Thesis (M.A.)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research investigates the adjective in Northern Sotho. The entire research indicates that adjectives form a closed system and are morphologically marked with a noun class prefix in Northern Sotho. Three semantic categories of adjectives which may be recognized are descriptive, quantitative and colour adjectives. Chapter One is the introduction of the research. The introductory sections which appear in it are purpose and aim of study, method of research, organization of the study, definitions of the concepts and derivation of adjectives. Chapter Two concentrates on the semantic adjective. Semantics deals with the study of words origins~ changes and meanings. Attributive (prenominal) adjectives tend to denote fairly permanent properties, while predicative ones denote the corresponding transient properties as in the following examples: (1) a. The shirt is loose (not buttoned) b. The loose shirt (not fitting properly) (2) a. The apparatus are handy (conveniently at hand) b. Handy apparatus (useful apparatus) Adjectives can occur in comparative and exclamatory constructions. Two types of adjectives may also differ from one another in that the one involving conversion does not take degree modifier or comparative, whereas the one not involving conversion can have either of them occurring with them: (3) a. The strong should help the weak b. The very strong should help the weak (4) a. The cup is big b. The cup is too big Chapter Three evolves on the formation and structure of adjectives in Northern Sotho. This chapter introduces a wide range of word building elements used to create the adjective structure. Emphasis is put on the adjectival prefixes, adjectival stems and adjectival suffixes which are the constituent elements of the adjective. Only the adjectival stems are reduplicable and have usually an intensified meaning. This implies that the adjectival prefixes and adjectival suffixes, in terms of their position and function, cannot be reduplicated. There are also some restrictions in the use of adjectives. The main concerns are the nature of word-formation processes and the ways in which wordformation interacts with syntax, semantics and lexicon. Chapter Four exemplifies the descriptive possessive in full. As a matter of clarification, no possessives have been discussed in this chapter. Descriptive possessives and possessives are two different aspects. In this chapter, various aspects which make up the descriptive possessives are also discussed in detail. Chapter Five deals with the nominal relative clause. The head is always the noun in all the nominal relative clauses. The matrix and the relative clauses are given under physical features, psychological features, habits, skills, taste and natural phenomena. The distribution of a relative is also indicated. Attention is based on the complement of a noun and position in a clause. Chapter Six is the concluding chapter which gives the summary of all the previous chapters. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing het as doelstelling die ondersoek van die adjektief in Noord-Sotho. Die bevindinge van die navorsing dui daarop dat adjektiewe in Noord-Sotho 'n geslote klas vorm wat morfologies gemerk word deur 'n naamwoordklasprefiks. Die drie semantiese kategorieë van adjektiewe wat in die studie erken word sluit in deskriptiewe, kwantitatiewe en kleur adjektiewe. Hoofstuk Een vorm die inleiding van die studie. Die verskillende sub-afdelings van die hoofstuk gee die doelstelling van die studie, asook 'n oorsig van die navorsingsmetode, organisasie van die studie, belangrike definisies en konsepte en behandel die afleiding van adjektiewe in Noord-Sotho. Hoofstuk Twee fokus op die semantiese adjektiewe. Semantiek hou verband met die studie van woorde se oorsprong, veranderinge en betekenisse. Attributiewe (prenominale) adjektiewe neig om redelik permanente eienskappe aan te dui, terwyl predikatiewe adjektiewe die korresponderende tydelike eienskappe aandui, soos getoon in die volgende voorbeelde in Engels: (1) a. The shirt is loose (not buttoned) b. The loose shirt (not fitting properly) (2) a. The apparatus are handy (conveniently at hand) b. Handy apparatus (useful apparatus) Adjektiewe kan in vergelykende en uitroepkonstruksies verskyn. Twee tipes adjektiewe kan ook verskil van mekaar in die opsig dat die een tipe wat verandering behels nie 'n graad bepaler of vergelykende bepaler neem nie, terwyl die ander wat nie verandering behels nie met enige van hierdie bepalers kan verskyn. Beskou die volgende voorbeelde in Engels: (3) a. The strong should help the weak b. The very strong should help the weak (4) a. The cup is big b. The cup is too big Hoofstuk Drie hou verband met die vorming en struktuur van adjektiewe in Noord- Sotho. Hierdie hoofstuk stel'n wye reekswoordbou-elementebekendwat gebruik word om qie adjektiefstruktuur te skep. Besondere aandag word gegee aan die adjektiefprefikse, adjektiefstamme en adjektiefsuffikse wat die konstituent elemente van die I adjektief is. Slegs adjektiefstamme is dupliseerbaar, en het gewoonlik 'n geïntensifeerde betekenis. Dit volg dat die adjektiefprefikse en -suffikse in terme van hulle posisie en funksie nie geredupliseer kan word nie. Daar word ook ondersoek ingestel na die beperkings ten opsigte van die gebruik van adjektiewe. Die hoofoorwegings is die aard van woordvormingsprosesseen die wyse waarop woordvorming in interaksie is met die sintaksis, semantiek en die leksikon. Hoofstuk Vier ondersoek die deskriptiewe possessief in Noord-Sotho volledig. Ter wille van duidelikheid: geen possessiewe wat letterlike semantiese besit aandui word in hierdie hoofstuk as relevant beskou nie aangesien deskriptiewe possessiewe, maar nie letterlike besitaanduidende possessiewe nie, as kategorie van semantiese adjektiewe beskou word. In hierdie hoofstuk word ook verskillende aspekte bespreek wat die semantiese adjektief karakteriseer. Hoofstuk Vyf ondersoek die nominale relatief klous. Die kern is altyd 'n naamwoord in al die nominale relatiefklouse. Die matriks- en die relatiefklouse word bespreek onder die klasse van fisiese kenmerke, sielkundige kenmerke, gewoontes, vaardighede, smake, en natuurlike verskynsels. Die verspreiding van 'n relatief word ook aangedui. Aandag word gevestig op die komplement van 'n naamwoord en posisie in die klous. Hoofstuk Ses is die samevatting van die studie waarin die belangrikste bevindings aan die orde gestel word.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study intends to describe and explain syllable structure processes in Northern Sotho. It deals with phonological processes such as vowel deletion, semivocalization and semivowel insertion. The major aim of these processes is to restore the preferred ICVI syllable structure which has been violated by morphological processes such as passive, diminutive, the construction of absolute pronouns, etc. Two phonological models are applied with the intention to determine the one that presents the most credible explanation for the phenomenon at hand. The two models employed are, respectively, the Transformational (TG) and Feature Geometry (FG) models. It appears that Feature Geometry model yields better results in the description of syllable structure processes in Northern Sotho. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie beskryf en verklaar sillabestruktuur prosesse in Noord-Sotho. Die tersaaklike fonologiese prosesse is vokaaldelesie, semivokalisasie en semivokaalinvoeging. Die doel van hierdie prosesse is om "n bepaalde voorkeursillabestruktuur IKVI te herstel wat versteur word deur morfologiese prosesse met die vorming van die passief, diminutief, die konstruksie van absolute voornaamwoorde ensovoorts. Twee fonologiese modelle word geïmplementeer ten einde te bepaal welke model die mees geloofwaardige verklarings vir die betrokke verskynsels kan bied. Die Transformasioneel-Generatiewe (TG) en Kenmerk Geometriese(KG) modelle word respektiewelik toegepas. Dit skyn asof die Kenmerk Geometriese model beter resultate lewer in die beskrywing van sillabestruktuurprosesse in Noord-Sotho.

Thesis (DLitt (African Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Definiteness is generally viewed as a morpho-syntactic category. It is grammatically marked by articles in languages such as English, but not all languages have a formal grammatical encoding for this category. The nominal preprefix (NPP) in languages such as Dzamba is not an equivalent to the English article system; however, it displays a close association with definiteness. Northern Sotho is non-articled, and it does not possess the NPP in its grammatical system. As a grammatical category, definiteness is the grammaticalisation of a pragmatic category of identifiability, which is present in all languages. Identifiability, as a means of referent tracing, plays a vital role in communication. The main aim of this study is to investigate how the phenomenon of definiteness manifests itself in Northern Sotho. The introductory chapter describes the purpose and aim of the study, its theoretical approach and methodology, as well as its organisation. The second chapter presents an overview of the previous major works on definiteness. It begins with the literature on the category in general, and moves on to the literature on definiteness in African Languages. These previous studies agree on the central issues of this category. The speaker utters a definite noun phrase (NP) if he presupposes that the addressee will be in a position to locate and to identify the referent of the NP uniquely or inclusively. Chapter 3 examines noun phrases that are regarded as definite in Northern Sotho; and the factors that contribute to such a reading. Pragmatic factors, i.e. existential presupposition, transparent contexts and anaphoric reference make major contributions to the interpretation of a noun phrase as definite. Nominal determiners and quantifiers whose semantic content suggests locatability, uniqueness and/or inclusiveness give a noun phrase definite reference. Such determiners and quantifiers include the demonstrative, possessive with locative gona/ntshe, the universal quantifier, etc. Proper names and pronouns have unique reference. Chapter 4 investigates indefinite noun phrases in Northern Sotho. Bare noun phrases in this language such as mang (who), lefeela (nothing) and aretse (unknown thing/place) are incompatible with definiteness. Their semantic content suggests that their referent cannot or should not be uniquely identified. Nominal modifiers such as -ngwe (another/different/ a certain), -fe (who/which) and šele (another/different/strange) are also incompatible with unique identifiabilty and they, therefore, accord a noun phrase indefinite reference. Nouns with generic interpretation and nouns in idioms do not uniquely refer to particular individuals. Chapter 5 looks into the ambiguity of bare noun phrases in Northern Sotho. It examines such a phrase in the subject position, the object position and the complement position of prepositional phrases. Nominal modifiers such as the adjective, the relative and the possessive are incorporated into noun phrases to see how they affect the reading. The question of subject inversion (SI) is also investigated. Lastly opaque contexts are discussed, and the ambiguity created by opacity-creating operators is examined. The final chapter of the study presents the main findings.

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the properties of selected monotransitive verbs in Northern Sotho as regard their argument structure and event structure. These Northern Sotho verbs will be examined within the general theoretical framework of Generative Lexicon Theory postulated by Pustejovsky (1996). This theory is in essence concerned with the account of word meaning as it relates to lexical semantic properties of lexical items in composition with other lexical items in a sentence. The arguments of the Northern Sotho verbs examined will include an agentive subject argument, the external argument, and a patient/theme object argument, the internal argument. In addition, a locative internal argument occurs in the sentences, which may have the status of a true argument, a shadow argument, or a default argument, in Pustejovsky’s classification of arguments. The Northern Sotho verbs examined demonstrate accomplishment events in that they entail a change of state and are telic (i.e. they have a logical culmination or endpoint). This telicity property of the verb is often the result of the occurrence of the internal arguments, i.e. the patient/theme argument and locative argument of the verb. The verb classes examined for Northern Sotho include (i) verbs of putting, (ii) verbs of removing, (iii) verbs of sending and carrying, (iv) verbs of exerting force/push/pull verbs), (v) verbs of change of possession, (vi) learn verbs, (vii) verbs of throwing, (viii) verbs of contact by impact, (ix) verbs of cutting, (x) verbs of separating and disassembling, (xi) verbs of creation and transformation, (xii) verbs of communication, (xiii) verbs of ingesting, (xiv) verbs of change of state, and (xv) verbs of motion.

Thesis (MA (African Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The purpose of this study is to apply existing theories with regard to second language acquisition in a South African context, in order to address specific needs of Sepedi second language learners in the South African Police Service, with specific focus on the Community Service Centre and within the guidelines of the Batho Pele principles. The study presents an overview on Universal Grammar and the roles it played within second language acquisition as well as the principles and parameters it presented for language development. It further analysed the acquisition processes of languages and the roles the learner plays as individual and part of a social interacting group. Form-meaning connections utilised by learners is defined as a fundamental aspect for both first and second language acquisitions are discussed broadly in the study, inclusive of the psycholinguistic consequences as well as other input factors that may influence form-meaning connections. The specific role of language instruction is also reviewed in this study. Specific focus is placed on the roles of implicit and explicit instruction and the effectiveness thereof in second language acquisitioning and noticing. Task-based theories were also evaluated, with the accent on the definition of tasks, task characteristics, task grading and other factors relating to tasks such as procedural factors. The role of tasks was further explored in second language acquisition, inclusive of the variables that need to be addressed. The definition of tasks into focussed and unfocused tasks are also scrutinized against the learner interaction in the acquisition process. The implementation of tasks and the impact thereof on comprehension and language acquisition is also reviewed. Different models of methods to design a focussed task are discussed. The successful acquisition of a second language will also be based on the correct collation of data and the sequencing thereof in such manners to allow learners the opportunity to comprehend it as sufficiently as possible. The study further focuses on the methodology of task-based teaching and the use of communicative tasks in second language acquisition. Finally the interviews between the community and the police officials are then analysed in respect of complexity models, against the cognitive and syntactic complexity for specific purposes as well against the genre-approach to second language teaching. The characterizing of such interviews will allow the defining and grading of tasks to ensure sound development of teaching models for second language learning.

Thesis (MA (African Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The topic of study is ‘go’ and ‘come’ verbs in Northern Sotho, which can be classified as verbs of state or motion. This study examines the semantics as well as the syntactic analysis of these verbs of state of motion within the framework of Pustejovsky’s Generative Lexicon Theory. This study will explore the polysemy of ‘ya’, as shown in the sentences below: 1. Bana ba ya nokeng. (The children go/are going to the river) 2. Bašimane ba ya šokeng. (The boys go/are going to the bush) The verb ya ‘go’ may end with the suffix –ile to realise the past tense of ya as illustrated in the following examples: 3. Bana ba ile nokeng. (The children went to the river) 4. Bašemane ba ile šokeng. (The boys went to the bush) The study also examines the polysemy of the verb –tla in Northern Sotho. The verb tla ‘come’ semantically denotes motion as shown in the sentences below. 5. Basadi ba tla monyanyeng. (The women come to the party) 6. Banna ba tla kopanong. (Men come/are coming to the meeting) The verb tla may end with the suffix –ile to demonstrate the past tense of –tla, as shown in the following sentences. 7. Ngwana o tlile sekolong. (The child came to school) 8. Mokgalabje o tlile kgorong. (The old man came to the headkraal) This study will demonstrate that the agent argument of the verbs –ya and –tla may regularly occur as complement of the preposition le in Northern Sotho. The range of data examined demonstrate that the verbs –ya and –tla exhibit a wide range of semantic selectional properties as regard to the subject argument and the locative argument. The study also analyses the aspectual properties of the sentences with –ya and –tla with reference to the activity and achievement situation types.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is a narration of personal experiences of the Northern Sotho people and their way of doing their activities. The Northern Sotho people and their ways of doing things have been characterized by a proliferation of different ways of living governance. This living governance is by people who are a distance from the Northern Sotho way of living that has been influenced by day to day changes of technology and the style of living, whereby people can do anything to can fit in the current lifestyle. The problem experienced in relation to accounts is how accounts impact on us and visa versa. The Northern Sotho narration dates back from the pre-colonial, colonial and apartheid era. These linear stages of governance have had an influence in the transformation of the Northern Sotho. This transformation has seen a delusion of the original Northern Sotho discourses. A mixture of different cultures in the process of transformation has also characterized this, where the Northern Sotho people have adopted other tribes’ norms and values; in the process losing their own original identity. Other tribes have also lost their original ways of doing things by absorbing Northern Sotho norms and values. The findings of research will determine how difficult it is to transform original cultures to the most dominant culture of today, which is more westernized. People will analyze the findings influential in doing self-introspection, which will assist in determining oneself. The recommendation that could be given would be that one need to look back at the importance of cultural values from where he or she comes and to make it fit into today’s life as this will prevent uncertainties and assist in building the current and next generation’s future. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: gemeenskap en hul manier om met hul aktiwiteite te handel. Die Noord-Sotho gemeenskap en hul manier om dinge te handel word gekenmerk deur ‘n vinnige toename in die diverse invloede deur mense wat verskillende lewenswyse as hul eie het. Hierdie lewenwyse word gekenmerk deur die vinnige ontwikkelende tegnologie en lewenstyl waarvolgens mense enigiets kan doen om in die hedendaagse maniere om dinge te doen in te pas. Ondervindinge in verhouding met die beskrywings is hoe die beskrywings ons beinvloed en andersom. Die Noord Sotho vertelling is gedateer vanaf die prekoloniale-, koloniale-, apartheid- en pos-apartheid eras. Hierdie liniere fases van magsuitoefening het ‘n invloed gehad in die transformasie van die Noord Sotho. Hierdie transformasie het gesien tot die verkeerde ideé van die oorspronklike kommunikasies van Noord-Sotho lewenswyse. ‘n Mengsel van verskillende kulture in die proses van transformasie het ook hierdeur kenmerk, waar die Noord Sotho bevolking ander stamme se norme en waardes aangeneem het en sodoende hul oorspronklike identiteit verloor het. Ander stamme het ook hul oorspronklike manier om hul dinge te doen verloor deur dat hulle norme en waarders van die Noord –Sotho geabsobeer het. Die navorsings bevindinge sal bepaal hoe moeilik dit is om suiwer kulture te omvorm tot die mees dominante hedendaagse kultuur wat meer verwesters is. Mense sal die bevindinge analiseer wat op instrospeksie impakteer en selfbeeld bepaal. Die aanbeiling is dat die historiese belangrikheid van die kulturele waardes in ag geneem moet word as die basis waar ons vandaan kom en dat ons dit in werking moet stel in die hedendaagse lewe. Dit sal onsekerhede voorkom en ook help om die toekoms van die huidige en toekomstige generasies te bou. / KAKARETŠO: Ke kanego ka ga bophelo bja batho ba Sesotho sa Leboa le mediro ya bona. Mekgwa le mediro yeo e akaretšago bophelo ka bophara bja setšo sa Leboa e hweditšwe ke mebušo yeo e bušago. Mebušo yeo le yona e hweditšwe ke diphetogo tša tšatši ka tšatši tša setekiniki le bophelo bja selehono moo batho ba lekanago ka maatla go ka ikhwetša ba kgona go phela maemong a selehono. Ditlhalošo tša setšo sa Leboa di balelwa go tloga mehleng ya pele ga koloni, ka nako ya kgatelelo le ka morago ga kgatelelo. Nakong tše ka moka tša go fapafapana, mebušo ya gona e bile le khuetšo e kgolo setšong sa leboa. Go lekana ga ditšo tša go fapafapana diphetogong setšong le gona go amile dipheto setšong sa batho ba Leboa gomme ba thoma go loba boitšhupo bja botšo. Merafe e mengwe le yona e lahlegetšwe ke botšo ka go latela ditlwaedi le mekgwa ya Sesotho sa Leboa. Go ya ka dinyakišišo, go nale sešupo sa gore ga go bonolo go ka fetoga setšong sa bogologolo go fetogela go setšo sa sebjale seo se tibilego ka mekgwa ya sekgowa. Batho ba tla lebeledišiša ditšhupetšo tšeo di nago le khuetšo ya go inyaka le go inyakišiša, e lego seo se tla thušago motho gore a te tsebe. Kakanyo yeo e ka tlišago phetogo ke ge go ka lebelelwa morago botsong bja setšo. Go lebelelwe ka moo se bego se hlomphiwa ka gona e bile se latelelwa gomme go be le tlhotleletšo ya gore se šomišwe bophelong bja selehono. Tlhotleletšo ye e ka thibela dipelaelo le go thuša go aga bokamoso bja meloko ya lehono le yeo e sa tlago.