Prof Wannie Carstens, the former director of the School of Languages at the North-West University (NWU), has been awarded the prestigious Jan H Marais Prize for his exceptional contributions to Afrikaans as a scientific language by the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (the South African Academy of Science and Arts). This is in recognition of his high level and high quality of work, as well as his expert contribution to Afrikaans linguistics.

The prize money to the value of R750 000 will be presented to Prof Carstens in Stellenbosch later this year. The announcement was made by the chairperson of the selection committee, Dr Johan van Zyl, a former rector of the University of Pretoria and former CEO of Sanlam.

Prof Carstens has had an academic career bar none and his list of accomplishments includes serving as chairperson of the Afrikaanse Taalraad, chairperson of the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie van Kuns en Kultuur and chairperson of the Nasionale Taalligaam vir Afrikaans, and he has also served on a variety of boards.  In addition to the multitude of articles he has published, he oversaw the publication of independent books such as Norme vir Afrikaans and Afrikaanse Tekslinguistiek. Two books, Teksredaksie and Text editing, were written in collaboration with Prof Kris van de Poel from the University of Antwerp, and the latter also with John Linnegar, and have been translated into two African languages.

The 72-year-old father of three and husband to wife Wilma is still actively involved at the NWU through his work in the Unit for Languages and Literature in the South African Context.

Prof Wannie Carstens.