Language development during Covid-19 The case of Sesotho sa Leboa language in South Africa

Abstract

Covid-19 has affected societies worldwide, particularly in areas such as health and education. Covid-19 was a foreign phenomenon in countries such as South Africa, where local languages had to be used to ensure understanding of the pandemic. The effectiveness of communication was reliant on using the language understood locally, and translators translated Covid-19 content from English into South Africa’s indigenous languages, such as Sesotho sa Leboa. This paper focuses on the development of Sesotho sa Leboa through the translation of Covid-19 terminology from English. It established that new words were created through relevant translation and word-formation strategies. This contributed to language development and positively affected language learning and the production of language resources.