Abstract

ELOFF, Kobus. The role of the South African Journal of the Natural Sciences and Technology (SATNT) in the exploitation of the natural sciences in Afrikaans over the past hundred years. Tydskr. geesteswet. [online]. 2025, vol.65, n.1, pp.472-483. ISSN 2224-7912.  https://doi.org/10.17159/2224-7912/2025/v65n1a22.

One century ago, in 1925, Afrikaans was formally recognised as one of the official languages of South Africa. This contribution investigates the development of Afrikaans as a medium of communication in the natural sciences and how changes in the environment have impacted on its use as a language of science. The precursor to the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (SAAWK), namely De Zuid-Afrikaanse Akademie voor Taal, Letteren en Kunst, was originally not interested in the natural sciences and focused primarily on language matters and the social sciences. Scientists were subsequently elected as members of the organisation in 1929. As a consequence, the SAAWK adopted, as one of its aims, the development of scientific terminology and the production of handbooks in Afrikaans. The universities using Afrikaans as a language of instruction were instrumental in developing the terminology required for research in Afrikaans. Descriptive terms were developed for the scientific terminology that was already available in other languages, i.e. Language for Special Purposes (LSP) (Afrikaans: "vaktaal"). This made it much easier to understand and use terms not based on Greek or Latin roots. Initially the majority of the established scientific societies were completely bilingual and many scientists delivered lectures in Afrikaans. At a later stage when more black and foreign students and staff joined societies and even before the new democratic dispensation in 1994, the societies became unilingual. The SAAWK organises an annual symposium for post-graduate students, enabling them to present their results in Afrikaans, while senior researchers are provided the opportunity of participating in annual congresses organised by the SAA WK. In addition, the private tertiary institution, Akademia, offers courses in the natural sciences in Afrikaans. The promotion of academic staff at universities depends to a large extent on citation of their publications. This led to more scientists publishing in English only, in line with international developments. Nevertheless, Afrikaans terminology is still very important for communication purposes in agriculture and medicine. New developments in science required the development of new terminology. The Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie (SATNT) has published Afrikaans articles for 43 years under the auspices of the SAAWK. Due to political changes, resulting in different language policies at previously Afrikaans universities, fewer papers were presented for publication in this journal. The Editorial Board of SATNT therefore requested that provision be made for the inclusion of a limited number of English papers in the journal. This proposal was not accepted but a win-win situation was eventually reached whereby articles could still be published in Afrikaans in hard copy, but authors were also allowed an opportunity simultaneously to publish an English version of their articles online. In this way, contributions in English made it possible to approach non-Afrikaans speakers, including international scientists, to review articles submitted to the journal, thereby ensuring the academic standard of the SATNT. Once accepted for publication the article is subsequently to be translated into Afrikaans for the purpose of printing a hard copy. Sponsorship and financial support by the SAAWK made it possible to exempt submissions to the SATNT from page charges, resulting in all articles being available in open access format free of charge. The SAAWK even provided some financial support for the translation and editing of English papers into Afrikaans. An additional advantage is that back copies have been made digitally accessible, free of charge, on the journal's dedicated website at www.satnt.co.za. In accordance with policies regarding the advancement ofhigh level research following the political transition in 1994, the SATNT was included in the Department of Higher Education 's (DHET) list of accredited SA journals, thereby enabling authors publishing their research in the SATNT to benefit from high level research subsidised by the South African Government.¹ It would appear that these developments may support the academic status of Afrikaans despite the discontinuance of teaching in Afrikaans in practically all universities. The development of Akademia as an independent Afrikaans institution of higher education provides a promising prospect for the continued existence of Afrikaans as a language of science, in addition to those tertiary institutions such as Stellenbosch University and North-West University, where Afrikaans is currently still being used for teaching and research purposes.

Keywords : anglicisation; terminology; academic; language; descriptive terminology; history; university; dictionary; Akademia; handbook; citation; online; Hiemstra Trust; Medpharm; OASIS; language for special purposes.

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