Rate My Professor Theodorus du Plessis

Professor Theodorus du Plessis is Professor Emeritus in Language Management at the University of the Free State and a research fellow in the Department of South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies. He served as the Director of the Unit for Language Facilitation and Empowerment (ULFE), which was established in 1993 to develop solutions for institutional multilingualism in South Africa and later incorporated into the department in 2018. Du Plessis lectured in language policy, language planning, language management, and language politics, with research focused on multilingualism and language governance. Since 1988, he has been a visiting scholar at institutions in Belgium, Germany, Israel, and the USA. He has delivered over 130 conference papers nationally and internationally. His scholarly output includes two monographs, 77 book chapters, over 70 peer-reviewed articles, and numerous contributions to conference proceedings. He has co-edited 12 influential books on multilingualism, education, and language politics.

Du Plessis currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Language Policy Studies in South Africa (Van Schaik) and the South African Language Rights Monitor (SUNPReSS). He previously held the role of Associate Editor for Language Matters and serves on the editorial boards of Multilingualism and Linguistic Diversity, Language Policy, and Onoma. He is an active member of several scholarly associations, including the International Academy of Linguistic Law and the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns. His contributions continue to enrich the research culture and academic life in his department through mentorship and intellectual leadership.