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Johannesburg, South Africa — Oscar-winning actor Charlize Theron has sparked a firestorm in her native South Africa for suggesting that Afrikaans, a language descended from Dutch settlers, was heading for oblivion.
“There’s about 44 people still speaking it — it’s definitely a dying language, it’s not a very helpful language,” the 47-year-old actor said Monday on a US podcast, “Smartless.”
By Thursday South Africans took to Twitter to voice outrage or support.
“Wow what a disrespectful comment to the millions of South Africans of all ages, races…that speak Afrikaans as their first language,” said @Juleanor.
“Thank you Charlize Theron – that…racist language is dying and shouldn’t even be recognized,” said @SaboSizwe, in contrast.
