PhD (Xitsonga) / MER Mathivha Centre for African Languages, Arts and Culture / Ku va tiko ra Afrika-Dzonga ri simekile mfumo wa xidemokirasi hi 1994 swi vile mhaka yo saseka na ku va ndzhuti wa Vantima wu vuyiseriwa evutshan’wini bya wona. Mfumo wa xidimokirasi wu katsa na timhaka ta ndzingano wa tindzimi. Ndzavisiso lowu wu kanerile timfanelo ta tindzimi ni matimba ya tindzimi tin’wana hi ku langutisa ndhawu ya Xitsonga exikarhi ka tindziminyingi ta Afrika-Dzonga. Ndzavisiso lowu wu tirhisile maendlelo ya nongonoko wa swivutiso ku hlengeleta mahungu ya nkoka. Lawa i maendlelo ya swivutiso yo tsala kunene. Hi maendlelo lawa machudeni yo ringana makumembirhi lawa ya endlaka lembe ro hetelela ra Xitsonga na lama endlaka masitasi ya Xitsonga eyunivhesiti yin’we eAfrika-Dzonga va nyikiwile maphepha ya swivutiso kutani va hlamula hi ku tsala. Mulavisisi u kotile ku kuma mahungu eka machudeni mayelana na mavonelo ya vona ya ndhawu ya Xitsonga exikarhi ka tindziminyingi ta Afrika-Dzonga. Eka ndzavisiso lowu maendlelo ya nkoka na wona ma tirhisiwile. Wonaya tirhisiwile ku kombisa mavonelo ya vatekaxiave hi ku ya tlhantlha na ku ya hlamusela hi ku enta.Maendlelo ya nxopaxopo wa switsariwa ya tirhisiwile. Hi maendlelo lawa mulavisisi u anamisile miehleketo ya yena hi ku hlaya tibuku, tipholisi na milawu leyi khumbaka timhaka ta ririmi. Ndzavisiso lowu wu tirhisile thiyori ya ‘the universality and relativity of human rights, leyi yi boxaka leswaku timfanelo ta munhu hi leti munhu a nga na tona hikuva munhu i munhu. Hi ku kongomisa, timfanelo ta munhu i masungusungu ya vumunhu. Ndzavisiso lowu i wa nkoka hikuva wu ta endla leswaku vavulavuri va tindzimi leti nga na matimba lamatsongo va tiva timfanelo ta vona.Tlhandlakambirhi, vavulavuri va tindzimi leti nga na matimba lamatsongo na vona va ta titwa leswaku ririmi ra vona i ra nkoka exikarhi ka tiko ra tindziminyingi. Hi nga dlayiseta hi ku vula leswaku vavulavuri va Xitsonga hi ku kongomisa eka ndzavisiso lowu, va ta kota ku swi vona leswaku na vona va na lunghelo mayelana na vukorhokeri na nhluvukiso wa ririmi ra vona. / NRF

Submitted to the Faculty ofArts in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of General Linguistics, at the University of Zululand, 2007. / This thesis reviewed the South African Constitution, the Language-in Education Policy (2004) and the National Language Policy Framework (2002), with the intention to compare certain promulgations on the issue of language use in South Africa. The constitution is unequivocal about the promotion of multilingual ism and use of indigenous languages. The study focused on the role which schools can play to achieve this objective. Schools are viewed as the most fertile ground toward the promotion of multilingualism, as stipulated by the South African Constitution (1996), particularly urban schools which are multiracial, with learners from different linguistic background. Data were solicited from schools in urban areas (English medium and Afrikaans medium), and those in rural areas (English and isiZulu medium). Comparisons were made between the two. The status of indigenous languages prior to and post 1994, is discussed. The study observed that while the South African government is committed to promote multilingualism, the documents (the constitution and the Language-in-Education Policy, 2004) are very good, but implementation of the stipulations of such documents is lacking. It was established that a considerable number of former Model C schools still offer the languages which were offered prior to the first democratic era, in 1994. Therefore, unless the government sanctions the language policies, schools cannot change what they have decided between the school principal and the School Governing Body (SGB), and which they have already implemented. The study concluded that besides the freer and wide speakership of indigenous languages their dignity and restoration also ought to be restored. This could be achieved easier if these languages were documented, and adequate material available in them in order to enable future generations to access information in their mother tongue if they choose to. Furthermore, if multilingualism is to bear fruit, indigenous African languages ought to be tied to employment, e.g. journalism, medical practice and nursing, revenue collectors, traffic officers, etc. In the case of medical doctors, for instance, they should know at least one indigenous language that is widely spoken in the area where they practice, regardless of their racial background. The idea here is that unless learners see the functional value in learning indigenous African languages, they might not be as strongly motivated to learn these languages as when they learn English.

The research project takes a hard look into the attitudes or perceptions of speakers of African languages towards the new language policy of South Africa. The question answered in this regard is, `What do people say?' The research project explores the extent of radical shift in African consciousness giving impetus to the resurgence of African languages so that they carry philosophical and scientific discourse to unprecedented heights. Maintaining the primordial language policy that is dominated by English and Afrikaans is like putting new wine into old skins. Thus, the research also seeks to establish strategies that could be implemented in order to ensure the revitalisation and rejuvenation of African languages so that all the languages take their rightful place. In other words, the research explores ways of injecting a new kind of consciousness that integrates language and content in schools so as to replace the primordial "telescopic philanthropy" type of approach existing currently in education and other major domains. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

This study investigates isiNdebele language as no longer a mere oral language, but a written and read language. As one of the once marginalised languages in South Africa, isiNdebele is one of the least developed amongst the official languages. The study investigates isiNdebele's development and modernisation in the context of the Language in Education Policy and the functional multilingualism dispensation in our country. The qualitative research methodology was used to investigate the didactic and linguistic constraints in the teaching of isiNdebele, specifically utilising interviews and focus groups to collect data. The study found that lack of properly qualified teachers, and development of this language which is lagging behind others, are the main constraints in teaching isiNdebele. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Didactics)

This study distils some of the principal political and sociological lines of enquiry that Neville Alexander embarked upon in his published writings. It initially sets out to sketch the political, economic and intellectual milieu that he encountered after his release from Robben Island in 1974, and then it addresses the language question, as a part of the national question, in South Africa. The researcher argues that Alexander’s “dance” in the world of political and educational interventions has at times been solitary but that his discourse is substantively girded by the writings and experiences of established practitioners in the fields of sociolinguistics, political economy and cultural activities. The study concludes that his policy proposals on language in particular, in spite of the fact that the constitutional and institutional infrastructure exists for their implementation, have been put on the back burner because the dominant linguistic interests of the post-apartheid government correspond with the communication interests of market-driven institutions in the country, and not with the interests of the linguistic majorities who populate the nation. / Neville Alexander's thoughts on the language question in South Africa / Language question in South Africa / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

The promotion of multilingualism is one of the aims of the new language-in-education policy. It is a phenomenon which is reflective of our multilingual society. However, the means by which it is being promoted at school level needs to be investigated in light of the additive bilingualism model that has been stipulated in the language-in education policy. This dissertation focuses on a school in the Western Cape which offers many languages and is trying to meet the needs of its learners. The way in which multilingualism is experienced in the classrooms is observed from the learners, teachers and parents' perspectives in the hope of describing how it takes place in a secondary school setting. The ways in which teachers can promote multilingualism in the classroom are suggested by offering practical multilingual strategies for teaching and learning. The role of INSET in promoting multilingualism is also discussed. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Educational Management)

This dissertation seo out to investigate if use of visually symbolic representations in addition to the more traditional written methods of the key elements 9theme, setting, characterisation) of a short story would support South African ESL learners to grow in their interpretation and appreciation and appreciation of English literary texts. The assertion was that using a multimodal (verbal-visual) transmediated interpretation of the key elements (theme, setting, characterisation)of a short story might afford ESL learners a "deeper reading" (inferential comprehension and appreciation) of a literary text, and that the learners could also be supported to grow in their interpretation and appreciation of English literature. The research findings of the literary analysis project revealed that ESL learners with a "satisfactory" English proficiency can be supported by using transmediation to engage them in rich interpretations of literary genres to realise their interpretations linguistically in written academic eesays. / English Studies / M. A.

This study investigates isiNdebele language as no longer a mere oral language, but a written and read language. As one of the once marginalised languages in South Africa, isiNdebele is one of the least developed amongst the official languages. The study investigates isiNdebele's development and modernisation in the context of the Language in Education Policy and the functional multilingualism dispensation in our country. The qualitative research methodology was used to investigate the didactic and linguistic constraints in the teaching of isiNdebele, specifically utilising interviews and focus groups to collect data. The study found that lack of properly qualified teachers, and development of this language which is lagging behind others, are the main constraints in teaching isiNdebele. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Didactics)

The research project takes a hard look into the attitudes or perceptions of speakers of African languages towards the new language policy of South Africa. The question answered in this regard is, `What do people say?' The research project explores the extent of radical shift in African consciousness giving impetus to the resurgence of African languages so that they carry philosophical and scientific discourse to unprecedented heights. Maintaining the primordial language policy that is dominated by English and Afrikaans is like putting new wine into old skins. Thus, the research also seeks to establish strategies that could be implemented in order to ensure the revitalisation and rejuvenation of African languages so that all the languages take their rightful place. In other words, the research explores ways of injecting a new kind of consciousness that integrates language and content in schools so as to replace the primordial "telescopic philanthropy" type of approach existing currently in education and other major domains. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

Language rights in South Africa are entrenched in the Constitution of South Africa (Chapter 1, Section 6, Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996). However, the concomitant infrastructure and organisational realities make this policy difficult to implement, especially in law courts (Kaschula and Ralarala 2004). Creating effective communicative environments has historically been constrained by lack of effective training of legal practitioners and by the lack of capacity for building translation structures. With the advancement of technology, potential solutions are becoming more apparent and it is incumbent upon the academic community to embark on a rigorous investigation into possible solutions and how these Information Communication Technology (ICT) solutions could be applied to the execution of justice in South African law courts. This article aims to open the discourse of possible solutions, via assessments of computer based translation solutions, ICT context simulations and other potential opportunities. The authors hope to initiate the interest of other language and legal practitioners to explore how the new technological capabilities could be harnessed to support the entrenchment of language rights in our law courts.