Celebrated actress Charlize Theron provoked controversy recently when she described Afrikaans as a dying language.
A language is said to be dying when the population of people speaking it is on the decline. When there are no longer people speaking a language, or when the number of people speaking it is too small to be recorded, the language dies.
Theron shared her controversial opinions during an appearance on the SmartLess podcast with hosts Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman, and Will Arnett. In her words, “There are about 44 people still speaking it. It’s definitely a dying language; it’s not a very helpful language.”
Her verdict sparked outrage in some quarters, with some condemning her for talking “nonsense.” Some think she was only joking, and yet some believe it is a call for people to actually look into the language and ensure that it doesn’t go the way of Latin.
Whatever the case, the actress, who happens to be one of the most respected in the field and one of the best paid as well, has made her point.
Some people may as well take it as a challenge and ensure that the language she declares to be dying doesn’t die. It sounds like a better way to counter her verdict.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5OymMOoFGMLpNlbO2QyRM5
