Afrikaans marks 100 years as an official language
A century has passed since Afrikaans became an official language in South Africa—how does it shape the nation today?
Afrikaans celebrates 100 years today since becoming an official language on 8 May 1925, joining English and replacing Dutch as a national language.
History of the language
Afrikaans was born in the Cape. In the late 1500s, in the melting pot that was the Cape, European, Asian, and indigenous African influences merged to create the language.
Emeritus professor of literature and literary theory in the Department of Afrikaans at the University of Pretoria, Professor Hein Willemse told SABC News that the first written record of the language is in Arabic script. He said:
“That was Cape Dutch written in Arabic autography. Today, that is generally recognised.”
During Apartheid, the government attempted to force the use of Afrikaans as a language of learning in schools. That decision partially sparked the 1976 Soweto Uprising.
Since democracy, Afrikaans has retained its official language status, alongside eleven other languages. It continues to grow, with variations like Afrikaaps also gaining recognition.
Who speaks Afrikaans today?
Almost seven million South Africans speak Afrikaans as a mother tongue, making it the third largest language in the country.
Speaking to SABC News, author and historian Tariq Mellet emphasised that, despite assumptions to the contrary, it is a diverse language. “Over 60% of these speakers are not white people,” he said.
Mellet criticised the decision to celebrate the state recognition of the language, given that it took place during minority rule:
“That’s not good for Afrikaans. It’s not good for us building bridges and celebrating something that is owned by a much larger group of people, a diverse people in the country.”