In the Japanese language, there are various modal elements, which mark speakers' subjective attitudes toward propositions. One of the most common modals is the noda predicate, which possesses the dual function of either asserting the truth of the position or relaying the speaker's desire for information sharing. Japanese Native Speakers (JNSs) use noda frequently in conversation; however, Japanese Language Learners (JLLs) often face difficulty in learning noda because of its wide variety in function and use. To determine the nature of noda use, this study examines conversational data from role-plays and a case study of two JLLs. The main aims of this thesis are 1) to review research on noda and to provide a cohesive and concise explanation of its functions and 2) to examine the use and acquisition of noda by JLLs. Following Noda's (1997) categorization, noda can be divided broadly into two types: scope and mood. Noda of scope exhibits the speaker's assertion that the proposition is true, while noda of mood marks the speaker's strong desire for information to be shared by speaker and hearer. This study proposes a framework with which to understand the functions of noda, and classifies information which is speaker-oriented (+ Speaker/- Hearer knowledge), hearer-oriented (-Speaker/+ Hearer), and shared (+ Speaker/+ Hearer). JLLs first tend to use noda with speaker-oriented information, and later acquire functions related to hearer-oriented and shared information. In the study of role-plays, JLLs with higher oral proficiency levels as rated by the ACTFL-OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview) used a higher frequency of noda. Both the JLLs and JNSs used noda primarily to provide and seek explanations. The intermediate-level JLLs underused noda in providing supplemental explanations. Other uses of noda in the role-plays included emphasizing information, seeking validity, and back-channeling. The two JLLs in the case study did not notice the use of noda during conversations with the JNS, but began to use noda more frequently during practice conversations upon receiving explicit instructions on the use of noda. While the post-test did not demonstrate increased use of noda due to the limited time of this study, there are clear indications for pedagogy. First, because the functions of noda are varied and numerous, Japanese language textbooks and classrooms should not be limited in providing only the 'explanation' function of noda. Second, the frequent use of noda in Japanese conversation suggests that it should be an area of focus in oral practice. Finally, JLLs need to develop skills in both comprehension and production of noda to improve their Japanese discourse. / Arts, Faculty of / Asian Studies, Department of / Graduate

D.Litt. et Phil. / The current political dispensation in South Africa has, as was the case in the past, undoubtedly had a major influence on the language patterns of the country. The 1996 Constitution now provides official recognition of the main indigenous languages. Despite this entrenchment, there is evidence of a marked shift in language allegiance in favour of English. This study focuses on the language attitudes and perceptions of grade 12 learners in three Afrikaans medium high schools in Johannesburg. In order to achieve the task, a “triangulation approach” was adopted. A literature study was done to provide a backdrop to the understanding of the present language situation. Interviews were conducted with the Afrikaans language teachers of the respondents. Questionnaires were then completed by the learners, as well as by the said teachers. The objectives of the empirical study were threefold, firstly to establish the perceptions of the learners with regard to their mother tongue and language in general. Secondly, the possible consequences of the learners’ negative perceptions about their mother tongue on the future of the language, their culture and the community, was investigated. Lastly, to make recommendations as to how these language attitudes can possibly be changed, from the data. The findings of this study confirm the influence of English on the language and cultural patterns of the learners. It is imperative to change the perceptions that the English language provides the only key to success, lest irrevocable damage be done to our country’s unique language and cultural variety.

Thesis (M. A. (Language Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023 / This study investigated the challenges experienced by Grade 10 learners in the usage of English as the first additional language in classroom academic writing. Qualitative methodology was used to conduct this study where responses from a sample of 10 learners and 2 EFAL teachers were obtained. The participants were purposefully sampled from a secondary school in Tweefontein. The researcher collected data using the semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Selected teachers were interviewed and learners were given an essay writing task. The data was analysed using the inductive thematic data analysis method. The study‟s findings point to social media as the major factor that contributes to the learners‟ usage of social language in academic essay writing. Contraction was found to be the most common language issue in the learners‟ academic writing. The study recommends that stakeholders such as the Department of Education, teachers, parents and learners should work together in order to improve the learners‟ usage of language in academic writing.

Kinyarwanda, like many other languages in contact, has adapted foreign words to meet the needs of its daily life vocabulary and activity. In addition to the lexical need filling, Kinyarwanda borrowed foreign words not only out of need for foreign words but also for prestige. This thesis is based on two hypotheses: Kinyarwanda has borrowed foreign words out of need in various areas; loanwords have been allocated to Kinyarwanda noun class system. This work has discussed and analysed how French and English loanwords have been allocated to key areas of influence and the nominal class system of Kinyarwanda. The data were collected from various sources, including publications, conversation, newspapers, Bible literature, school text books, commercial posters, hoardings. The study has analysed loanwords from French/English deceptive cognates in a bilingual context. This is a challenging task for other researchers who will have to deal with the complexity of deceptive cognate loanwords. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)

Thesis (MA (African Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / This study has the main goal of investigating the speech act of persuasion in isiXhosa. The main aim of the investigation is to examine the characteristics of persuasion in remedial interchanges based on the isiXhosa pragmatics. The study is concerned with the strategies people use when persuading targets, how message sources seek compliance, how targets resist and / or comply and how influence interactions are structured and what constraints on conversation need to be taken into account.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the communicative processes of advice in isiZulu through which people aid each other with problems and stresses of daily life, including ways in which support is communicated. When friends or family members attempt to help one another with stress and problems, they frequently give advice. Within the field of pragmatics, advice is a common but potentially face-threatening response to a friend or a loved one who is upset about a problem. Consequently it is useful to identify ways a speaker may show regard for face in this kind of episode. Advice can threaten the hearer's autonomy by imposing the speaker's authority and solutions on the hearer and it can also imply criticism of the hearer's emotional reaction or handling of the problem. In this study, twenty-one advice topics, by Goldsmith (2000) that can be used in various troubles talk episodes in isiZulu have been examined. It has been found that some advice situations have more topics than others. The situation with more advice topics is the one referred to as personal. This is because people are always very keen to give more advice to people with personal problems than to people with other problems. The situations with the least number of topics are abuse and teachers, because they are very sensitive in nature. The study found that the sensitivity comes from the fact that third parties are involved. People tend to be reluctant to give advice which might lead to confrontation between the parties that are involved. In this research, the parties that are involved are learners on the one side and the parents/teachers on the other side. The other factor is that people do not want to see a parent who is abusing his/her child going to jailor a teacher who does not like a particular child losing his/her job because of the advice they gave to the learners. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie fokus op die kommunikatiewe prosesse van advies in isiZulu waardeur mense mekaar help met die probleme van die alledaagse lewe, insluitende die wyses waarop steun gekommunikeer word. Wanneer vriende en familielede poog om mekaar te help met probleme, gee hulle dikwels advies. Binne die veld van die pragmatiek, is advies 'n algemene, maar potensiële gesigsbedreigende ('face-threatening') respons teenoor 'n vriend of geliefde wat 'n probleem het. Gevolglik is dit nuttig om wyses te identifiseer waarop 'n spreker ontsag mag toon vir gesig ('face') in hierdie soort episode. Advies kan die spreker se outonomiteit bedreig deur die spreker se outoriteit en oplossings neer te druk op die hoorder en dit kan ook kritiek impliseer van die hoorder se emosionele reaksie op hantering van die probleem. In hierdie studie word een-en-twintig advies episodes van Goldsmith (2000) wat gebruik kan word in verskillende moeilikheidsgesprekke ('trouble talk') in isiZulu ondersoek. Daar is bevind dat sommige advies situasies meer onderwerpe as ander het. Die situasie met meer advies onderwerpe, is die persoonlike situasie. Die rede hiervoor is dat mense altyd meer gretig is om advies te gee aan ander mense met persoonlike probleme as aan mense met ander tipes probleme. Die situasies met die minste getalonderwerpe is 'mishandeling' en 'onderwysers' omdat dit baie sensitiewe onderwerpe is. Die studie bevind dat sensitiwiteit spruit uit die teenwoordigheid van 'n derde party se betrokkenheid. Mense blyk onwillig te wees om advies te gee wat mag lei tot konfrontasie tussen die partye betrokke. In hierdie navorsing, is die betrokke partye leerders, enersyds, en ouers of onderwysers, andersyds. 'n Verdere faktor is dat mense nie wil sien dat 'n ouer wat 'n kind mishandel na die gevangenis gaan nie, of dat 'n onderwyser wat nie van 'n spesifieke kind hou sy/haar werk verloor, weens die advies wat hulle aan die leerders gee nie.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines data from advice-giving in Setswana relating to pragmatic theorists' argument that every human interaction, to a large extent carries with it an element of threatening one or both participants' face. The speech act of politeness has been identified as one of the most effective speech acts to be employed in giving as well as soliciting advice. Every speech act is influenced by contextual, cultural and many other background factors associated to age, gender and rank to mention a few, which contribute towards how the speech is composed. The issues relating to the theory of politeness prompted this study on the extent to which politeness plays a role in giving advice in an educational context of Setswana speaking students. The study has evaluated Brown and Levinsons' theory of politeness as a universal phenomenon against the findings of my data, in that the universality of these theorists does not quite fit with this study. The variable percentages in this data, especially in giving advice, indicate that politeness does not always exist in terms of positive and negative face in the participants' mind but other considerations related to the goal of the speech act are the main source of the speech act. In this study, politeness in the Setswana school context has demonstrated that politeness has been employed as a strategy for encoding distance between the speaker and the solicitor. The purpose of advising teachers and students through politeness behavior is to mitigate face and to create a favorable context anticipated by the solicitor. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek data oor advies-gee in Setswana wat verband hou met pragmatiekteoretici se argument dat elke menslike interaksie tot 'n groot mate 'n element het dat een, of beide, deelnemers se gesig bedreig word. Die spraakhandeling van beleefdheid is geïdentifiseer as een van die mees effektiewe spraakhandelinge wat ingespan word in die gee, sowel as die vra van advies. Elke spraakhandeling word beïnvloed deur kontekstuele, kulturele en talle ander agtergrondfaktore wat verband hou met onder andere ouderdom, gender en rang, wat bydra tot die wyse waarop die spraakhandeling saamgestel word. Die vraagstukke rakende die beleefdheidsteorie het aanleiding gegee tot hierdie studie oor die mate waartoe beleefdheid 'n rol speel in advies-gee in opvoedkundige kontekste deur Setswana-sprekende persone. Die studie evalueer Brown en Levinson se teorie van die Universele beginsels wat dit stel teenoor die bevindinge van die data verkry in die navorsing oor Setswana-sprekende studente en daar word afgelei dat Brown en Levinson se universalia nie volledig bevestig word nie. Die varieerbaarheid waargeneem ind ie data oor advies-gee dui aan dat beleefdheid nie altyd manifisteer in terme van negatiewe gesig in die deelnemers se oorwegings nie, maar dat ander oorwegings rakende die doelstelling van die spraakhandeling die hoofbron vorm van die spraakhandeling. In hierdie studie, het beleefdheid in die Setswana opvoedkundige konteks aangetoon dat beleefdheid ingespan word as 'n strategie om afstand te vestig tussen die spreker en die hoorder. Die doel van advies-gee aan onderwysers en studente deur beleefdheidsgedrag is om 'n gunstige konteks te vestig, wat verwag word deur die hoorder.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the speech act of refusal in educational contexts in isiXhosa. The speech utterance is used to accept or refuse request. The request can be made by a friend, parent, school principal etc. The authority of the one making request is very important because it makes the recipient of the request to think twice before he or she refuses. This is done by the fact that the recipient is afraid to damage the face of the requestor. Secondly, the rights that people have make it difficult for the person in authority to use his powers in a way that is not satisfactory, because people belong to unions that protect their rights. For instance, the teacher requests leave because he wants to go and make provisions for his son who is coming from the initiation school. In this regard, the principal is unable to refuse fully although the exams are around the corner. He has to use certain strategies in convincing the teacher about the importance of the forthcoming exams. In the Department of education there is a district director and his team, responsible for certain departments, the school inspectors, subject-advisors, school principals, teachers and students. Each and every one of the above-mentioned has a right to make request. Some of them resort into using politeness strategies when requesting or refusing to obey the request. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die spraakhandeling van weiering in opvoedkundige kontekste in isiXhosa. Die spraakuiting word gebruik om 'n versoek te aanvaar of te weier. Die versoek kan gemaak word deur 'n vriend, ouer, skoolhoof, ens. Die gesag van die persoon wat die versoek maak is baie belangrik, want dit veroorsaak dat die ontvanger van die versoek deeglik dink voordat hy/sy dit weier. Dit word veroorsaak deurdat die ontvanger van die versoek bang is om die gesig ('face') van die versoeker te beskadig. Die regte wat mense het, maak dit moeilik vir die persoon met gesag om sy/haar magte te gebruik op 'n wyse wat onbehoorlik is, want mense behoort aan vakbonde wat hulle regte beskerm. Byvoorbeeld, 'n onderwyser versoek verlof want hy wil voorsorg gaan maak vir sy seun wat terugkeer uit die inisiasieskool. In hierdie gval is die skoolhoof nie in staat om die versoek volledig te weier nie, alhoewel die eksamens binnekort geskryf sal word. Die skoolhoof gebruik sekere strategieë om die onderwyser te oortuig van die belangrikheid van die eksamens. In die Departement van Onderwys, is daar 'n distriksdirekteur en sy span, verantwoordelik vir sekere departemente, die skoolinspekteurs, vakadviseurs, skoolhoofde, onderwysers en leerders. Elkeen van die genoemde persone het die reg om versoeke te rig. Sommige persone maak gebruik van beleefdheidstrategieë in die weiering of reg van 'n versoek.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines data from advice-giving in Tshivenda relating to pragmatic theorist's argument that every human interaction, to a large extent carries with it an element of threatening to one or both participant's face. The speech act of politeness has been identified as one of the most effective speech acts to be employed in giving as well as soliciting advice. Every speech acts is influenced by contextual, cultural and many other background factors associated to age, gender and rank which contribute towards how a speech is composed. The issues relating to the theory of politeness prompted this study on the extent to which politeness plays a role in giving advice in an educational context of Tshivenda speaking learners. The study has employed Brown and Levinson's theory of politeness as a universal phenomenon against the findings of my data, in that universality of these theorists does not quite fit with this study. In this study, politeness in Tshivenda school context has demonstrated that it has been employed as a strategy for encoding distance between speaker and the solicitor. The purpose of advising teachers and students through politeness behavior is to mitigate face and to create a favourable context anticipated by the solicitor. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek data van adviesgewing in Tshivenda in verband tot die pragmatiekteoretikus se argument dat elke menslike interaksie tot 'n groot mate daarmee saamdra 'n element van bedreiging vir een of beide deelnemers se gesig ('face'). Die spraakhandeling van beleefdheid is geïdentifiseer as een van die mees effektiewe spraakhandelinge wat gebruik word in die gee en vra van advies. Elke spraakhandeling word beïnvloed deur kontekstuele kulturele en talle ander agtergrondfaktore wat verband hou met ouderdom, gender, en rang, wat bydra tot die kernposisie van die spraakhandeling. Die vraagstukke rakende die teorie van beleefdheid het hierdie studie gemotiveer, wat handelaar die mate waartoe beleefdheid 'n rol speel in adviesgewing in Tshivenda in opvoedkundige kontekste deur leerders. Die studie het Brown en Levinson se teorie van beleefdheid aangewend en geevalueer teenoor die bevindinge van die data van Tshivenda. Daar is bevind dat die universaliteits-aansprake van Brown en Levinson nie volledig strook met die data uit Tshivenda nie. In hierdie studie, het beleefdheid in Tshivenda in skoolkontekste gedemonstreer dat dit ingespan word om afstand te kodeer tussen spreker en hoorder. Die doel van adviesgewing aan onderwysers en leerders deur beleefdheidsgedrag is om gesig te verminder en om 'n gunstige konteks te skep, soos geantisipeer deur die adviesvraer.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An apology in Setswana is offered ;when an individual has violated a social norm or want to restore any form of a complainable. When it is given, it serves as a remedial work,designed to smooth over any social disruption that was caused. Sometimes a person who is suppose to apologize may find reasons to minimize the degree of the offence. If the offence in question is big, a verbal apology may be insufficient to restore the damaged relationship. Male and female learners commit a lot of offences towards each other at school and they are obliged to apologize for such offences. In the process of apologizing, they are faced with a wide chioce of strategies to choose from. In most cases, male learners have a tendency of giving an explanation to their offences. They do not always seek for a direct apology. In the acceptance of their offences, they opt for longer strategies to apologize. Males seem to be either proud or shy to ask for an apology from females. Female learners on the other hand, do not want to use longer strategies to apologize, but they ask for forgiveness immidiately. It is not all the males who do not want to apologize directly to females, but there are some who apologize directly. They are the ones who take females as their equals and they also want to maintain a good relationship with them. The same applies with females, a minimal number of them use longer strategies to apologize. They do not use direct strategies. There are other strategies also useful to Setswana male and female learners, but their use is not so popular. Strategies like explicit acceptance of the blame and expression of self-deficiency are considered the least of manifested. An apology is usually influenced by the way the complainant shows his or her dissatisfaction. Male and female learners also differ with the way they complain. They use complaint strategies differently. Both male and female learners use direct accusation and indirect accusation extensively. But the difference comes by the fact that females are longer with their complaints than males. Females show their annoyance by involving more complaint strategies. Males do not take long to complain, they involve a few strategies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Apologie in Setswana word gedoen wanneer 'n individu 'n sosiale norm oortree het, of enige vorm van 'n klagte wil herstel. Wanneer dit gegee word, dien 'n apologie as remediële werk, ontwerp om enige sosiale ontwrigting wat veroorsaak is, uitstryk. Somtyds kan 'n persoon wat veronderstel is om 'n apologie aan te teken, redes vind om die graad van die oortreding te minimaliseer. Indien die oortreding baie groot is, kan 'n verbale apologie onvoldoende wees om die beskadigde verhouding te herstel. Manlike en vroulike Setswana-sprekende leerders pleeg talle oortredings teenoor mekaar by die skool, en hulle is verplig om apologie aan te teken teenoor mekaar. In die proses van apologie aanteken, word hulle gekonfronteer met In wye verskeidenheid strategieë waaruit hulle kan kies. In die meeste gevalle, het leerders die neiging om In verduideliking te gee vir hulle oortredings. Hulle kies nie altyd 'n direkte apologie nie. In die aanvaarding van hulle oortredings, kies hulle langer strategieë om apologie aan te teken. Manlike persone blyk óf te trots óf te skaam te wees om apologie aan te teken teenoor vroulike leerders. Vroulike leerders, hierteenoor, wil nie langer strategieë aanwend om apologie aan te teken nie, en hulle vra onmiddellik vir vergiffenis Dit is egter nie alle manlike leerders wat nie direk apologie aanteken teenoor vroulike leerders niesommige manlike leerders teken wel direk apologie aan, maar die gebruik daarvan is nie so gewild nie. Hulle is die manlike leerders wat die vroulike leerders as hulle gelykes sien en 'n goeie verhouding met hulle wil handhaaf. 'n Klein getal vroulike leerders gebruik langer strategieë om verskoning aan te teken en hulle gebruik nie direkte strategieë nie. Daar is ander strategieë wat ook bruikbaar is vir Setswana-sprekende manlike en vroulike leerders, maar die gebruik daarvan is nie so populêr nie. Strategieë soos die aanvaarding van blaam, en uitdrukking van self-tekort, word die minste gemanifesteer. 'n Apologie word gewoonlik beïnvloed deur die wyse waarop 'n klaer sy/haar ontevredenheid wys. Manlike en vroulike leerders vershil ook t.o.v. die wyse waarop hulle kla - hulle gebruik klagtestrategieë verskillend. Sowel manlike as vroulike leerders gebruik direkte en indirekte aantygings uitgebreid. Vroulike leerders neem egter langer met hulle klagtes as manlike leerders. Vroulike leerders wys hulle ontevredenheid deur meer klagte strategieë te gebruik, terwyl manlike leerders nie lank neem om te kla nie - hulle gebruik slegs 'n paar strategieë.