Explain how the official language of South Africa changed between 1600 and 2009.

Answer:

Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information: Tribal people who lived in the region before 1600 spoke hundreds of different languages. The Dutch first colonized South Africa and introduced their language. The British arrived in 1795, bringing English. Two official languages developed: English and Afrikaans, the latter of which is derived from Dutch, German, Malay, and other languages. These two languages were spoken by the white settlers who came to dominate the native population with a policy of racial separation known as apartheid. When this policy was ended in 1994, South Africa recognized eleven official languages.