D.Litt. et Phil. (African Languages) / The verb categories of Northern Sotho pose a problem which is still vague and controversial, despite the fact that it has often been addressed in the literature. This divergence of opinion concerning verb categories can be attributed to many factors of which the approach towards the description of the verb categories surely is one of the most important. Two main approaches to the problem can be distinguished, namely the universalistic and descriptive approaches. In both approaches the perception of universals plays an important role which proves that it is essential to examine universals beforehand. Firstly, universals are viewed in historical context. The methods to determine universals are examined, clearly distinguishing indu ction and deduction. It was found-however that the rigid application of these two methods, as suggested by Bloomfield and Hjelmslev respectively, amongst others, has proved to be unsatisfactory. The methods followed by Chomsky and Reichling, as inductive as those of Bloomfield, supply a solution as both are concerned with the nature of language. Van Wyk, supporting the views of these two linguists, distinguishes between quantitative and qualitative induction. He also stresses the need for interaction between induction and deduction as well as between the two methods of induction. The following types of universals are distinguished, namely general features, essential features, hypothetical universals, universal principles and categories, absolute and available universals, universal tendencies and simple and complex universals. The essence of these types lies in the distinction between essential and general features. Universals also play a role in the description of verb categories. Thus it is essential to determine to which type of universals the verb categories belong and whether the appearance is similar in all languages. The notions tense, aspect and mood as they appear in the literature, are examined. These notions are not as simple as is generally accepted. The 'present tense', for example, doesn't necessarily refer to action taking place NOW. It can also refer to general and habitual actions. The 'future tense' is more an issue of modality than of tense, because modal auxiliary verbs are used to indicate the so-called future tense. The notion of aspect frequently appears in the Slavic languages. It is a morphological category used to indicate the perfection or imperfection of an action. Mood is a morphological category of the verb being used to express the speaker's attitude towards his utterance. A distinction is made between tense and time, aspect and actionsart and mood and modality. For the purpose of this study, only the first of each group, namely the morphological forin, is of importance. Therefore the universality of each should be determined. It was found that the notions of tense, aspect and mood are not universal, but only available categories which a language may use. When existing views concerning the named categories in the African languages are compared, different viewpoints and a fair amount of confusion arise. Some categories, for example, are classified by certain writers as tenses, while others classify them as moods. The notion of aspect, found in the African languages, has not yet fully been explored. Definitions, concerning the verb categories, lack sufficiency and description. Confusion concerning the verb categories in the African languages can be attributed to the perception and treatment of universals, as well as the methods used to describe verb categories. The universalistic and descriptive approaches towards language description are compared. The conclusion is drawn that the descriptive method is the most appropriate for language description as it is not based on preconceived ideas about language. The verb categories of Northern Sotho are identified, classified and defined according to the descriptive approach. The system of the verb categories of Northern Sotho is as follows: two main categories are distinguished, namely primary categories (consisting of single verbs) and secondary categories (consisting of construction with deficient verb stems). The primary categories are divided into aspects (imperfectum and perfectum) and contingent categories (indicative, situative and relative), clausal categories (subjunctive, consecutive and habitual), and non-predicative categories (infinitive and imperative). The secondary verb categories are the futuritive, potential, progressive and casual categories.

M.A. / CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The idiom is defined in this chapter. Information gathered from different sources including books is used to differentiate the idiom from the proverb. CHAPTER 2 THE ORIGIN OF IDIOMS Some sources, from which Northern Sotho idioms originate are discussed. The semantic and grammatical characteristics of idioms are also examined in the second chapter. CHAPTER 3 SOME SYNTACTICAL PATTERNS OF NORTHERN SOTHO IDIOMS This chapter is based on the main aim of this study. Most informants from whom some idioms were gathered, could not give their syntactical patterns, nor differentiate them from proverbs. Special idiomatic patterns are formed with verb-stems in the infinitive mood followed by nouns, pronouns, adverbs etc. as adjuncts. CHAPTER 4 THE SUBJECT-MATTER OF IDIOMS In the fourth chapter, the content of idioms and experiences to which these idioms give expression, are treated comprehensively. CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION Idiomatic patterns in Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Tswana and Tsonga

M.A. / The traditional approach regarding the demonstrative in Northern Sotho, in several instances, is only partially correct.This approach is primarily concerned with the morphology of the demonstrative, whilst the semantic and syntactic elements thereof are only briefly and superficially attended to ...

M.A. / Growth and change in the idiomatic lore of Northern Sotho in Mamelodi has emphasized the need for a thorough study on emergent idioms. There is abundant evidence that Northern Sotho as a language abounds in idioms covering all phases of the experience and life of the people ...

Dissertation (MA (Sepedi))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / African Languages / unrestricted

M.A. (African Languages) / In spite of the fact that Northern Sotho is reasonably established as a written language and is used as an educational medium at schools and universities, there are still aspects of its grammar that are either incorrectly or incompletely described. Where the relative construction is concerned, quite a few such insufficiencies exist. This study aims to clarify these problems. The aim of the study is threefold. First the different forms of the relative clause as published in existing works are examined. Second, the nature of constructions in spoken and written Northern Sotho is tested with existing conceptions as published and possible variants charted. Third the 'linguistic implications and the validity of existing opinions regarding the relative clause are tested. The possible influences of other Sotho languages are also taken into consideration...

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

Dissertation (MA (Sepedi))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / African Languages / unrestricted

Thesis (M.A. (African Languages)) -- University of Limpopo, 2014

Thesis (M. A. (African Languages)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / The study focuses on the impact of the language of the cellphone on the development of Northern Sotho. The study argues that Northern Sotho lexicographers do not pay adequate attention to the cellphone language. This is why there are hardly any dictionaries that treat the cellphone language. The study shows that language of the cellphone should be treated like any other language. The study discovered that language of the cellphone assists in the development of African languages. In turn, this helps the cellphone users to close the gap between Northern Sotho and technological terms. Lastly, the study recommends that language of the cellphone should not be ignored as technology is developing every minute.