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- Title
An interview with Theo du Plessis.
- Abstract
Theo du Plessis is a Professor Emeritus of Language Management at the University of the Free State in South Africa. He is the editor of several book series and has held various positions in the language community. He has been awarded multiple times for his work. In terms of language policy and planning, he has been influenced by Jiří Neustupný's Post-structural Approaches to Language. However, he criticizes the concept of translanguaging as unproductive and emphasizes the importance of robust empirical evidence in research. The text describes various approaches and theories in sociolinguistics and highlights the gaps in our understanding of language dynamics in non-Western contexts. Migration, digital communication, and new media are mentioned as important topics. The role of sociolinguistics in society is described as a contribution to promoting language awareness, reducing linguistic prejudices, and promoting social justice and cohesion. In South Africa, sociolinguistic research has played an important role in reevaluating language variation in Afrikaans and contributing to the rediscovery of identity and dignity. The author also emphasizes the importance of historical sociolinguistics and his own contributions to language policy and planning in South Africa.
- Subjects
SOUTH Africa; FREE State (South Africa); LANGUAGE awareness; VARIATION in language; LANGUAGE planning; LANGUAGE policy; DIGITAL communications; PREJUDICES
- Publication
Sociolinguistica, 2024, Vol 38, Issue 1, p112
- ISSN
0933-1883
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1515/soci-2024-0007