Critical studies and creative works in the Sesotho novel have made some of the important contributions in Sesotho literary history in particular, and African literary history in general. However, such contribution has been dictated by a particular history and an ideology. The world-view in literary practice that emerged from that history is the one that tends to divorce literature, literary study and language from society. Consequently, this study identifies this practice as a problem that needs to be addressed. This study argues from this perspective that literature, literary study and language should be re-established as integral parts in a manner that pedagogical practice would translate into positive social practices. To realise this ideal the study approaches the study of the Sesotho novel from the perspective of literary production. The theory of literary production insists that literature is a form of social production. This argument becomes even more pertinent to the study of the novel, which is viewed as having profound elements of realism that mirror society. A consideration of the Sesotho novel as a form of literary production that is linked to other forms of social production immediately leads to the question of the development of the Sesotho novel. The possibilities that are identified include external influence and internal evolution in the development of the Sesotho novel. These possibilities also have a bearing on the study of the Sesotho novel in particular and the study of the African novel in general. In order to pursue the argument to its logical conclusion, the development of the Sesotho novel is divided into three periods: 1900-1930; 1930-1960 and the 1960s- 1990s. Each of these periods demonstrates a particular ideological leaning that is akin to the material conditions of each period. Taking this trend as a pattern in the development of the Sesotho novel, this study advocates an approach that links literature and literary studies to society. / African Languages / D.Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study sought to examine independent clause Sesotho personal names as authentic social discourse using the Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) theory. It sought to analyze their structure and map them to social functions to demonstrate that they are enacted messages in socio-cultural context of Basotho. It used a form-meaning approach to interpret Sesotho names in socio-cultural contexts of use (cf. Halliday 1994, 2001, Eggins, 1996, 2004 and Martin & Rose 2007) as an alternative to the current formalist approach to onomastica interpretation. The SFL analysis was compared and contrasted mainly with the formalist syntactic specific and semantic specific analyses currently in use by Guma, Sesotho Academy and subsequent authors of Sesotho grammar and other linguists. The purpose of displaying these names as texts in social context enfolded the intent to reflect a systemic interface of lexico-grammar and social activity. The study used the clause-text-culture paradigm to explore Sesotho names as texts or semantic units. The idea was to access their ‘meanings beyond the clause’ (Martin & Rose 2007). Data was collected from national examinations pass lists, admission and employment roll lists from Public, Private, Tertiary, Orphanage institutions. Other data was identified in Telephone directories and Media. The purely linguistic lexico-grammatic analysis of the structure of names was supplemented by interview data from real interpretations from families, owners and senior citizens who have social and cultural knowledge of the meanings of some names. The study has established that Sesotho personal names can present as an independent clause feature. Sesotho personal names can also be described as lexico-grammatical properties and are meaningful in social contexts. They are used to exchange information as statements, demands and commands, and as questions and as exclamations. This means that these names can be categorized according to Halliday’s Mood types which make them function as declaratives, imperatives, interrogatives and exclamatives depending on the awarder’s evaluation. The study also finds that in negotiating attitudes, modality is highly incorporated. The study concludes that Sesotho names conform to the logical structures of the nominal group and the verbal group and these groups reciprocate in use. The verbal group is the core constituent in these names and it serves as a foundation for the nominal and verbal groups particularly because they function as reciprocating propositions. This includes the names with the sub-modification features. This extends the formalist description of Sesotho independent clause in that the identified sub-modifications which are opague and taken for granted by formalist analysts of Sesotho, are explicated as essential elements embedded in the formmeaning relation in SFL. The main contribution is that this is the only study on SFL and onomastica. There is no study that has been conducted using SFL to describe African names. It presents that Sesotho personal names are texts that have been negotiated in socio-cultural contexts. It provides a major departure from most studies that have used the Chomskian formulations or other sociolinguistic theories to describe the naming systems. It displays the art and importance of language use based on experience and culture in the naming system. The study also contributes to fields such as education, history, and others. Lastly, the study has established a new relation of onomastica and SFL theory and onomastica can now be added to the areas “being recognized as providing a very useful descriptive and interpretive framework for viewing language as a strategic, meaning-making resource.” (Eggins 1996:1).

This study explores the operations of Sesotho masculinity: its dominant ideas and practices and their effects on Basotho women and men and this latter‟s resistance to a gender-ethical consciousness gaining momentum in Lesotho. It challenges a deep running belief among the Basotho that being born male necessarily means being born into a superior social position and status that is naturally and divinely sanctioned. It investigates how the dominant postcolonial discourse called sekoele (a return to the traditions of the ancestors) and the Christian churches‟ discourses of the “true”/“authentic” Christian life, framed by the classical biblical and confessional dogmatic traditions, actually support and sustain this belief and so reinforce the imbalance of power in favour of men in the order of gender relations in Lesotho. On the contrary, through the principles of the contextual theologies of liberating praxis, social construction theory, a narrative approach to therapy, gender-ethical consciousness and participatory approach, the study argues that masculinity and ways of being and thinking about men are socially constructed through historical and cultural processes and practices. It is in these processes and practices that Basotho men have been and continue to be advantaged and privileged over women. This study has challenged this situation by tracing the existence of alternative, more ethical ways of being and thinking about men in those historical and cultural processes and practices; ways which are more open to women and children and their wellbeing in the everyday life interactions. In this way, the study argues for a gender-ethical consciousness, which, in particular, invites Basotho men to engage in a reflection on their participation in a culture and practices which oppress the other, especially women and children. It invites Basotho men to accountability and responsibility. In this sense a gender-ethical consciousness is understood as watershed of masculinity in Lesotho. The participation of a group of Basotho men who offered to reflect on their relationship with the dominant masculinities, demonstrates how Basotho men are struggling to transform yet they fill us with the hope that change is possible. / Humanities Social Sciences and Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe experiences of HIV/AIDS positive patients using Sesotho traditional medicines at Scott Hospital in Morija, Lesotho. The specific objectives were to explore and describe the experiences and views of patients using Sesotho traditional medicines. The study uded an explorative qualitative design with a sample of seventeen (17) HIV positive adults aged 18-49 years who were purposively sampled. The major findings of the study were that; Sesotho traditional medicines improved the health status of the participants; and also they were of the view that Sesotho traditional medicines work as they beneficially contributed to HIV/AIDS management. The study concludes that Sesotho traditional medicines are believed and understood to play a role in the symptomatic management of HIV/AIDS even though the actual role they play is yet to be proven scientifically. / Department of Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

This study explores the operations of Sesotho masculinity: its dominant ideas and practices and their effects on Basotho women and men and this latter‟s resistance to a gender-ethical consciousness gaining momentum in Lesotho. It challenges a deep running belief among the Basotho that being born male necessarily means being born into a superior social position and status that is naturally and divinely sanctioned. It investigates how the dominant postcolonial discourse called sekoele (a return to the traditions of the ancestors) and the Christian churches‟ discourses of the “true”/“authentic” Christian life, framed by the classical biblical and confessional dogmatic traditions, actually support and sustain this belief and so reinforce the imbalance of power in favour of men in the order of gender relations in Lesotho. On the contrary, through the principles of the contextual theologies of liberating praxis, social construction theory, a narrative approach to therapy, gender-ethical consciousness and participatory approach, the study argues that masculinity and ways of being and thinking about men are socially constructed through historical and cultural processes and practices. It is in these processes and practices that Basotho men have been and continue to be advantaged and privileged over women. This study has challenged this situation by tracing the existence of alternative, more ethical ways of being and thinking about men in those historical and cultural processes and practices; ways which are more open to women and children and their wellbeing in the everyday life interactions. In this way, the study argues for a gender-ethical consciousness, which, in particular, invites Basotho men to engage in a reflection on their participation in a culture and practices which oppress the other, especially women and children. It invites Basotho men to accountability and responsibility. In this sense a gender-ethical consciousness is understood as watershed of masculinity in Lesotho. The participation of a group of Basotho men who offered to reflect on their relationship with the dominant masculinities, demonstrates how Basotho men are struggling to transform yet they fill us with the hope that change is possible. / Humanities Social Sciences and Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe experiences of HIV/AIDS positive patients using Sesotho traditional medicines at Scott Hospital in Morija, Lesotho. The specific objectives were to explore and describe the experiences and views of patients using Sesotho traditional medicines. The study uded an explorative qualitative design with a sample of seventeen (17) HIV positive adults aged 18-49 years who were purposively sampled. The major findings of the study were that; Sesotho traditional medicines improved the health status of the participants; and also they were of the view that Sesotho traditional medicines work as they beneficially contributed to HIV/AIDS management. The study concludes that Sesotho traditional medicines are believed and understood to play a role in the symptomatic management of HIV/AIDS even though the actual role they play is yet to be proven scientifically. / Department of Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Si la traduction est simplement définie comme un processus de communication bilingue dont le but général est de reproduire en langue cible un texte qui soit fonctionnellement équivalent au texte de départ (Reiss 2004 : 168-169), l’approche empruntée dans la présente thèse est celle d’une opération interculturelle et systématique qui vise à capturer le message issu d’une langue étrangère, à le décrypter en tenant en compte des nuances culturelles ou inhérentes à la discipline, et à le rendre le plus clairement possible en se servant d'éléments linguistiques et extralinguistiques compréhensibles dans la langue du locuteur cible. L'objectif est de déterminer la contribution de la traduction à l’expansion lexicale du sesotho, domaine qui demeure peu exploré par les spécialistes de cette langue. La problématique de ce travail repose sur la constatation que les néologismes en sesotho ne sont pas documentés de manière satisfaisante, si bien qu’il est difficile d'évaluer la contribution de la traduction à l’expansion lexicale. Les études antérieures sur la morphologie, la dérivation, la composition, l’emprunt et la dénomination s’appuient sur la mesure de la productivité, soulevant la question de savoir si la traduction en soi contribue à l’enrichissement terminologique du sesotho. Le point de départ de la thèse est l'hypothèse selon laquelle l’interaction avec le monde européen a nécessité de traduire de nombreux concepts qui n’existaient pas dans les systèmes traditionnels du Lesotho, ce qui a entraîné un nouveau dynamisme qui a permis de combler des lacunes terminologiques évidentes et de s’ouvrir et de s’adapter aux nouvelles réalités. Pour mettre cette hypothèse à l’épreuve et arriver à des conclusions éclairées et fiables, je cherche à répondre à trois questions : 1) Quelle est la structure des mots sesothos par rapport à celle de l’anglais en tant que langue source de traduction en sesotho, et du français en tant que langue de rédaction de la thèse ? 2) Etant donné que le sesotho est utilisé concomitamment avec l’anglais sans pour autant être la langue d'une culture inventrice en matière technologique, quel est le rôle que joue l’emprunt dans son expansion lexicale ? 3) D’un point de vue lexicologique, comment le sesotho répond-il aux besoins terminologiques dans les domaines de spécialité techno-scientifiques ? Pour y répondre, je m'appuie sur Doke (1954) et Matšela et al. (1981) pour situer le sesotho parmi les langues bantoues, préciser les fonctions du préfixe classificateur et établir la différence entre les composés sesothos d'une part et les composés anglais et français d'autre part. J’utilise ensuite la théorie avancée par Lederer (1990) pour démontrer l’influence syntaxique, sémantique et morphologique que l’anglais a sur le sesotho et pour présenter les différents procédés d’emprunt du sesotho. Diki-Kidiri (2008), Dispaldro et al. (2010) et Baboya (2008) démontrent la nécessité de faire appel aux informateurs-spécialistes pour confirmer l’hypothèse de départ. Les résultats obtenus mettent en évidence qu’en effet, la traduction a contribué à l’expansion du sesotho moderne, bien que cela n’ait pas été documenté, d’où la recommandation d'un travail collaboratif entre lexicologues au Lesotho, au Botswana, en Namibie et en Afrique du Sud, pour ouvrir de nouvelles perspectives d’études linguistiques sur le sesotho et pouvoir suivre et mesurer l’évolution de la langue. / Whilst translation is simply defined as a communication process whose main objective is to reproduce in the target language a text that is functionally equivalent to the source text (Reiss 2004: 168-169), the approach taken in this study views translation as an intercultural and systematic operation whose objective is to capture the message from the foreign language, to decrypt it taking into account cultural nuances or those inherent in the field at hand and to render it in the clearest possible manner using linguistic and extra linguistic elements which are comprehensible to the speaker of the target language. This study is aimed at determining the contribution of translation to the lexical expansion of Sesotho, an area which has been little explored by specialists of the language. The core issue is centred on the observation that Sesotho neologisms are not well documented, so that it is hard to measure the contribution of translation towards the lexical expansion of Sesotho. Analyses of morphology, derivation, compounding, borrowing and denomination are mainly focused on productivity in order to determine whether translation as a discipline contributes towards the creation of new words in the language.The study begins by positing the hypothesis that the interaction with the Western world necessitated the translation of numerous concepts which were absent from the then existing Sesotho systems. This process of interaction contributed a new dynamism that helped the language to bridge the terminological gap, to open up and adapt to new realities. In order to put this hypothesis to the test and arrive at well-researched and reliable conclusions, I attempt to probe three issues of concern: firstly, what is the structure of the Sesotho language compared to that of the English language as the source language of most translations into Sesotho and compared to that of the French language as the language in which this study is presented? Secondly, considering that Sesotho is used simultaneously with English even though it is not a techno-scientifically inventing language, what is the role played by the processes of borrowing in the lexical expansion of Sesotho? Thirdly, from the word-formation point of view, how does Sesotho respond to the terminological deficiencies in various fields of specialisation?To address these issues, Doke (1954) and Matšela et al. (1981) serve as references to situate Sesotho among the Bantu languages, to highlight the functions of the class prefix and to establish the difference between Sesotho and English and French compounding. Secondly, the theory advanced by Lederer (1990) serves as a springboard to analyse the syntactic, semantic and morphological influences that English has on Sesotho and to present the different borrowing processes. The third issue is addressed based on the theories presented by Diki-Kidiri (2008) while the theories proposed by Dispaldro et al. (2010) and Baboya (2008) led to the decision to call upon specialist informants to confirm the original hypothesis. The results obtained provide evidence that translation has, in fact, contributed to the lexical expansion of modern Sesotho, even though this has not been well documented. The study recommends collaborative work between Lesotho, Botswana, Namibian and South African linguists in order to open new avenues of linguistic studies on Sesotho with the aim to measure and monitor the evolution of the language.

After many years of the oppressive apartheid government, the new democratic era came into being in 1994. Lot of policy changes came into being, including language policy. This new language policy of the post-apartheid era recognises eleven official languages which include the nine indigenous African languages which were previously recognised as regional languages in the different homelands. The present study investigates the progress of Tshivenda in terms of status and development since it was accorded the official status in South Africa. Literature investigating the status of Tshivenda is generally sparse. This study investigates the status of Tshivenda in South Africa to explore how minority languages which are also recognised as official languages are treated. In most multilingual countries, there are issues which affect the development of minority languages, but the South African situation is interesting in that some of the minority languages are recognised as official languages. This study is a comparative in nature. Firstly, the study compares the level of corpus planning and development in Tshivenda and other indigenous South African languages. Secondly, it compares how people use Tshivenda in a rural area of Lukalo Village where the language is not under pressure from other languages and in Cosmo City, an urban area in Gauteng where Tshivenda speakers come into contact with speakers of more dominant languages such as isiZulu and Sesotho. Language use in different domains like, media, education, government and the home is considered in order to establish how people use languages and the factors which influence their linguistic behaviours. The study also establishes the perceptions and attitudes of the speakers of Tshivenda as a minority and those of the speakers of other languages towards Tshivenda’s role in the different domains such as education and the media. This study was influenced by previous research (Alexander 1989, Webb 2002) which found out that during the apartheid period Tshivenda speakers used to disguise their identity by adopting dominant languages like isiZulu and Sesotho in Johannesburg. Accordingly, the present research wanted to establish how the language policy change in the democratic era has impacted on the confidence of Tshivenda speakers regarding themselves and their language. This study establishes that although Tshivenda is now an official language in post-apartheid South Africa, it still has features of underdevelopment and marginalization that are typically of unofficial minority languages. Translation, lexicographic and terminological work in this language still lags behind that of other indigenous South African languages and there is still a shortage of school textbooks and adult literature in this language. As a result, using the language in education, the media and other controlling domains is still quite challenging, although positive developments such as the teaching of the language at university level can be noted. The Tshivenda speakers generally have a positive attitude towards their language and seem prepared to learn and use it confidently as long its functional value is enhanced, which is currently not happening. As a result, some Tshivenda speakers still regard English as a more worthwhile language to learn at the expense of their language

Since the publication of Dr. Johnson’s first English dictionary in 1755, there have been rapid changes in the development of dictionaries in other parts of the world. However, the advances are perceived more in other languages of the world such as the European languages while in Africa, the changes have been very slow. The majority of dictionaries utilised by most Africans are bilingual and were produced by the missionaries. These dictionaries were aimed at serving the needs of the missionaries, but more recently African scholars have been trying to create dictionaries that are intended to meet the needs of the native speakers particularly because the existing dictionaries contain many words which are archaic or going out of use. This means that the currently produced dictionaries should reflect the changes that have occurred in languages and society. The two dictionaries under scrutiny, Sesuto-English Dictionary and Sethantšo sa Sesotho, share similar content as if they were both targeting the same generation even though the former was written by missionaries in the 19th century while the latter was created by a Sesotho native speaker in the 21st century. This study aimed to establish whether the two dictionaries are the same or not, or whether Sethantšo sa Sesotho had been derived from Sesuto-English Dictionary as well as whether the two dictionaries meet the needs of the contemporary users. The study employed adaptation theory in order to discover the originality of Sethantšo sa Sesotho. User-perspective approach and communication-oriented function were utilised to judge the effectiveness of the two dictionaries in reading and writing and to analyse users’ views. The study established that Sethantšo sa Sesotho has adapted 69% lexical items from Sesuto-English Dictionary; words are arranged in a similar order in both dictionaries with slight differences here and there; most definitions and illustrative phrases/sentences are the same even though the author of Sethantšo sa Sesotho did not acknowledge using any written source of information, thus violating the principles of adaptation; use of these dictionaries during reading and writing was found to be beneficial to users; and both dictionaries lack current words which users encounter daily. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil.(African Languages)

Language is a crucial means of gaining comprehension of Physics content as well as providing correct answers to Physics questions and explanations of Physics phenomena. Therefore language determines the academic achievement of Physics learners. Consequently, language diversity plays a pivotal role in the outcomes of education in a multicultural society such as South Africa. The research reports on the role played by language in the academic performance of learners whose language of instruction is different from their home language. A mixed method approach was used in which the participants were assigned to either the control or experimental group. Intervention was provided to the experimental group in form of Physics lessons in the learners’ home language. The mixed method approach was used to elicit responses from a sample of 40 learners on the role of language in the learning and teaching of Physics to learners whose home language is different from the language of learning and teaching. Data was collected from 3 written tests (an English Language Proficiency test, pre- and post- tests) and interview responses. The sample comprised 24 girls and 16 boys aged between 15 and 17 years. Quantitative data was analysed using R- computing while interview responses were analysed using Glᾰser and Laudel’s model. A paired t- test revealed statistically significant difference in the academic performance of the two groups in the post- test in favour of the experimental group which had been afforded intervention. The results of this study show that translanguaging approaches, where languages of input and output are deliberately interchanged, proved to be a valuable pedagogical strategy as learners got the chance to learn in their home language leading to an improvement in their academic performance in Physics. The findings of this research are in line with some previous research which demonstrated that the use of learners’ home language is a social practice that goes beyond the four walls of the classroom. The use of pedagogies that embrace multilingualism is therefore highly recommended in 21st century Physics classes. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)