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In:Terminology throughout History: A discipline in the making
Edited by Kara Warburton and John Humbley
[Terminology and Lexicography Research and Practice 24] 2025
► pp. 602–629

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Chapter 29
Terminology in South Africa

A unique multilingual context

 | Pan-South African Language Board
Published online: 23 May 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/tlrp.24.29alb
Abstract
South Africa has twelve official languages: Afrikaans, English, the nine Sintu languages and South African Sign Language. Terminology plays a pivotal role in functional language development and the promotion of multi­lingualism in South Africa. The focus in this chapter is on the institutional dimension of terminology development in all official languages. This chapter also gives attention to language policies and consequential terminology policies in terms of subject-oriented terminography, translation-oriented terminography, language planning-oriented termino­graphy, and finally linguistic community-oriented terminography. Various collaborating bodies assist the national terminology office with terminology development. Also discussed are approaches to training on terminological practices and principles, as well as the influence of human language technologies on terminology development.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Historical overview
    • 2.1The era of bilingualism (pre-1994)
    • 2.2The era of multilingualism (post-1994)
  • 3.Terminology dimensions
    • 3.1Cognitive dimension
    • 3.2Linguistic dimension
    • 3.3Communicative dimension
  • 4.Terminology harvesting approaches
    • 4.1Subject-oriented terminography
    • 4.2Translation-oriented terminography
    • 4.3Linguistic community-oriented terminography
    • 4.4Language planning-oriented approach to terminography
  • 5.Terminology policy
  • 6.Collaborative terminography
    • 6.1Provincial collaboration
    • 6.2Dedicated terminology offices
    • 6.3Tertiary institutions
      • 6.3.1Dedicated terminology centres
      • 6.3.2The Department of Higher Education
    • 6.4Primary and secondary education
    • 6.5PanSALB and its structures
      • 6.5.1National Language Bodies
      • 6.5.2National Lexicography Units
    • 6.6Independent terminology centres and other bodies
    • 6.7Publishers
    • 6.8Terminology-related institutions in Africa
    • 6.9International terminology-related institutions
    • 6.10The Human Language Technologies initiative
  • 7.Terminology training
    • 7.1Training of potential terminologists
    • 7.2In-service training
    • 7.3Reskilling of language practitioners
    • 7.4Training of collaborators
    • 7.5Tertiary training
  • 8.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (35)
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