Classification of people according to common racial, national, religious, tribal, religious, linguistic, or cultural origin or background. Ethnic groups in Zimbabwe after the April 2013 constitution now strive for linguistic freedom where English and Ndebele/Shona have dominated before and after independence. On the forefront is Tonga; Sotho, Venda, Kalanga, Shangani, Chewa, Xhosa, Sign Language and others as enshrined in the Amended Constitution of 2013 are following behind in advocating for linguistic space. Apparently some ethnic groups because they happen to be in the majority or won the first elections after independence think dominating ‘minority’ ethnic groups and ‘intracolonial’ occupation of their territory indicates how powerful they are and how they have won the hard way independence for everyone. They go on to commit linguistic imperialism dominating all areas of language use. Social media might have a new say in all that ‘majority’ mischief. Ethnic feelings can pack lots of emotions and be expressed variously in a world that is advocating for democratization and basic human and animal rights.
Published in Chapter:
Revisiting the Effects of –isms in the Promotion, Development, and Revitalisation of Indigenous Languages in Zimbabwe: The Position of Sesotho in Gwanda South, Zimbabwe
Omphile Marupi (University of Fort Hare, South Africa) and
Erasmos Charamba (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa)
Copyright: © 2022
|Pages: 15
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-5034-5.ch003
Abstract
This chapter seeks to explore how colonial education was used as a double-edged sword to promote interests of colonialists while hindering the development of African cultural and multilingual ideologies. It looks at how post-colonial Zimbabwe has done no better in handling issues of -isms in the education sector. It considers problems that Zimbabwe encounters in its education systems and could be linked to colonial periods. Contemporary complications would then be a ‘colonial heritage'. Certain -isms would be evident and the paper aims at unpacking them vis-a-vis maiming of indigenous languages in Zimbabwe and the world at large by actions of colonizers. When Zimbabwe became independent, it inherited an education system that was purely in the hands of colonial masters. The education system was segregatory and planned on racial grounds in colonial times. The chapter embraces the ‘one language' ideology concept that was used by colonialists to enhance their presence in Africa, thus Sesotho in Gwanda South is one of the many languages that has seen its demise through the numerous -isms.