Post on 27-Mar-2015
Case study
International Best Practice: South Africa (RSA)
Gabriele Sauberer(TermNet)
2007-07-28 EAFT Seminar Dublin 2
gsauberer@termnet.org
1. Executive Secretary of TermNetProjects, Business development & PR
2. Interdisciplinary research & training at the University of Vienna, Centre for Translation StudiesIntercultural management, project management & diversity management
3. Board member of EAFT
2007-07-28 EAFT Seminar Dublin 3
Content of presentation
Introduction: role of terminologyPolicies & Frameworks in RSAPractice, Projects & Training
In loving memory of Xolile Mfaxa Director of Language Planning and
Terminology Coordination at the National Language Services of the South African Department of Arts and Culture
Distinguished expert and colleague
Close friend and brother
Who met his untimely death on 1st May 2007 toghether with Nomhi, his wife, and their children Oyisa and Umuhle
LALANI NGOXOLO LUSAPHO LWAKWANTLANE!
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“South Africa has eleven official languages. The challenge is to translate this constitutional provision into living reality.”
(Dr Pallo Jordan, South Africa´s Minister of Arts and Culture)
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That´s what terminology development, management & training in RSA is all about: to empower people to translate human rights into reality.
e.g. by enabling access to legal and other public information in people´s mother tongues.
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Role of Terminology
The language we use and need to understand in public and business life is less “general language” than “specialized language”
characterized by the terms of the respective subject fields
e.g. legal texts, parliament speeches, court terminology, science and technology, etc.
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Role of Terminology
Terminology skills: a key qualification of information professionals and language practitioners, particularly in RSA and SADC
applies to all levels of information and knowledge creation, storing and processing
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Role of Terminology
ranging from basic terminology teaching to applied terminology in sophisticated Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industries and
... in Human Language Technologies (HLT)... in the Semantic Web... in e-Business, e-Health, etc.
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Role of Terminology
Important part of the translation of a “constitutional provision into living reality”: to develop terminology in the indigenous languages of African languages communities.
Policies & Frameworks
1. South African Languages Bill
2. Pan South African Language Board Act
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Constitution
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996, section 6) recogni-ses the principle of multilingualism by providing for eleven official languages of South Africa and for all official languages to enjoy parity of esteem and to be treated equitably;
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2. South African Languages Bill
To provide for an enabling framework for promoting South Africa’s linguistic diversity and encouraging respect for language rights within the framework of building and consolidating a united, democratic South African nation, taking into account the broad acceptance of linguistic diversity, social justice,
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2. South African Languages Bill
the principle of equal access to public services and programmes, respect for language rights, the establishment of language services at all levels of government, the powers and functions of such services, and matters connected therewith.
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Language policy
5(1) All official languages shall be used equitably and enjoy parity of esteem.
(2) Without derogating from the provision in subsection (1), the national government must use not less than four languages for any given purpose as provided for in section 7(b), provided that these languages shall be selected by each organ of state from each of the four categories of official languages in subsection (3) on a rotational basis, except when it is reasonably necessary to follow an alternative policy in the interest of effective governance or communication.
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Language policy
(3) The categories of languages referred to in subsection (2) are –(a) the Nguni group (isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu and siSwati)(b) the Sotho group (Sepedi, Sesotho and Setswana)(c) Tshivenda/Xitsonga(d) Afrikaans/English
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Language units
6(1) Within three years after the commencement of this Act, a language unit must be established –(a) for each department of the national government; and(b) for each province.
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Language units
7(1) A language unit shall have the powers and functions to –(a) implement and monitor the implemen-tation of regulations made in fulfillment of the obligations imposed by this Act; (b) take effective and positive measures for the implementation of the national language policy as determined in section 5 in regard to the following: ….
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Language units
(c) conduct language surveys and audits relevant to its sphere of activity (...);
(d) inform the public, (...), of the content and implementation of the language policy of the relevant organ of state;
(e) do all things incidental to or necessary for the proper fulfillment of the obligations referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d).
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Development of indigenous languages
and South African Sign Language/s8 Subject to the provisions of section 9(a), the Minister shall take practical and positive measures for the development of the indigenous languages and South African Sign Language/s, in particular to –
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Development of indigenous languages
(a) identify priority areas for the development of these languages;
(b) support existing structures involved in the development of these languages;
(c) establish new structures and programmes for the development of these languages, and
(d) support cross-border projects for the development of these languages in the Southern African region.
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PanSALB – ACT
To provide for the recognition, implementation and furtherance of multilingualism in the Republic of South Africa; and the development of previously marginalised languages; to establish a Pan South African Language Board; and to provide for matters connected therewith.
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PanSALB
The Board shall have the following objects:
(a) To promote respect for and ensure the implementation of the following principles:
(i) The creation of conditions for the development and for the promotion of the equal use and enjoyment of all the official South African languages;
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PanSALB
(iv) the promotion of- (aa) multilingualism; and (bb) the provision of translation
and interpreting facilities;(v) the fostering of respect for languages spoken in the Republic other than the official languages, and the encouragement of their use in appropriate circumstances; and
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PanSALB
and
(vi) the non-diminution of rights relating to language and the status of languages existing before 27 April 1994;
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PanSALB
(b) to further the development of the official South African languages;
(c) to promote respect for and the development of other languages used by communities in South Africa, and languages used for religious purposes;
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(d) to promote knowledge of and respect for the provisions and principles of the Constitution relating directly or indirectly to language matters;
(e) to promote respect for multilingualism in general; and
(f) to promote the utilisation of South Africa's language resources.
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(2) The Board shall-
(a) initiate studies and research aimed at promoting and creating conditions for the development and use of- (i) all the official languages of the Republic;
(ii) the Khoe and San languages; and
(iii) sign language; 2007-07-28 EAFT Seminar Dublin 28
(2) The Board shall-
(b) promote and ensure respect for-
(i) all other languages commonly used by communities in South Africa, including German, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Portuguese, Tamil, Telegu and Urdu;
(ii) Arabic, Hebrew, Sanskrit and other languages used for religious purposes in South Africa; (…)
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PanSALB
terminology mentioned in a definition:'acknowledged, practising language worker' means a person with extensive experience and training in interpreting or translation or terminology or lexicography or literacy teaching or language teaching;
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TermTrain Workshop March 2006 Pretoria
Copyright JC Roux 31
Other Frameworks:
Networking language resources in Africa: Future plans and proposals
Justus RouxStellenbosch University
Centre for Language and Speech Technology
Top – Down InitiativesNational Government
Commitment : Technology / Multilingualism
2000 IT / HLT Steering Com
2002 Ministerial AdvisoryPanel on HLT
2003 HLT Task Teamfor implementation
National Lexicography Units Pheripheral Pheripheral
State Information Technology Agency (SITA) & CPSI
E-government Gateway (Multilingual)
Standards South Africa
STANSA 37 Terminology and other resources
Bottom – Up Initiatives
South AfricanUniversities
National Research Foundation
NRF
African Lang Association
SIG
Council for Scientific& Industrial Research
CSIR / MERAKA
POTENTIAL MODEL
FOR
RESOURCE CENTRE IN HUMAN LANGUAGE TECHNOLOGIES IN SOUTH AFRICA
Central co-ordination hub
Interlinking development nodes at expert centres
Sharing model
Copyright JC Roux
Identification of multilingualdigital text and speech resources in
different sectors. Negotiations / Contracts
Software development: Tools for annotation / mark-up data management etc
Training (Non-formal) of annotators / database managers
Meraka
University C
University B
University A
Resources and Expertise to feed into
National Lexicographic Units
(NLUs)
Government Depts HLT–products for
E-Gateway (via SITA)
Academic research and development
Private sector ICT apps – telecoms
e-commerce
News Media
SABCArchives
Nat & Prov Parliaments
National Resource Centre for Human Language Technologies
(VIRTUAL)
Annotation / Mark-up of Digital Text and Speech Resources (Fixed
standards)
GOVERNANCENRF / DAC / DST
SECRETARIAT: OPERATIONS
Central planning & Co-ordination, Consultation, Database Management
Resource backup, Marketing
DAC HLT UNIT
All Gov Depts
Publishing Houses
NLSTerminology
Services
SITA
Practice, Projects & Training
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1) Multilingual terminology process in RSA
©Mapula Gaffane, National Language Service
(NLS) within the Department of Arts and Culture
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Multilingual terminology process
11 Official languagesEnglish powerful language – rich in terminology
Other official languages- status has to be elevated – terminologies have to be developed
Terminology development takes place within the context of the subject field
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Developing terminologies for developing languages
Multilingual terminology collections for developed languages match existing equivalents
Developing terminology for developing languages requires interactive collaboration between linguists and subject specialists to find suitable equivalents
Developing terminologies for developing languages
Developed language with well established terms in a subject field is used as source language
In situations of language disparity the most prominent need is to have translation equivalents
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Secondary term creation
An interactive consultative process of linguists, terminologists and subject specialists working together
Many challenges have to be successfully managed – language & human resources
Term recognition part of the overall picture of processing terminological data
Different steps in developing terminology
Process which entails two major phasesGround text productionTarget text production
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SOURCE TEXT PRODUCTION
Planning the project (target users; demarcation of subject field; needs of the target users; typology; identification of source material)
Process of term harvestingDocumentation of terminological dataExplanations/definitions (why?)
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SOURCE TEXT PRODUCTION (continued)
Consulting available sourcesOrdering data into workable formats Collaborating with subject specialists in source text committees
Editing and proofreadingWork lists
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TARGET TEXT PRODUCTION
Collaboration with subject specialists and linguists (speakers of the target language)
Establishing terminology committeesThe process of providing equivalents for the target language - discussing terms at regular meetings of the terminology committee
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TARGET TEXT PRODUCTION (Continued)
Detailed record (minutes) reflecting decisions about terms at terminology meetings
Updating the databaseProofreading & editingPrinting & publication of end product
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2) Projects & Examples
"Telephone Interpreting Service for South Africa" (TISSA) – initiative of the NLS within the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) and jointly funded by the Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB).
Example HLT Applications
Telephone based information systems (automated)
• Tourism & Travel: Hotel booking systems (AST project); train, air, bus schedules
• Health services: First level medical help lines, Aids
hotlines, TB hotlines
• Public services: Applications for pensions, travel documents, car registrations; telephone accounts, telephone number enquiries
Copyright JC Roux
Interactive voice driven information / transaction system
Xhosa SA English Afrikaans Zulu Southern Sotho
Speech recognition
Natural language
understanding
Dialogue controlSpeech synthesis
Data-base
Accessinformation
Request in language X
Recognised utterance
System response
Answer in language X
Retrieveinformation
Copyright JC Roux
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Examples ICT & HLT
... e.g. spellcheckers: The Centre for Text Technology at the North West University in South Africa has released four new spellcheckers in indigenous languages – Setswana, isiZulu, isiXhosa and Sesotho sa Leboa.
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University Example
project performed by the Unit for isiXhosa in Stellenbosch University's Language Centre: to develop isiXhosa as an academic language.
Mr Pumlani Sibula – head of the unit.
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Training & Awareness
September 2005 in Johannesburg: training within the framework of awareness raising event “Advancing multilingualism through terminology development” sponsored by the Department of Arts and Culture of South Africa
four-days Training course on the basic principles of terminology and terminography, (project)management and terminology market(s)
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TermTrain
Another piece of the puzzle of terminology activities in RSA: TermTrain
Overall goal: To perform a train-the-trainer pilot project for capacity-building in the field of specialized language and specialized knowledge for language communities in Africa.
Target groups: subject advisors and curriculum facilitators on behalf of Governmental departments.
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What is TermTrain?
Full project name: “Design and implementation of practice oriented terminology trainings for two groups of information professionals: 1) ICT trainers and 2) language trainers in language communities of Africa (TermTrain)”
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What is TermTrain?
A pilot project for capacity-building in African countries
co-financed by UNESCO's intergovernmental Programme Information for All (IFAP) and project partners
initiated and managed by TermNetFurther information:
http://www.termnet.org/english/projects/TermTrain.php