UKZN Workshop Explores The IsiZulu National Corpus

UKZN Workshop Explores The IsiZulu National Corpus. The University Language Planning and Development Office (ULPDO) recently hosted a two-day IsiZulu Corpus Workshop, drawing participants from various sectors including the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.

The Department of Arts and Culture, eThekwini Municipality, Ukhozi FM, Isichazamazwi SesiZulu, language freelancers, retired language experts, and staff and students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Durban University of Technology.

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UKZN Understanding and Evaluating the IsiZulu National Corpus

Facilitated by Professor Elsabe Taljard from the Department of African Languages at the University of Pretoria, the workshop aimed to provide insights into corpus linguistics and to review the IsiZulu National Corpus (INC) – a significant collection of linguistic data developed by the ULPDO as a national resource.

UKZN Importance of Corpus in Language Development

Welcoming guests, Professor Nobuhle Hlongwa, Dean and Head of the School of Arts, highlighted the pivotal role of a corpus in the intellectualization of African languages. She emphasized the importance of the INC as a cornerstone for developing dictionaries and advancing linguistic research.

UKZN Key Insights from the Workshop

Professor Taljard delineated the nature and applications of a corpus, emphasizing its distinction from a term bank and identifying different types of corpora. She underscored the INC’s potential in various linguistic domains and urged for enhanced visibility and accessibility.

Conclusion 

In his closing remarks, ULPDO Acting Director, Mr. Khumbulani Mngadi, acknowledged the workshop’s significance in addressing the underutilization of the corpus. He outlined ULPDO’s commitment to intellectualizing African languages through various development pillars, including the INC, terminology development, research, literature, and human language technologies.