The 'Remix in the Rainbow Nation - Language, Content and Peer Production' session provided the participants with an opportunity to interrogate questions and look deeper into challenges relating to among other issues, language and content in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) context.

Language & ICTs

Daniela Fans, the iCommons Web Manager for the African Commons Project, spoke about her organisation’s website which she describes as “something like an informal blog” that allows people to share information at no cost. According to Fans, “Organisation and/or individuals can share information on events, news and issues”.

She further argues that “The site also allows people to post useful items such as training materials and toolkits that are in line with the creative commons licence”.

Some participants held the view that people receiving education in their mother tongue have a better advantage than those who have not. As Nhlanhla Twala, a linguist from Wits University’s School of Languages argues, “Language is the only thing that defines human species”.

Nhlanhla also challenged negative perceptions that people have about the use of indigenous languages. People who receive education in the mother tongues have a better advantage than those who are not, he argues.

Finding solutions

However, in an attempt to ensure that 10 of the South African official languages are also catered for by the ICTs, Translate.Org translated the Open Source Software into 10 official languages of South Africa. “Money should not be a problem when it comes to the translation of content into other languages”, argues Translate.Org’s Dwayne Bailey.

---