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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Language and labour markets in South Africa
Authors:Cornwell, Katy
Inder, BrettISNI
Year:2008
Periodical:Journal of African Economies
Volume:17
Issue:3
Pages:490-525
Language:English
Geographic term:South Africa
Subjects:employment
income
language usage
mother tongues
External link:https://jae.oxfordjournals.org/content/17/3/490.full.pdf
Abstract:This paper considers the role of language in employment outcomes and labour earnings in South Africa over the period 1996-1998. A pooled cross section comprises more than 160,000 working-age adults, and the analysis considers the decision to participate in the labour force, employment outcomes and labour earnings. After conditioning on a number of socioeconomic and demographic factors, the paper finds that having English as one's mother tongue is one of the pivotal determinants of employment and labour earnings. Allowing for language effects leads to a much diminished role of race/population group as a driver of labour market success and earnings. There seems to be little variation in employment outcomes or earnings across the different African languages. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]
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