Words on new bank notes spelt correctly – PanSALB
Clarification was given after the SARB had introduced upgraded banknotes and coins that began circulation from on May 4.
There is no spelling error on the new notes, the pan SA language board has asserted.
The new notes were recently launched as part of a an effort to fight counterfeiting.
The upgraded banknotes and coins, which the SA reserve bank started circulating on May 4, had caused public panic as some citizens had thought they carried wrongly spelt words.
The new currency has words in all South African languages and it appeared one was incorrectly spelt.
But in a statement, chairperson of Xitsonga national language body Dr Arnold Mushwana said the board had consulted with the bank to ask that the Xitsonga body verified and authenticate the Xitsonga words on the currency
The Xitsonga body is a statutory and advisory structure established in terms of law.
The board said Banginkulu had been corrected to Bangikulu on the new currency.
“The board hereby confirms the words written in Xitsonga, Bangikulu on the upgraded banknotes to be accurate and correct and consistent with the revised spelling and orthography rules published by the board in May 2022,” Mushwana said.
On the outgoing currency design, the word had been spelt with the n.
He said the Xitsonga body advised the n be removed on the new currency for the following reason:
– Bangikulu is a compound noun which is formed by two words, the noun bangi and the adjective stem -kulu
– It is unclear where the n comes from as we cannot say bangi leyinkulu/yinkulu, we also cannot say banginkulu
– The n to the adjective stem -kulu is only on nouns referring to humans such as matsalanankulu, mhaninkulu and papankulu because n on these words is an allomorph of mu prefixed to class 1 words.
The new currency will be introduced in stages with the banknotes still bearing Nelson Mandela’s face, along with the Big Five.
The new currency has enhanced security features and graphics to combat counterfeiting and other illegal activities.
The coin series will include new landing patterns on the inside to enable the visually impaired community to tell them apart by touch.
The R10 to R200 banknotes have a colour-changing ink while the Big Five animals on each note have been multiplied and, when held up to light, the security thread appears as a continuous solid dark line.
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