Why learn an African language?
What advantages can one derive when being able to converse in even the most basic form in one of our african indigenous languages?
Let me explain.
Some years back I set out to learn an additional foreign language. After having given it some thought I realised that I will probably only use this new language when going to Europe on vacation. Also, the process of learning and practising can only be done when in the company of people who are proficient in this language. That was when the thought occurred to me that learning one of our african indigenous languages would make so much more sense. After all, it provides the opportunity of practising and using the language wherever you go, with so many people available to help and correct you. After my involvement with Xhosa for some time and practising and using various phrases of greetings, farewells, learning about the naming of a child, the importance of clan names and more, I could sense that a change in attitude was taking place between myself and the people I was interacting with. I put it down to the fact that, belonging to different cultural groups, we were opening ourselves up to each other, our body language saying: "I see you and am interested in you and your language". Although the conversation thereafter usually reverts to English, the ice has been broken and a more harmonious atmosphere has been created.
