Spelling challenges in written Khoekhoegowab
Proposals for orthographic reforms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56285/jltVol60iss1a6927Keywords:
Khoekhoegowab, social media, modern technology, orthographyAbstract
It has been recognized that spelling reforms are inevitable so even languages with a long history of writing have had to modify or change their spelling system to enhance literacy. The problem of how to write Khoekhoegowab has been an ongoing concern for decades. Using Key informant interviews, and document analysis involving a grade 9 school textbook, a Facebook social media page called Naman ǁkhoab, a Social Security Commission booklet, a Ministry of Health Booklet, and Google Maps, the paper examines the challenges faced by Khoekhoegowab writers using the current spelling writing system. The document analysis showed that some symbols were not available or were hard to access on the keyboards. This resulted in people using random symbols or none to depict specific sounds with negative implications for meaning-making and literacy practices in Khoekhoegowab. These results were largely confirmed by interviews with key informants who among other things indicated difficulties writing click consonants and the marking on vowels to indicate nasalization. The article ends with a discussion of possible solutions to these challenges.
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