Prof FS Madonsela (SiSwati) Chair African Languages

Qualifications

• B Paed (University of Zululand)
• BA Honours (University of Pretoria)
• MA (Rand Afrikaans University)
• DLitt et Phil (University of South Africa)

NRF Rating

Fields of academic interests

Research interests

• Translation Studies
• Sociolinguistics
• Human Language Technology
• Forensic linguistics

Field of Specialisation

• Linguistics
• Language Policy and Planning
• Semantics 

Books

Book chapters

•  Madonsela, S. 2018. Diction as Part of DBZ Ntuli’s Superlative Stratagem in the Translation of Selected BW Vilakazi’s Poems. Issues of Indigenous African Literature and Onomastics. In Mafela, M.J. and Ntuli, C.D. (Eds) A festschrift in Honour of D.B.Z. Ntuli. Berlin: Peter Lang. pp 279-291. ISBN 978-3-631-73593-0 (Print)
• Madonsela, S. 2019. Conflicts emanating from the translation and interpretation of the term “domicile”: For consumers in the South African context. New Frontiers in Forensic Linguistics: Themes and Perspectives in Language and Law in Africa and beyond. In Ralarala, M.K., Kaschula, R.H. and Heydon, G. (Eds). Sun Press. ISBN 978-1-928480-16-7 (Print)  ISBN 978-1-928480-17-4 (e-book) https://doi.org/10.18820/9781928480174
• Madonsela, S. 2022. Family Law Terminology: Critical reliance on translator’s knowledge of legal text. Language and the Law: Global Perspectives in Forensic Linguistics from Africa and beyond. In Ralarala, M.K., Kaschula, R.H. and Heydon, G. (Eds). Sun Press. ISBN 978-1-991201-82-9 (Print) ISBN 978-1-991201-83-6 (e-book) https://doi.org/10.52779/9781991201836
• Madonsela, S. 2022. From a Grubby Turf to a Dome: Praise Poetry as a Rhetorical Stratagem in Political Domain. A Companion to African Rhetoric. In Ige, S., Motsaathebe, G. and Ochieng, O. (Eds). Lexington Books. ISBN 9781793647658 (book) ISBN 9781793647665 (e-book)

Journal articles

• Madonsela, S. 2023. Focusing on education through multilingual language policy in South African schools. Journal of Language and Cultural Education. 11(3): 58–66.
• Madonsela, S. 2023. Assessment of vocabulary in First Additional Languages: A focus on Siswati Grade 12 examination papers. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies.41(1): 29–43.
• Madonsela, S. 2021. Riddles, Meanings and cognitive development of the African Child in the siSwati Tradition. African Journal of Rhetoric.12: 44–64. 
• Madonsela, S.2020. Measuring Semantic relatedness between words using related synsets in African Wordnet.Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies. 38(3): 236-243.
• Madonsela, S. 2019. African Wordnet as a tool to identify semantic relatedness and semantic similarity. Southern African Journal of African Languages 39(2): 185-190.
• Madonsela, S. 2018. When Discourse Proves to Be Unsuccessful: The Case of Student Protest at South African Universities. Language Matters Studies in the Languages of Africa 49(3): 3-18.
• Madonsela, S. 2017. Word-formation strategies and processes in the creation of synsets for the African Wordnet. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies 35(2): 201–210.
• Madonsela, S. 2017. Sociological Perspectives on Social Cohesion as the Principal Requirement for Social Stability. South African Review of Sociology 48(3): 84–98.
• Madonsela, S. 2016. The pedagogical enhancement of classroom interaction through the use of code switching in multilingual classrooms in South Africa. Journal of Educational Studies 15(1): 126-146
• Madonsela, S. 2015. Language anxiety caused by the single mode of instruction in multilingual classrooms: the case of African language learners. Africa Education Review. 12(3): 447-459
• Madonsela, S. 2014. A critical analysis of the use of code-switching in Nhlapho’s novel Imbali yemaNgcamane. South African Journal of African Languages. 34(2): 167-174
• Madonsela, S. 2014. Comprehending the legality of the use of the term “practicable” in the South African Constitution from the African languages perspective. DIRASAT Human and Social Sciences Vol. 41, No.3. 965-973
• Madonsela, S. 2013. The use of language in the media: A vehicle for indigenous cultural practices in selected SABC drama series. Southern African Journal for Folklore Studies. 23 (2): 301-320
• Madonsela, S. 2012. Language as a fundamental right: how do the African languages benefit from this right? South African Journal of African Languages. 32(1): 91-97

Paper presentations

Conference papers:

• 16th International Cognitive Linguistics Conference (ICLC16). Düsseldorf. Germany. A constructional approach to the lexicalization of synsets in African WordNet: The case of possessive constructions (2023)
•  The Fourth International Languages and Law Association (ILLA). Los Angeles (USA) - Conflicts emanating from the translation and interpretation of the term "domicile": For consumers in the South African context. (2019)
• 12th Annual International Conference on Languages & Linguistics. Athens (Greece) - African Wordnet can be used as a Tool to Identify Semantic Relatedness and Semantic Sililarity. (2010)
• Tenth International Conference on Construction Grammar – Paris (France) Form-meaning pairings or action construction relations? Towards an understanding of linguistic constructions (2018)
• 15^th International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities (London) Sociological Perspectives on Social Cohesion as the Principal Requirement for Social Stability (2017)
• 18^th Interim Conference of the African Languages Association of Southern Africa (ALASA): Empowering the School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in the formulation and implementation of the multilingual policy through the lens of the rights-based approach – (Namibia) University of Science and Technology (2016)
• XII International Conference on Languages, Linguistics and Society – New York (USA): Language anxiety caused by the single mode of instruction in multilingual classrooms: the case of African language learners (2015)
• 12^th International Conference on Humanities in the New Direction – Madrid (Spain): A critical analysis on the use of code switching in Hlapho’s novel Imbali YemaNgcamane (2014)
• 17^th Biennial International Conference of the African Languages Association of Southern Africa – UNISA (Pretoria - South Africa): Problems of translating words with extended meaning: Lessons from isiZulu synsets (2013)
• 10^th International Conference on Humanities in the New Direction – Montreal (Canada): Code switching - Enhancing status and social prestige or bridging the linguistic gap (2012)
• African Languages Teacher Association University of Wisconsin (Madison) USA: Language as a fundamental right with reference to African Languages (2010)
• ALASA regional conference (Port Elizabeth): Language Equity as pivotal in giving meaning to democracy in the millennium and beyond

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

• Former Editor-in-Chief of the Southern African Journal for Folklore Studies
• Executive Committee Member of SAFOS
• Member of the African Languages Association of Southern Africa (ALASA)

Projects

• Community Engagement
• Students’ Language Attitudes Strategic Project
• African WordNet
• Co-Manager South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLar) Unisa Node
• DAL Project on empowering educators and learners in African Languages 

Other

Peer-reviewed conference proceedings

•  Madonsela, Stanley; Mojapelo, Mampaka Lydia; Mafela, Munzhedzi James & Masubelele, Rose. 2016. African WordNet: a viable tool for sense discrimination in the indigenous African languages of South Africa. In Verginica Barbu Mititelu, Corina Forǎscu, Christiane Fellbaum & Piek Vossen (Eds.) Proceedings of the Eigth Global WordNet Conference 2016 (GWC2016), p. 192-198. Bucharest, Romania. ISBN 978-606-714-239-6 (Print); ISBN 978-973-0-20728-6 (Online). Available at http://gwc2016.racai.ro

Workshop Presentations

• Mpumalanga Department of Arts, Culture, Sports & Recreation – Ermelo: The role of the family in the upbringing of an African child – 2014
• Trajectories in the African languages – Birchwood Hotel (Boksburg) – Independent Examination Board - 2015