[BRIEF NOTE] On language shifts at universities

[rfmcdonald]

• Over in South Africa, the traditionally Afrikaans-medium Stellenbosch University, David Beresford reports in the Guardian Weekly, is shifting away from its traditions, with bilingual courses taking precedent over Afrikaans-unilingual courses and knowledge of the Afrikaans language no longer being a requirement for graduation. One Afrikaner historian warns that Afrikaans risks being displaced from this major Afrikaans-language institution.


• Here in Canada, a vote at the University of Ottawa to relax requirements for English/French bilingualism for job applicants has failed, pleasing advocates for said bilingualism, and displeasing union representatives and international students who often lack this bilingualism (and it isn’t English that’s the problematic language, rest assured).

Ottawa’s a fairly straightforward case, in my humble opinion: if an institution of higher education, or any institution, for that matter, wants to be truly bilingual or multilingual, it’s going to have to ensure that the people and departments who work at the institution are fluent in the languages given recognition. It’s a no-brainer. What’s happening at Stellenbosch University isn’t nearly as clear-cut as what’s going on at the University of Ottawa, mind, since it looks like Stellenbosch is moving towards the enfranchisement of more than one language that was being threatened in Ottawa, which--it must be noted--has staked its reputation domestically on its bilingualism and is a major Franco-Ontarian institution. Complaining that posts aren’t open to people because they lack a necessary skill is silly uniformly, whether because the lack is a necessary degree or a necessary language.