Dr Gift Mheta, DUT’s Writing Centre Coordinator, and Dr Zannie Bock from the Linguistic Department at the University of Western Cape, launched their book ‘Language, Society and Communication’ at the Botanic Gardens Hall, last Thursday, 07 August 2014. The event was coordinated by the Durban University of Technology’s Library Book Club and Writing Centre.

The aim of the book, which is now currently being used as a textbook, is to introduce students to key, established linguistic concepts and theories and to link these to South Africa’s rich linguistic heritage as well as contemporary issues in society and media, including new social media. The book also explores how language is intricately bound up with issues of power, status and identity. It also introduces an analytical vocabulary to describe language as a system to demonstrate the relevance of this kind of analysis to real world issues such as language acquisition.

The book took four years to finish and is currently being used for the first, second and third year students for the undergraduate programme. The book is not only available in English but also in African languages such as IsiZulu, Sishona and Swahili, to name but a few.

Noxolo Memela

Pictured: Mrs Andrea Alcock (Writing Centre Manager-City Campus), Ms Nonhlanhla Patience Zuma (Midlands Writing Centre Manager), Dr Shirlene Neerputh (Library Manager), Rev Dr Delysia Timm (DVC Academic Coordinator), Prof Graham Stewart (E-Learning Coordinator), Prof Sibusiso Moyo (Director- Research and Postgraduate Support) and Ms Nereshnee Govender (Writing Centre Manager- ML Sultan Campus), at the book launch.