Standardization or Stigmatization? Challenges Confronting Lexicography and Terminography in Sesotho sa Leboa

Abstract

Abstract: The article investigates the effects of the underutilization of the abundant vocabulary of Sesotho sa Leboa, which results from a one-sided standardization approach owing to the disregard and stigmatization of most dialects. Sesotho sa Leboa has several dialects differing greatly concerning terminology, pronunciation and vocabulary. The situation is complicated and aggravated by a standardization which has sidelined more than half of the dialects because of factors such as the influence of colonialism and lack of government co-ordination, the missionary activities, and the influence of early writers and publications. The strict and narrow standardization of Sesotho sa Leboa resulted in the exclusion of large parts of the dialectal vocabulary, the forcing of dialect speakers to accept a foreign standard language, the creation of 'prestige' and 'inferior' dialects, the separation of the standard language from its own dialects and the awakening of a nationalistic spirit among some dialect-speaking communities. Finally solutions for the challenges caused by these developments are afforded.Keywords: COLONIALISM, CORPUS, DIALECT, INFERIOR DIALECTS, LEMMATIZATION,LEXICOGRAPHY, MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES, NATIONALISM, ORTHOGRAPHY,PRESTIGE DIALECTS, STANDARD LANGUAGE, STANDARD DICTIONARY, SIDELINEDDIALECTS, STIGMATIZED DIALECTS, TERMINOGRAPHYOpsomming: Standaardisasie of stigmatisasie? Uitdagings waarvoor leksikografieen terminografie in Sesotho sa Leboa te staan kom. Die artikel ondersoekdie uitwerking van die onderbenutting van die ryk woordeskat van Sesotho sa Leboa watvolg uit 'n eensydige standaardisasiebenadering deur die miskenning en stigmatisasie van diemeeste dialekte. Sesotho sa Leboa het verskeie dialekte wat sterk verskil ten opsigte van terminologie,uitspraak en woordeskat. Die situasie word gekompliseer en vererger deur 'n standaardisasiewat meer as die helfte van die dialekte gesylyn het vanweë faktore soos die invloed van kolonialismeen die ontbreking van regeringsamewerking, die sendingaktiwiteite, en die invloed vanvroeëre skrywers en publikasies. Die streng en eng standaardisasie van Sesotho se Leboa het gelei tot die uitsluiting van groot dele van die dialektiese woordeskat, die dwang van dialeksprekers om'n vreemde standaardtaal te aanvaar, die totstandkoming van "invloedryke" en "ondergeskikte"dialekte, die skeiding van die standaardtaal van sy eie dialekte, en die opwekking van 'n nasionalistiesegees by sommige van die dialeksprekende gemeenskappe. Laastens word oplossings aangebiedvir die uitdagings veroorsaak deur hierdie ontwikkelinge.Sleutelwoorde: KOLONIALISME, KORPUS, DIALEK, ONDERGESKIKTE DIALEKTE,LEMMATISERING, LEKSIKOGRAFIE, SENDINGAKTIWITEITE, NASIONALISME, ORTOGRAFIE,INVLOEDRYKE DIALEKTE, STANDAARDTAAL, STANDAARDWOORDEBOEK, GESYLYNDEDIALEKTE, GESTIGMATISEERDE DIALEKTE, TERMINOGRAFIE