M.A. (Afrikaans en Nederlands) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Litt. et Phil. (German) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Modern lingusitics consist of several schools of thought with diverse approaches. The Systemic School consists of a group of linguists who primarily study language within the social context. They thus have an interpersonal approach. This approach within British Linguistics originated in the work of Malinowski in the twenties. In the sixties it was M.A.K. Halliday in particular who gave direction to this approach by placing it within a more scientific theoretical framework. In the seventies Systemic Linguistics developed in a generative direction. This development led to several generative models, and, eventually, to Fawcett's divergence from the existing school to an intrapersonal approach which approximated some of Chomsky's views. The historical background and development of Systemic Linguistics is outlined briefly in the first three chapters of the thesis. The specific variation of the Scale and Category model that is used in chapters 4 and 5 to describe aspects of Afrikaans grammar is also explained. This description of aspects of Afrikaans grammar indicates that, in respect of surface grammar, the Scale and Category model does not contribute much to the existing descriptions of Afrikaans within other theoretical frameworks. In respect of the deep grammar, on the other hand, the systemic approach has been shown to be a gain. It illustrates interesting underlying differences between clauses, and offers a wide field of research into Afrikaans. The last chapter of the thesis is an evaluation of the advantages and weaknesses of the Scale and Category model, as well as aspects of Systemic Theory in general. Practical applications of Systemic Grammar are indicated, and research possibilities in respect of a systemic description of Afrikaans are identified. Systemic Linguistics has its strong points and weak points . Because of their specific view on the language phenomenon, the systemicists' approach is, in my opinion, a very fruitful way to study language. Because of the growing influence of Systemic Linguistics on English Linguistics, it can no longer be ignored. This thesis, amongst other things, attempts to contribute to the introduction of Systemic Theory to Afrikaans Linguistics. / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Natal, Durban, 1986.

M.A. (African Languages) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (Applied Linguistics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / In hierdie studie word meerduidigheid as n subkategorie van meervoudigheid van betekenis beskou. Onder die hoofverdeling tussen leksikale en nie-leksikale meerduidigheid word verskillende tipes en subtipes meerduidigheid onderskei, wat almal die volgende gemeen het, dat dit telkens om een vorm gaan met meer as een moontlike, duidelik onderskeibare interpretasie. Daar word gepoog om eerstens op algemeen-teoretiese vlak die aspekte van meerduidigheid aan te toon waarvan 'n beskrywend adekwate teorie rekenskap sal moet kan gee. Die wesenlike aspekte verbonde aan die verskynsel word uitgelig by wyse van n kritiese oorsig van die tradisionele, die sintakties- en semanties-gerigte, die psigolinguistiese en die pragmatiese benaderings. Tweedens word daar gepoog om op taalspesifieke vlak meerduidigheid in Afrikaans op n adekwate wyse te verantwoord, deur die aard en die bereik van die meerduidigheid op verskillende vlakke te ondersoek, en taalspesifieke meerduidigheidskeppende faktore en vereenduidigingsmeganismes te isoleer. Daar word ingegaan op verskeie teoretiese beskouinge aangaande die leksikon, en stilgestaan by die leksikografiese problematiek - veral met betrekking tot die onderskeid tussen homonimie en polisemie. Verskillende kategoriee van leksikale en nie-leksikale meerduidigheid word ten opsigte van meerduidigheid s keppende faktore, meerdui digheidsbereik en vereenduidigingsmeganismes en -strategiee onder die loep geneem. In die proses word die wisselwerking tussen fonologiese, sintaktiese, semantiese en pragmotiese parameters wat n rol speel by die interpretasie van uitinge, verken. Verder word daar ingegaan op intensionele meerduidigheid soos dit neerslag vind in verbale humor- veral in die vertelgrap en raaisel . Daar word aangesluit by Raskin (1985) se onderskeid tussen die bona fide-modus en die nie-bona fide-modus van kommunikasie. Die voorwaardes vir en die meganismes van humor in n paar Afrikaanse grappe en raaisels word ontleed aan die hand van Raskin (1985) se skrip-semantiek, in terme waarvan hy linguistiese humor probeer verklaar binne n taalhandelingsraamwerk. Die studie dui daarop dat daar op algemeen-teoretiese vlak 'n behoefte bestaan aan omvattende taalgebruiksteorie waarbinne die moedertaaI spreker se jntuitiewe inlerpretasie en vereenduidiging van meerduidige uitinge op adekwate wyse verantwoord kan word. / In this study cimbiguity is analysed as a sub-category of multiple meaning. Within the main div ision between lexical and non-lexical ambiguity, a distinct ion is made between various types and sub-types of ambiguity which all share one characteristic: that of consisting of a single form representing more than one possible, clearly distinguishable interpretation. Firstly, an attempt is made on a general theoretical level to show which aspects of ambiguity an adequate theory must account for. The essential aspects of the phenomenon are dealt with by means of a critical review of the pragmatic, syntactic, semantic, psycholinguistic and traditional approaches. Secondly, an attempt is made on a language-specific level to give an adequate account of ambiguity in Afrikaans by investigating the nature and scope of ambiguity on different levels. Various theoretical approaches to the lexicon are considered, focusing inter alia on lexicographical problems, with particular reference to the distinction between homonymy and polysemy. Different categories of lexical and non-lexical ambiguity are considered in an attempt to isolate those factors causing ambiguity, and to ascertain the scope of the various ambiguities as well as the constraints and disambiguation mechanisms and strategies applicable in each case. In the course of this investigation attention is drawn to the interaction between phonological, semantic, syntactic and pragmatic parameters pertaining to the interpretation of utterances. In my investigation of intentional ambiguity in verbal humour, a number of Afr ikaans jokes and riddles are analysed according to certain conditions for and mechan isms of humour. This analysis draws on Raskin's (1985) theory of script-semantics and his distinction between the bona fide-mode and the non-bona fide-mode of communication. On a general theoretical level this thesis indicates a need for a comprehensive theory of language use which can adeq uately account for the mother-tongue speaker's intuitive interpretation and disambiguation of ambiguous utterances. / Afrikaans and Theory of Literature / D. Litt. et Phil.

Thesis (MA (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / This study focuses on the internal structure of the CP in Afrikaans. Rizzi’s (1997) Split-CP Hypothesis serves as the starting-point; however, careful consideration is also given to the more recent proposals of Beninca’ and Poletto (2004). The aim of the study is to determine whether the proposals of Rizzi (1997) and Beninca’ and Poletto (2004) provide an adequate framework for the description of the CP-domain in Afrikaans. The study is presented within the theoretical framework of Minimalist Syntax. Specific adaptations to the Split-CP Hypothesis are suggested throughout the course of the discussion in an attempt to make the Split-CP Hypothesis compatible with the facts of Afrikaans. Finally, attention is also given to three problematic issues in Afrikaans that require further investigation.

M.A. (Afrikaans) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Thesis (MA) -- Stellenbosch University, 1976. / No Abstract Available

This is a study of the broad scope of cognition verbs in Afrikaans. Firstly, the nonmetaphorical cognition verbs [e.g. ken (= know), weet (= know), dink (= think), verstaan (= understand)] are discussed and then the metaphorical cognition verbs which are subcategorized in metaphorical verbs of vision [kyk (= look), sien (= see)] and metaphorical manipulation verbs [vorm (= form), gryp (= grab), voel (= feel), vat (= take) etc.]. The study is embedded in the cognitive linguistic stance of embodiment which inter alia implies that our neurological functioning is based on feeling (which includes our sense of touch), and that the way our bodies are structured also determines the way we express our thoughts. This extensive descriptive study of Afrikaans cognition verbs, metaphorical and nonmetaphorical, indicates that visual lexemes in Afrikaans express subtle abstract thought, while manipulation lexemes express less subtle, yet still abstract result-driven thought. Synthesis is an important factor in this study because the non-metaphorical cognition verbs as well as the metaphorical cognition verbs are linked to the basic cognitive principle of embodiment. Also, the two metaphorical verb types can by seen in synthesis when the stage frame ( = vision) and the workshop frame ( = manipulation) are merged. The synthesis of the stage frame and the workshop frame eventually provides us with another perspective, namely that vision and manipulation (which includes touch and feeling) are in a state of interacting nurturing symbiosis. / Linguistics / D. Litt. et Phil (Linguistics)