Intellectualization through Terminology Development

Abstract

The term intellectualization was famously used in the Prague School to describe a process that a language undergoes in its development and refinement. In our South African context intellectualization entails a carefully planned process of hastening the cultivation and growth of indigenous official African languages so that they effectively function in all higher domains as languages of teaching and learning, research, science and technology. This article critically examines the terminology development process that is being driven at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (henceforth UKZN) as one of the key agents of language intellectualization. The article critically evaluates the UKZN terminology development model that is used to harvest, consult and authenticate isiZulu terminology for Administration, Architecture, Anatomy, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Law, Physics, Psychology, and Nursing disciplines. Outflow platforms for the terminology in this development model are loosely listed as the 'database' and the 'development platform' but there is no clear end-user platform for students and lecturers, who seem to be the main end-user-targets of the whole terminology development initiative. The article will propose an improved model to cater for AnyTime Access, which is convenient for student needs between lectures, and improve the harvesting mechanism in the existing model.