UNDERGRADUATE COURSE DESCRIPTION

IsiXhosa is a three-year major subject which may be studied for degree curricula in the Faculty of Humanities. One, or in some cases more than one course is allowed as a credit for degree\diploma\certificate curricula in the faculties of Commerce, Education, Law and Science.

The African Language Studies Section's courses from 2022 will no longer be isiXhosa NMT and MT. These course's names have now changed as follows:

IsiXhosa 1 Non-Mother-Tongue

Xhosa 1(non-mother tongue) is a full year course which is open to those students who have no prior knowledge of Xhosa as well as those who have limited knowledge of the language provided that they have not matriculated in Xhosa. Students who have passed Xhosa matriculation level as 2^nd and 3^rd language may be permitted to register for Xhosa (non-mother-tongue) 2 in their second year of study. Students who wish to do this are advised to consult with the division during their first year of study.

In this course the emphasis is on practical proficiency in speaking and reading/writing Xhosa. A range of linguistic and cultural topics relevant to Xhosa and the African languages of Southern Africa are also offered. See

https://ruconnected2020.ru.ac.za/enrol/index.php?id=7553

IsiXhosa 2 (NMT)

The list which follows indicates the kinds of linguistic, literature and cultural topics offered:

• Introduction to the grammatical system of Xhosa.
• Introduction to the sociolinguistics of the Xhosa language.
• Introduction to language planning with special reference to Africa.
• Introduction to the various types of literature and study of selected Xhosa literary works. Abridged versions of Xhosa novels are used for better understanding of the Xhosa culture and use of language.

In addition, isiXhosa 2 (non-mother-tongue) students will work on practical proficiency in speaking, reading and writing the language. Students will be required to demonstrate ability in both the informal and formal registers of the language. This will form part of the final examination. See

https://ruconnected2020.ru.ac.za/enrol/index.php?id=7554

IsiXhosa 3 (NMT)

All the modules that are offered at the second year level are also dealt with at a more advanced level. Students will also be introduced to the development of Xhosa literature and the study of selected Xhosa literary works.

A project/research essay may form part of the work of the course. See

https://ruconnected2020.ru.ac.za/enrol/index.php?id=7555

IsiXhosa MT

IsiXhosa MT offers innovative and discipline related courses such as translation, language and technology, literary discourse, language in context, lexicography as well as language and society. The first year course is an introduction to isiXhosa as a language and the second year deals with the theoretical background of the language and isiXhosa 3 deals with the practical aspect in the form of projects.

Course Table

AFRICAN LANGUAGES STUDIES SECTION COURSE PROGRAMME AND ORGANISATION

COURSES & LECTURERS IN CHARGE

MOTHER-TONGUE COURSES

NON-MOTHER-TONGUE COURSES

VOCATION SPECIFIC COURSES

IsiXhosa for Pharmacy

South African employers progressively value employees who can speak more than one language because they have become increasingly conscious of their national and international position in trade, commerce, culture and foreign policy. Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 understands the importance of language in training their students, and has added vocation-specific isiXhosa language learning in the Pharmacy programme. This is a semester course that is offered twice a year.

IsiXhosa for Journalism

IsiXhosa for Journalism is a one-year course. This course is compulsory for all students majoring in Journalism and Media Studies and must be taken during the second year of their degree.  If students fail the course at the end of this year, they will be allowed to repeat the course during their third year of study.  The course must be completed before a student can graduate. Students who intend to graduate with a BJourn degree should note that the full course must be completed by the end of the third year of their Journalism and Media Studies major. Once the course has been passed, students can also proceed to isiXhosa 2. Such students will be allocated either to the Beginner, Intermediate or Mother Tongue stream, depending on their level of proficiency in isiXhosa. Students who plan to proceed to isiXhosa 2 in this way may apply to complete the isiXhosa for Journalism course during their first year.

The purpose of the IsiXhosa for Journalism course is to enable students to work confidently and sensitively as journalists in multilingual and multicultural environments.  It achieves this goal by focusing on what it means to work as a journalist in the environment in which Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 is based.  Because isiXhosa is the primary language of communication for the majority of people in this context, the course focuses on strengthening students’ ability to communicate in this language. This aspect of the course is designed to accommodate students with widely different proficiency levels in isiXhosa, from those who are fluent to those who have no experience in speaking the language. The course also assists students in strengthening their ability to reflect in an informed way on how journalism is produced and circulated in multicultural contexts.  They do so by exploring cultural and linguistic questions and debates of relevance to the South African context, with particular reference to issues of relevance to environments in which isiXhosa is spoken. The knowledge students acquire in this way is, however, more widely applicable, strengthening their ability to engage with the languages and cultures that are of relevance to any work environment.

Last Modified: Fri, 04 Feb 2022 12:02:52 SAST