![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/charlize-theron-under-fire-for-mocking-afrikaans/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/TELEMMGLPICT000313292682_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqdEKusUCeKq9VS5XNTYK1PP4Xpit_DMGvdp2n7FDd82k.jpeg&description=Charlize Theron has come under attack by Afrikaans speakers after she mocked her mother tongue as a dying language spoken by almost no one. The Oscar-winning actress was called ill-informed and told to stick to Hollywood after she told an interview that the language she spoke growing up in South Africa was not very helpful. The comments from one of the country's most celebrated stars sparked off social media debate in her native country, where Afrikaans is one of a dozen official languages. The 47-year-old told the SmartLess podcast that she had only learned English as a second language at school and had been unable to speak it fluently until she moved to the US in her late teens. 'It's definitely a dying language' She joked there were only 'about 44 people still speaking' Afrikaans. 'It's definitely a dying language; it's not a very helpful language," she said. The Afrikaans Language Council was among those who leapt to the defence of the language and called on her to apologise. The council said: 'As an icon and role model for many young South Africans and Afrikaans speakers, Charlize Theron's ill-informed throwaway comments about Afrikaans strike the language at its heart.' Tim Theron, a South African actor and producer, said: 'We're extremely proud of Charlize and everything she has achieved…but we're also very proud of our diversity and our amazing and beautiful official languages, of which Afrikaans is one. 'It's not a 'dying language', and it's not only spoken by 44 people. It's spoken by millions of people; there are new songs and poems being written every day, movies made etc." On Twitter, others were less diplomatic. 'Stick to Hollywood' One user said: 'Stick to Hollywood, girl that's all you know these days, and leave Afrikaans alone.' Afrikaans evolved from the Dutch spoken by colonists and their slaves in Dutch Cape Colony from the 17th century onwards. Words from Malay, Portuguese and local languages were added and proud Afrikaans speakers praise its de){kind=link}
Oscar-winning actress called ill-informed and told to stick to Hollywood after claiming her mother tongue was spoken by almost no one
Charlize Theron has come under attack by Afrikaans speakers after she mocked her mother tongue as a dying language spoken by almost no one.
The Oscar-winning actress was called ill-informed and told to stick to Hollywood after she told an interview that the language she spoke growing up in South Africa was not very helpful.
The comments from one of the country’s most celebrated stars sparked off social media debate in her native country, where Afrikaans is one of a dozen official languages.
The 47-year-old told the SmartLess podcast that she had only learned English as a second language at school and had been unable to speak it fluently until she moved to the US in her late teens.