FROM A TO ALMOST Z: THE REMARKABLE -LONG JOURNEY OF THE WAT
By: Neo Ntsele
How do you create a dictionary that takes over a century to complete?
This question was on attendees' minds at the University of the Free State (UFS) as they celebrated 100 years of the Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal (WAT).
While many see a dictionary as a simple tool, the event highlighted its role as a record of people's lives and histories.
Hosted by the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French, in collaboration with the Bloemfontein Working Group of the South African Academy for Science and the Arts, the event featured Dr Phillip Louw, Editor-in-Chief of the WAT, and Prof Gerhard van Huyssteen of North-West University, discussing the dictionary's journey.
Dr Francois Smith emphasised the significance of properly celebrating this national achievement, noting the WAT's comprehensive reflection of Afrikaans in its many forms.
As the team nears completion, it is working on the letter V, with plans to reach Z by 2028.
Prof Vasu Reddy praised the WAT as a major scholarly project, emphasising its role in enriching South Africa's intellectual and cultural landscape and supporting multilingualism.
He described dictionaries as archives of human experience and collective memory, with the WAT showcasing language as a sophisticated knowledge system.
The event also highlighted the collective effort behind the WAT, with public contributions of 3.5 million handwritten cards, now digitised.
Dr Louw paid tribute to past editors who shaped the dictionary, and noted the inclusion of diverse Afrikaans varieties, such as Cape and Gariep Afrikaans.
Prof Reddy concluded that the WAT stands as a monumental achievement, inviting new voices and possibilities.
The evening ended with Dr Louw sharing his favourite Afrikaans word, tramakassie, meaning ‘I receive your love,’ as a gesture of gratitude.
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