Language Immersion Courses in South Africa

Language acquisition is one of the more popular areas of study for international students studying abroad in South Africa.  Language, for lack of a better word, is power, and as the world moves ever closer to a global society and economy, many young people are beginning to realize the social and professional benefits of being able to speak and understand at least one alternate language.  To accomplish this goal, some are turning to language immersion courses in places such as South Africa—a literal haven for new language learning.

South Africa is home to two official languages:  English, and the Dutch-related language known as Afrikaans.  There are also over 10 other languages that are considered co-official in many parts of the country—native languages like Zulu, which have been spoken in the region for hundreds of years.  As a result of this incredible language diversity, most individuals in South Africa are bilingual, and many more speak three or more languages.

About Language Immersion Courses

Studying a foreign language can be a wonderful experience, especially when doing so in a country where that language is regularly spoken among the people.  Studies show that this type of learning, known as “language immersion learning,” is much more effective than the traditional study of language, because students are constantly being exposed to the target language and thus receive consistent feedback from speakers and listeners.  Language immersion courses basically have two components:  the classroom component, in which students learn the vocabulary, grammar, tense, and phonetics of the new language; and a cultural component, in which students go out into the community and practice what they have learned in the classroom through field trips and everyday experiences.  Instead of learning via textbooks and audio tapes, students learn through interactive lectures (in the target language) group-based discussions, one-on-one conversation sessions, and student projects.

Language immersion courses in South Africa are available for learners at all stages of proficiency.  From the very basic phonetic courses, designed for individuals with no previous language exposure; to advanced conversational courses for those looking to polish their skills en-route to total mastery; you can be sure that South Africa has a language immersion course that is just right for you.

Languages Taught in South Africa

English is considered the lingua franca of South Africa, which means it is the language used when conducting the primary business of the country, such as government, international communications, education and more.  Because of this, many outsiders mistakenly believe it is the most commonly spoken language in the country.  While it’s true that most South Africans can speak and understand English as a result of their schooling, most people speak one of the country’s other languages in informal situations, with the two most popular being Afrikaans and Zulu.
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa, Namibia and, to a lesser extent, in Botswana and Zimbabwe.  The language is an offshoot of several Dutch dialects spoken by the mainly Dutch settlers of what is now South Africa, where it gradually began to develop independently in the course of the 18th century. Hence, historically, it is a daughter language of Dutch, and was previously referred to as "Cape Dutch" (a term also used to refer collectively to the early Cape settlers) or "kitchen Dutch" (a derogatory term used to refer to Afrikaans in its earlier days).  Like English, Afrikaans is spoken by most of the South African people, and it, too, is used to some extent in business and education.  English speakers, who come to live and study in South Africa, are some of the most frequent participants at language schools that feature the Afrikaans language
Zulu is an African language that is spoken as a first language by nearly 11 million people in South Africa.  Because of its widespread usage, there are many language schools in South Africa in which students can learn to speak and comprehend Zulu—schools that are very popular, especially among foreign settlers who have come to South Africa to live, work, and/or study.
Learning to speak and understand English, Afrikaans, Zulu and/or other South African languages not only gives students a definite professional edge as they venture out into the world economy; it also enables them to learn more about the cultures behind these languages and the people who speak them.