units 1 – 6 of your Study
Guide.

Instructions

Please read through Study Units 1 to Chapter 6 in Multilingualism: The Role or Languages in
South Africa for this assignment. This is a written assignment, please type the answers and
save the document as a PDF, or hand-write your answers then scan and save it as a PDF,and
submit your assignment under Assignment 2 on myUnisa.

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Please pay attention to the mark allocation for each question, indicated in brackets. There are
three questions in this assignment, each question counts a total of 10 marks, and the entire
assignment is marked out of 30.

Question 1
Read the following dialogue and answer the questions that follow.
Mother: Do you want the duckie? Whose duckie is this?
(Mother shows Dinesh a toy duck)
Dinesh: Mine.
Mother: That’s right! It’s Dinesh’s duckie. Should I put duckie away?
(Mother speaks slowly and clearly)
Dinesh: No.
Mother: Okay. Let’s keep duckie out.

1.a. What word stage is Dinesh likely to be in and how old is he? Motivate your answer with
characteristics of that word stage. (4)
1.b. Is the mother using caretaker speech or not? Motivate your answer with examples from the
dialogue. (6)
Question 1 total [10]
Question 2
Read the conversation below between Damon and Mario. Then read through the entries
selected from The Online Dictionary of South African English on the southafrica-info.com
website. Thereafter, answer the two questions which follow.
Conversation
Damon: Howzit my china!
Kevin: Howzit bru.
Damon: Skim we go grab a bunny?
Kevin: Kif!

Entries from the Online Dictionary

china (noun) – Friend, mate. From the Cockney rhyming slang “china plate” = “mate”.
bru (noun) – Term of affection, shortened from Afrikaans and Dutch broer (pronounced “broo-
er”), meaning “brother”.
bunny chow (noun) – Curry served in a hollowed-out half-loaf of bread, with the hollowed-out
piece of bread placed on top.
kif (adjective) – Cool, good, enjoyable. From the Arabic kayf (enjoyment, wellbeing).
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https://southafrica-info.com/arts-culture/dictionary-south-african-english/

2a. Is the language variety used by Damon and Kevin an example of standard language,
jargon or slang? Motivate your answer by referring to the information in your Study Guide and
giving four characteristics of this style of language. Please note that you will only receive marks
for characteristics taken from your Study Guide. (5)
2b. Match the terms in column A to the explanations in Column B. In your answer you only
need to write the number from column A and the letter of the correct explanation from column
B. For example: 1 - f
(5)

Column A Column B

1. Accent a. Varieties of a language that can be

understood by people who speak other
varieties of that same language.

2. Sociolect b. The language variety used in books

such as this Study Guide.

3. Dialect c. Black South African English (BSAE) is

an example of this.

4. Idiolect d. A language variety shared by people

of the same ethnic group or social class.

5. Ethnolect e. The variety of language that you as an

individual speak.

6. Standard language f. When two people speak the same

language but pronounce the words
differently.

Question 2 total [10]

Question 3
3a. Do you believe schools should educate learners in their mother-tongue? Give your opinion
and substantiate it by giving either the advantages of mother-tongue education or the
disadvantages. You will only be given marks for information taken from your Study Guide.
(5)
3b. Complete the following paragraph by filling in the missing words. You do not need to rewrite
the paragraph; you may simply write the number that appears in the blank space and write the
correct word next to it. For example: 1 – official language.
Papy moved to South Africa from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
His mother-tongue is French, which is the ________1________ language
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of the DRC. Papy attends a school in Johannesburg, where he is only
taught in English. This means there is a ___________2_____________
between the language he uses at home and the language he uses at
school. At his school, French is not supported, and Papy is learning
English at the expense of French. This means he is experiencing
_____________3______________ bilingualism as part of a
_____________4_____________ programme. Papy’s friend Albertine
attends a school that encourages the use of both English and French,
meaning the school practices ___________5_____________
bilingualism. Albertine’s school follows a ___________6_____________
programme; in grades 1 – 4 learners are taught either in English or French
(depending on their mother-tongue) and from grade 5 they are taught in
English, while French is given as a subject.
Question 3 total [10]
ASSIGNMENT TOTAL [30]

2.3 Assignment 3 (16 September 2024)

ASSESSMENT 03

This assessment counts 45% of your year mark. This assessment contains multiple choice
questions. Please access this assessment online on myUnisa.

Aim

The aim of this assignment is to assist you in your examination preparation by ensuring you
have worked through the entire Study Guide.

Instructions

Ensure you have worked through all the Study Units in Multilingualism: The Role or
Languages in South Africa, and then answer the Multiple-Choice Quiz under Assessment 3 on
myUnisa. You have one attempt to complete this Quiz, however, there is no time limit once
you have begun your attempt.

2.4 Assignment 4 (No deadline)

ASSESSMENT 4

Optional self-assessment

(Extra exam practice)

Weight: The assignment is optional and should not be submitted.

AIM
The aim of this optional assignment is to prepare you for the examination. This assignment
gives you extra practice in answering written and multiple-choice questions on
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sociolinguistics (Study Units 4-9 of your study guide). Your exam will include multiple-choice
questions and written questions on both Psycholinguistics and Sociolinguistics (Study Units
1-9)

INSTRUCTIONS
Read Study Units 4-9 of Multilingualism: The role of languages in South Africa.

Answer the following 20 multiple-choice questions (Section A) and 20 marks of written

questions (Section B). You should be able to complete this in an hour. (Your exam is 2
hours and consists of 40 multiple-choice questions and 40 marks for written questions.)

Mark it yourself using the model answers on page 40 to see whether you are sufficiently
prepared for the examination.

Read the following case study and then answer Questions 1 to 10. Some of the questions
relate directly to the case study while others test your knowledge of the relevant concepts
in a more
general way:

Population: 29 million
Languages spoken: 135-150 different languages
Kisukuma is spoken as a first language by 12.5% of the population
Kiswahili is spoken as a first language by 10% but known by 90% of the
population Kinyambwezi is spoken as a first language by 4.2% of the
population
English is known (mostly as L2 or L3) by 20% of the population
Official language: Kiswahili
Language of learning and teaching: Kiswahili at primary school, English at secondary
and tertiary level
Literacy level: 68%
Media: Printed and radio media are available in both English and Kiswahili

1. Which language has the most L1 speakers in Tanzania?

[1] Kisukuma
[2] Kiswahili
[3] Kinyambwezi
[4] English

2. Which language has the most L2 speakers in Tanzania?

[1] Kisukuma
[2] Kiswahili
[3] Kinyambwezi
[4] English

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[5] What percentage of Tanzanians receive mother-tongue education at primary
school?

[1] 4.2%
[2] 10%
[3] 12.5%
[4] 20%
[5] 90%

[6] Which language is a foreign language in Tanzania?

[1] Kisukuma
[2] Kiswahili
[3] Kinyambwezi
[4] English
[5] None of the above

5. Which language would fulfil the function of a national language in Tanzania?

[1] Kisukuma
[2] Kiswahili
[3] Kinyambwezi
[4] English
[5] None of the above.

6. Monolingual Kiswahili speakers cannot understand monolingual Kisukuma

speakers.These can be considered

[1] varieties of the same language

[2] two different ethnolects
[3] dialects of the same language
[4] mutually intelligible varieties
[5] two different languages.

7. Which of the following offers the best definition of the sociolinguistic term dialect?

[1] Dialects are mutually intelligible forms of different languages.

[2] A dialect is a substandard, low status, often rustic form of language.
[3] Dialects are language varieties associated with particular geographical areas.
[4] The term ‘dialect’ refers to languages that have no written form.
 HAPL481/104/0/2024

8. The term used for the linguistic situation in a country like Tanzania where most individuals
are bilingual is

[1] territorial monolingualism

[2] territorial multilingualism
[3] total bilingualism
[4] unstable bilingualism
[5] diglossia.

9. Tanzania’s educational policy involves a switch to English as a medium of instruction

from secondary school onwards. This is known as

[1] an immersion programme

[2] a submersion programme
[3] a dual language programme
[4] a transitional programme.

10. One disadvantage of choosing English as a language of learning and teaching at

higher levels would be that

[1] English is an international language

[2] most sectors of the population have a positive attitude to English
[3] it would benefit L1 English speakers at the expense of other language groups
[4] English textbooks are readily available
[5] None of the above.

11. To express the statement ‘Tell me what’s going on here’, middle class Coloureds use
‘Sê my wat gebeur hier’, while working class Coloureds use ‘Vertel my wat gat aan
hiesa’ or ‘Gee my wat gat só’. These are different

[1] idiolects
[2] dialects
[3] sociolects
[4] ethnolects
[5] languages.

12. A language variety associated with a particular race group is known as

[1] an idiolect
[2] a dialect
[3] a sociolect
[4] an ethnolect.

13. The Indian language Tamil is now spoken mainly by the oldest generation of Indians
in South Africa, with the younger generations usually monolingual in English. This
is an example of

[1] partial language shift

[2] total language shift
[3] sudden language death
[4] gradual language death.
11
14. Which of the following contributes to language shift?

[1] attitudes towards the language

[2] increased contact between languages
[3] persecution of speakers of the language
[4] migration of speakers to urban areas
[5] All of the above.

15. What is a rememberer

[1] Someone with a speech disability.
[2] Someone who knows a language imperfectly.
[3] Someone who was once fluent in a dying language but has lost proficiency due to
lack of practice.
[4] Someone who is learning a new language.

Read the following utterances and then answer Questions 16 to 18:

A Sherbert! I’ve forgotten to switch off the heater.

B It’s not quite what I had in mind.
C That car is absolutely gorgeous!
D Close the door when you leave.
E Which colour do you prefer: turquoise or avocado?

16. The sentence containing a euphemism is sentence

[1] A
[2] B
[3] C
[4] D
[5] E

17. The sentence that is not typical of women’s speech is sentence

[1] A
[2] B
[3] C
[4] D
[5] E

18. Which of the following statements is false?

[1] Women generally provide more feedback than men during conversation.
[2] Men generally ask more questions than women in conversation.
[3] Women often interrupt each other to build a shared conversation with overlapping turns.

19. Which of the following statements is false?

[1] Delayed language acquisition may have negative effects on the linguistic and
social development of children.
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 HAPL481/104/0/2024

[2] Lip-reading spoken language is the most beneficial language policy at schools for
deaf children.
[3] Early exposure to sign language is beneficial to deaf children.

20. On which spoken language is South African Sign Language (SASL) based?

[1] English
[2] Afrikaans
[3] Zulu
[4] A combination of English, Afrikaans and Zulu
[5] None of the above
[TOTAL 20]
Section B Question

Read the following case study and then answer the questions that follow. Some of the
questions relate directly to the case study while others test your knowledge of the relevant
concepts in a more general way:

In Paraguay in South America, there are two major languages:

Spanish and Guarani. According to research undertaken by Rubin
(1968 National Bilingualism in Paraguay), in the towns 4% of
speakers are monolingual (in either Spanish or Guarani) while 96%
are bilingual. In rural areas 34% are monolingual in Guarani while
66% are bilingual.

55% of the citizens speak Guarani as their L1. The school system
provides the first exposure to Spanish for many of these children.
Classes are entirely in Spanish from Grade 1. Children are expected
to learn to read, write and do arithmetic in Spanish without lessons
in that language. For a considerable time the exercises consist
completely of rote learning - where children repeat the teacher’s
utterances or memorise Spanish poems and stories with little
understanding. If a person remains in the rural area he rarely feels
any urgency about learning to speak Spanish (the official language).
Motivation to learn to speak Spanish is greater in the towns where
Spanish is often necessary for routine communication with some
citizens and is also learned by some to attain greater social status.

35% learnt both languages simultaneously as children, and 10% of

town dwellers learnt Spanish as L1. For Spanish L1 speakers, Guarani
is always learned informally as it is not taught at all at primary school
level. Most Spanish speakers’ exposure to Guarani came through
contacts with servants, through playing with other children or through
time spent in rural areas where Guarani dominates. Communication is
always the motivation for learning Guarani. It is never learnt to achieve
greater social status.

When bilinguals were asked which language they would use in a

variety of circumstances (e.g. with their spouse, sweetheart, children,
13
 boss, doctor, priest etc.), it emerged that Guarani was the language
of intimacy and solidarity. Spanish was used with strangers and in
more formal situations, such as doctor- patient or student-teacher.

(a) Would you define the Paraguayan situation as one of territorial monolingualism,
territorial multilingualism or diglossia? Justify your answer.

.................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................
(3)

(b) What kind of education (mother-tongue, immersion programme, submersion

programme, dual-language programme, transitional programme) is experienced by
(i) the Spanish L1 children in Paraguay? Explain your answer.

.................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................

(ii) the Guarani L1 children in Paraguay? Explain your answer.

.................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................
(4)

(c) (i) The motivation to learn Spanish as L2 in Paraguay is generally (a) instrumental OR
(b) integrative because

.................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................

(ii) The motivation to learn Guarani as L2 in Paraguay is generally (a) instrumental OR

(b) integrative because

.................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................
(4)

(d) Is Guarani normally learnt as an L2 spontaneously or through guided learning?

.................................................................................................................................................
(1)

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 HAPL481/104/0/2024

(12)
Question B Question 2

In this question you are asked to define codeswitching and then discuss the
issue of codeswitching from two different perspectives. Firstly give your personal view of
codeswitching and the reasons why you feel the way you do. Then give a more objective
linguist’s perspective on codeswitching.
Codeswitching is

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................
(3)

My personal opinion about codeswitching is

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................(2)

As a linguist in training, my view of codeswitching is

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................
(3)

TOTAL [40]

15
2 Answers to self-assessment Assignment 4

1. Which language has the most L1 speakers in Tanzania?

[1] < Kisukuma
[2] Kiswahili
[3] Kinyambwezi
[4] English

We are told that 12.5% of Tanzanians speak Kisukuma as L1.

2. Which language has the most L2 speakers in Tanzania?

[1] Kisukuma
[2] < Kiswahili
[3] Kinyambwezi
[4] English

The answer is [2] because 90% of Tanzanians know Kiswahili. Even though only 10% of
the population speak Kiswahili as L1, 90% speak it as an additional language.

3. What percentage of Tanzanians receive mother-tongue education at primary school?

[1] 4.2%
[2] <10%
[3] 12.5%
[4] 20%
[5] 90%

The answer is [2]. We are told in the data that the language of learning and teaching at
primary school is Kiswahili and that 10% of the population speak Kiswahili as a mother tongue.
Therefore 10% of Tanzanians receive mother-tongue education at primary school.

4. Which language is a foreign language in Tanzania?

[1] Kisukuma
[2] Kiswahili
[3] Kinyambwezi
[4] English
[5] < None of the above

The answer is [5] because, according to the information you have been given, all these
languages are spoken in Tanzania. A foreign language is a language that is not used in that
community. All the indigenous Tanzanian languages and Kiswahili and English are used, so
these do not qualify as foreign languages. French or Afrikaans would be examples of
foreign languages in the Tanzanian context.

5. Which language would fulfil the function of a national language in Tanzania?

[1] Kisukuma
[2] < Kiswahili
[3] Kinyambwezi
[4] English
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 HAPL481/104/0/2024

[5] None of the above

The answer is [2] as 90% of the population speak Kiswahili so this is the language that
comes closest to uniting Tanzanians as a nation. The other languages all have small speaker
numbers and would not function to unite the country.

6. Monolingual Kiswahili speakers cannot understand monolingual Kisukuma

speakers.
These can be considered

[1] varieties of the same language

[2] two different ethnolects
[3] dialects of the same language
[4] mutually intelligible varieties
[5] < two different languages.

The answer is [5]. If speakers of Kiswahili and Kisukuma do not understand each other,
then these languages are mutually unintelligible. They must therefore be different languages,
rather than varieties of the same language. Ethnolects, dialects and mutually intelligible
varieties are all language varieties rather than languages in their own right, so the answer
can only be [5].

7. Which of the following offers the best definition of the sociolinguistic term dialect?
[1] Dialects are mutually intelligible forms of different languages.
[2] A dialect is a substandard, low status, often rustic form of language.
[3] < Dialects are language varieties associated with particular geographical areas.
[4] The term ‘dialect’ refers to languages that have no written form.

Option [3] is correct because dialects are varieties of a language that originate in
particular geographical areas. Option [1] is wrong because dialects are mutually intelligible
forms of the same language, which means that speakers of different dialects can still
understand each other. Linguists are objective about language and so they don’t use
value-judgement words like ‘substandard’ and ‘rustic’ in option [2]. Option [4] is wrong
because dialects can be written down,
e.g. standard South African English is a dialect with a written form.

8. The term used for the linguistic situation in a country like Tanzania where most
individuals are bilingual is
[1] territorial monolingualism
[2] < territorial multilingualism
[3] total bilingualism
[4] unstable bilingualism
[5] diglossia.

The answer is [2], territorial multilingualism, as most Tanzanians speak their mother tongue,
as well as English and/or Kiswahili. Individuals tend to be multilingual. This differs from
territorial monolingualism, where individuals tend to be monolingual although the country
has different languages spoken in different regions. Diglossia implies that the society
uses two different languages, one for informal and one for formal interaction. Since there are
many languages used, the situation is unlikely to be one of diglossia.

17
9. Tanzania’s educational policy involves a switch to English as a medium of instruction
from secondary school onwards. This is known as
[1] an immersion programme
[2] a submersion programme
[3] a dual language programme
[4] < a transitional programme.

Transitional programmes involve a switch from mother-tongue education to another language

of instruction at some point, usually in primary school.

10. One disadvantage of choosing English as a language of learning and teaching at

higher levels would be that
[1] English is an international language
[2] most sectors of the population have a positive attitude to English
[3] < it would benefit L1 English speakers at the expense of other language groups
[4] English textbooks are readily available
[5] None of the above.

The answer is [3] because we are asked to identify a disadvantage of choosing English as
the medium of instruction, so it must be a negative consequence. Options [1], [2] and [4] are
positive consequences of choosing English. Option [3] reminds us that any language policy
that chooses one language of instruction favours the speakers of that particular language
and disadvantages others. This can sometimes lead to social tensions.

11. To express the statement ‘Tell me what’s going on here’, middle class Coloureds use
‘Sê my wat gebeur hier’, while working class Coloureds use ‘Vertel my wat gat aan
hiesa’ or ‘Gee my wat gat só.’ These are different

[1] idiolects
[2] dialects
[3] < sociolects
[4] ethnolects
[5] languages.

The answer is [3] because these are sociolects of Afrikaans. We know this because we know
that the varieties are spoken by two different social groups, namely middle class and working
class Coloured speakers. An idiolect is a language variety that is unique to an individual, not
a group. A dialect is a variety that is geographically-based, but in this case both varieties are
presumably spoken in the same region. An ethnolect is a variety that is racially-based, but
in this case both varieties are spoken by Coloured speakers. And both examples are
Afrikaans, so it it not a difference in language, just in language variety (in this case,
sociolect).

12. A language variety associated with a particular race group is known as

[1] an idiolect
[2] a dialect
[3] a sociolect
[4] < an ethnolect.

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13. The Indian language Tamil is now spoken mainly by the oldest generation of Indians
in South Africa, with the younger generations usually monolingual in English. This
is an example of

[1] total language shift

[2] sudden language death
[3] gradual language death.
[4] < partial language shift

The answer is [1] because the Indian community is shifting from Tamil to English over time.
Tamil has not died, because it continues to be spoken in India and by older generations of
Indians in South Africa, so [3] and [4] cannot be correct answers. Tamil continues to be
spoken in some situations, even if it is only among the older generation, so this is a partial shift
at this stage. When the entire speech community speaks only English, a total shift will have
taken place.

14. Which of the following contributes to language shift?

[1] attitudes towards the language

[2] increased contact between languages
[3] persecution of speakers of the language
[4] migration of speakers to urban areas
[5] All of the above.

A community of speakers can shift from their original L1 to a more useful L2 for any of the
above reasons.

15. What is a rememberer?

[1] Someone with a speech disability.
[2] Someone who knows a language imperfectly.
[3] < Someone who was once fluent in a dying language but has lost proficiency due to
lack of practice.
[4] Someone who is learning a new language.

16. The sentence containing a euphemism is sentence

[1] < A Sherbert! I’ve forgotten to switch off the oven.

[2] B It’s not quite what I had in mind.
[3] C That car is absolutely gorgeous!
[4] D Close the door when you leave.
[5] E Which colour do you prefer: turquoise or avocado green? ‘Sherbert’ is a euphemism
for stronger swearword.

17. The sentence that is not typical of women’s speech is sentence

[1] A
[2] B
[3] C
[4] < D
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[5] E

D is a command which is not softened in any way with politeness markers or euphemisms,
hence more typical of ‘male’ conversational style.

18. Which of the following statements is false?

[1] Women generally provide more feedback than men during conversation.
[2] < Men generally ask more questions than women in conversation.
[3] Women often interrupt each other to build a shared conversation with overlapping turns.

Women tend to ask more questions, often as a way of providing feedback to the speaker that
they are listening and interested.

19. Which of the following statements is false?

[1] Delayed language acquisition may have negative effects on the linguistic and
social development of children.
[2] < Lip-reading spoken language is the most beneficial language policy at schools
for deaf children.
[3] Early exposure to sign language is beneficial to deaf children.

Early exposure to a natural language is beneficial to all children, and that includes natural
sign languages. While lip-reading allows Deaf children to interact with hearing people,
only a sign language allows them to develop full fluency and communicative competence.

20. On which spoken language is SASL based?

[1] English
[2] Afrikaans
[3] Zulu
[4] A combination of English, Afrikaans and Zulu
[5] < None of the above

SASL is a natural sign language, not based on any spoken language. Sign languages that
are signed versions of spoken languages are known as Manual sign codes.

[20]
Section B Question 1

Question 1
(a) The Paraguayan situation can be classified as territorial multilingualism as most
people (96% of city dwellers and 66% of rural people) are bilingual in Spanish and
Guarani.
(b)
The Paraguayan situation can be classified as diglossia because two different
languages are used in the society, each with a different function, with Spanish as
the language of education and formal transactions (High language) and Guarani
as the language of everyday communication and solidarity (Low language).
(3)

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(b) (i) The Spanish L1 children in Paraguay have mother-tongue education as all
classes are in Spanish (L1) from Grade 1.
(ii) The schooling of the Guarani L1 children in Paraguay is a submersion programme
as all classes are in Spanish (L2) and no Guarani is offered at school. (4)

(c) (i) The motivation to learn Spanish as L2 in Paraguay is generally instrumental because
it is the official language and offers benefits such as education, higher social
status and jobs in cities.
(ii) The motivation to learn Guarani as L2 in Paraguay is generally integrative
because the motivation is communication with other groups. (4)
(d) Guarani is normally learnt as an L2 spontaneously through interacting with others.
(1)

Section B Question 2

Codeswitching is the use of two or more linguistic varieties in the same conversation. (3)

My personal opinion about codeswitching is (any answer and explanation). (2)

As a linguist in training, my view of codeswitching is a descriptive rather than a prescriptive

one which views codeswitching as a normal and natural phenomenon that occurs
wherever balanced bilingualism is common. People with approximately equal competence
in two languages like to express their bilingual identity in this way, switching frequently from
language to language, using whichever seems more appropriate to the topic and the situation.
(3)

(8)
[TOTAL 40]
3. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
1.3.1 Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of taking the words, ideas and thoughts of others and presenting them as your
own. It is a form of theft. Plagiarism includes the following forms of academic dishonesty:

• Copying and pasting from any source without acknowledging the source.
• Not including references or deliberately inserting incorrect bibliographic information.
• Paraphrasing without acknowledging the original source of the information.
1.3.2 Cheating
Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Completing assessments on behalf of another student, copying the work of another

student during an assessment, or allowing another student to copy your work.
• Using social media (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram) or other platforms to disseminate
assessment information.
• Submitting corrupt or irrelevant files as per examination guidelines
• Buying completed answers from so-called “tutors” or internet sites (contract cheating).
• Using Artificial Intelligence (such as ChatGPT) to generate your answer for you.

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 For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below:
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myunisa/default/Study-@-Unisa/Student-values-and-rules

4. STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

The Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD) provides an
opportunity for staff to interact with first-time and returning students with disabilities.
If you are a student with a disability and would like additional support or need additional time for
assessments, you are invited to contact (Ms N Mzimba - mzimbn1@unisa.ac.za) to discuss the
assistance that you need.

5. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Studies @Unisa brochure contains an A-Z guide of the most relevant study information.

6. SOURCES CONSULTED
South Africa Gateway. https://southafrica-info.com/arts-culture/dictionary-south-african-english/
Accessed 09.07.2024

7. IN CLOSING
We are here to help you so please contact us if you have any queries concerning the course
contents or the assignment questions or the final portfolio assignment. We wish you
everything of the best for your studies and look forward to guiding you through
multilingualism and the role of languages in South Africa.

©
Unisa 2024

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