Local researchers recently translated international symbols into Afrikaans, in response to a language barrier in communication methods for those who cannot speak.
This is according to professor Juan Bornman, speech-language and hearing therapy lecturer at Stellenbosch University’s (SU) faculty of medicine and health sciences.
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) refers to various methods, strategies and tools that are used to support or replace spoken or written language for people who have difficulty communicating, said Monique Visser, speech-language and hearing therapy lecturer at SU.
“AAC can be augmentative (supplementing existing speech) or alternative (used instead of speech) or in some cases both, depending on how it is used and the needs of the individual,” said Visser.
Professor Juan Bornman (left) and Monique Visser (right), speech-language and hearing therapy lecturers at Stellenbosch University, were involved in a project to translate international symbols into Afrikaans. Although it took around a year to complete, the idea started in the 1990s, according to Bornman. PHOTO: Supplied/Stellenbosch University
“Language is where identity, culture, and belonging live,” said Bornman. “As a clinician and academic, I believe strongly that every person deserves the opportunity to express themselves in their mother tongue. Translating AAC symbols into Afrikaans is one step toward making that possible.”
Translation for all
The inspiration behind this initiative stems from a commitment to making communication accessible and meaningful for all, said Bornman.
The project took a year to complete, but ensuring translation and cultural relevance in all of South Africa’s official languages has been close to Bornman’s heart since the late 1990s, she said.
The decision to start with the Afrikaans language was due to a previous collaboration with researchers based in the United States of America (US), who were involved in developing the Tobii Dynavos symbol set, a device used to assist those with speech disabilities, according to Visser.
These researchers then approached Bornman about potentially translating and adapting the set into Afrikaans, said Visser.
Visser said that the team is eager to proceed with this translation for other South African languages as well, however, they are currently planning validation of the Afrikaans set, having Afrikaans AAC users, caregivers, and therapists using it to provide feedback for further refinement.
An explanation of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). “AAC are various methods that someone communicates besides talking verbally,” said Danita Nel, a speech and language therapist based in Cape Town. INFOGRAPHIC: Casey-Lee Anthony
‘Beyond words’
When approaching the translation process, Visser said that she knew it was not going to be a word-for-word translation.
“We went through several rounds of feedback, working closely with the developer to adjust both the language and user experience until it felt right,” said Visser. “Not just technically accurate, but meaningful for real users.”
The goal was to ensure Afrikaans-speaking people, especially children relying on AAC, saw vocabulary and symbols that felt familiar, according to Visser.
“When AAC systems reflect a person’s culture, they affirm dignity, support inclusion, and strengthen emotional connections,” said Bornman. “Communication must go beyond words; it should honour who the person is and where they come from.”
The symbols that have been added to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) by Stellenbosch University (SU) researchers include Springbok (in reference to the South African national rugby team), perdekar (carriage), melktert (milktart), koeksisters, and Tafelberg (Table Mountain), according to professor Juan Bornman, speech-language and hearing therapy lecturer at SU. Bornman and her team edited some of the images to reflect the SA context, such as “taxi” and “police car”, according to Bornman, who said that the project was inspired by making communication culturally accurate to South Africans. PHOTO: Supplied/Monique Visser
The team also replaced unrecognisable symbols, like a taxi from the US or an unfamiliar food item, with something familiar, according to Visser.
“Sometimes that meant requesting brand-new custom symbols from the developers, like a South African minibus taxi or a koeksister,” she said.
Although the new symbols are not yet used, Danita Nel, an Afrikaans speech therapist based in Cape Town, said that there has been a need for Afrikaans voice output devices.
“It’s always been a yearning for people to have something in their mother tongue,” said Nel, in correspondence with SMF News.