The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of learners at English-medium schools towards teachers whose home language was Afrikaans and who taught through the medium of English. A secondary objective was to determine whether the teacher's home language had any effect on the learners' academic performance in the subject concerned. It was found that English-speaking learners had a slightly negative attitude to Afrikaans and did not give English much consideration except as a useful means of communication. Afrikaans-speaking learners expressed a positive attitude to - and pride in - their language. They were also much more positive to English than were the English-speaking learners towards Afrikaans. The English-speaking learners' attitude towards Afrikaans was not generally carried over to Afrikaners. However they objected to being taught English by non-English-speakers. Gender appeared to play a role in the learners' attitudes, as the girls were generally more positive to Afrikaans than the boys and achieved higher marks than the boys in almost all the subjects covered in this study The academic performance of learners at the English-medium schools was adversely affected by having Afrikaans-speaking teachers since, in almost every case, the learners in these teachers' classes obtained lower marks than those who were taught by English-speaking teachers. The principal recommendation arising from this study is that, where possible, the teachers at English-medium schools should be English L1 speakers. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Sociolinguistics)

The assumption underlying this study is that cultures differ in terms of politeness norms. Often people from different cultures approach one another in what they think is an appropriate manner and the outcome is miscommunication. This may be attributed to differing cultural norms and this study aims to examine what a sample of school learners perceive to be polite behaviour when making requests and their reasons for doing so. This study focuses on perceived politeness norms (Brown and Levinson 1978) in English across selected South African cultures. The individuals are seen as reflecting a cultural identity, using norms that they feel are appropriate in given situations. Previous researchers have endeavoured to show that politeness norms are universal, but it has emerged that this is not always the case. When people from differing language and cultural backgrounds come into contact they have to find a common ground for their interaction to be successful (Lustig and Koester 1999). Of particular interest is the way people request things, both the way they phrase their request and their reasons for phrasing it this way. In order to investigate this, twenty-nine same-sex pairs of Grade 10 learners were selected from three schools with different cultural backgrounds in Grahamstown. These learners were required to complete a Discourse Completion Test, which contained both Think-Aloud and Retrospection Procedures, while they were being audio-taped. This data was transcribed and analysed using a model that was developed and adapted to describe request strategies. This data is shown through the use of basic statistics, even though it is primarily qualitative. The data is given this qualitative dimension by looking at the factors that the co-conversants attend to. The recorded data shows that although second language speakers of English have a formula for requesting things, they are not always able to articulate why they use the request strategies they do. It appears that English first language speakers and speakers who have English as an additional language request things similarly, but the first language speakers have access to a greater variety of politeness strategies. They also attend to different contextual features. This shows that while the need to be polite seems to be universal, the expectations of the speakers will be different and while a first language speaker of English would not misinterpret the force of a given speech act, they may feel that the person who has English as an additional language is rude. Sensitivity is therefore called for in order to combat mutual negative stereotyping and misunderstandings. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in

Following recently increased interest in research on gender, the thesis seeks to supplement current research by investigating language and gender. Specifically, it explores the influence of gender on the use of vague expressions within the formal context of departmental meetings. Respondents' TM perceptions of vague language use in the form of responses to a questionnaire were also collected and analysed. The study revealed gender differences as regards vague language use. Women used more vague expressions than their male colleagues. Males and females displayed preferences for certain vague expressions an indication of gender construction. For instance, the men used more vague additives, whereas the females made use of more hedges in their utterances. An attempt is made to explain these preferences in terms of the difference and dominance theories. It was also found that the generally formal context of meetings operated informally within these academic contexts. The explanations for the informality found in academic meetings are related to the degree of distance in relationships, and the frequency of interaction among colleagues. Responses to the questionnaire revealed differences in vague language use as regards male and females on certain items. This revealed a probable indication of gender construction. For instance, whereas the males were more sensitive to context in terms of vague language use, the females were less sensitive to the contextual use of vague language. The difference in male and female sensitivity to context is explained within a constant and fixed female adherence to informality. Politeness, however, did not emerge as a prominent feature, as neither males nor females in this group considered politeness as a major function of vague language use. While the investigation was held within the context of academic meetings, these gender attributes, preferences and or differences may be operating in other contexts. The research therefore serves as a point of departure for further studies on gender and vague language use. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Sociolinguistics)

Text in Afrikaans / In this dissertation the ideology behind the debate on the position of Standard Afrikaans in the new, multilinguistic South African dispensation with eleven official languages is examined from a psycholinguistic perspective. The study concentrates on how ideology and power played and are still playing a role in the formation of the variety Standard Afrikaans. The study points out how historical and present-day philosophical, social and language-political considerations influenced the natural development of Afrikaans by advancing it in respect of status on the one hand and prejudicing it in respect of lexicon and corpus on the other hand. The mutual bond of Afrikaans and English as Germanic languages and the inherently hybrid nature of Afrikaans are highlighted. The study points out the artificial role of Eurocentrism and the ideal of "pure language" on perceptions and myths about Afrikaans, as well as the historical influence of the European heritage on Afrikaner thinking and the direct influence thereof on the appropriation of Afrikaans as a symbol and product of an exclusive, ethnical group. Classical perceptions and myths in respect of the origin of Afrikaans and the status of creole languages as opposed to so-called "pure" languages are queried. With reference to the results of the research the author reflects on the possibility of a paradigmatic shift in respect of Standard Afrikaans in its present format. Actual Afrikaans ("aktuele Afrikaans") as a basis for a generally accepted standard language is presented as a new concept. The author reflects on the internal and external desirability of a new approach to Afrikaans as the stimulus behind the survival and acceptance of Afrikaans as an intranational and international language of, inter alia, science, technology, philosophy and social interaction. Scientific arguments in respect of language change, language influencing, language diffusion and language fusion are advanced in this respect. / In hierdie proefskrif word die ideologie agter die debat oor Standaardafrikaans se posisie in die nuwe, multilinguistiese Suid-Afrikaanse bestel met elf amptelike tale vanuit 'n psigolinguistiese perspektief ondersoek. Daar word gekonsentreer op hoe ideologie en mag 'n rol in die vorming van die varieteit Standaardafrikaans gespeel het, en dit steeds doen. Daar word aangetoon hoe historiese en hedendaagse filosofiese, maatskaplike en taalpolitiese oorwegings die natuurlike ontwikkeling van Afrikaans bemvloed het deur dit onder andere enersyds statusgewys te bevoordeel en andersyds leksikaal en korpusgewys te benadeel. Die gemeenskaplike band van Afrikaans en Engels as Germaanse tale en die inherente hibridiese aard van Afrikaans word uitgelig. Daar word gewys op die kunsmatige rol wat Eurosentrisme en die strewe na "taalsuiwerheid" in opvattinge en mites oor Afrikaans gehad het, asook op die historiese invloed van die Europese erfenis op Afrikanerdenke en die indirekte invloed daarvan op die toe-eiening van Afrikaans as simbool en produk van 'n eksklusiewe, etniese groepering. Klassieke opvattinge en mites oor die ontstaan van Afrikaans en die status van kreoolse tale vergeleke met sogenaamde "suiwer" tale word bevraagteken. Na aanleiding van navorsingsresultate word daar besin oor 'n moontlike paradigmaverskuiwing ten opsigte van Standaardafrikaans in die huidige gedaante daarvan. Aktuele Afrikaans as 'n basis vir 'n algemeen aanvaarbare standaardtaal word as nu we konsep aangebied. Daar word besin oor die inteme en eksteme wenslikheid van 'n nuwe benadering tot Afrikaans as die stukrag vir die voortbestaan en aanvaarding .van Afrikaans as 'n intranasionale en intemasionale taal van, onder andere, die wetenskap, tegnologie, filosofie en sosiale omgang. Hiervoor word wetenskaplike argumente. / Afrikaans / D.Lit. et Phil.(Afrikaans)

This thesis addresses the problem of the lack of a systematic approach to the modernisation of the indigenous languages of South Africa, with particular reference to Venda. Thus, a systematic approach is proposed in this study for the development of modem terminology in Venda. This approach is based on the canonical model for language planning. In this model, terminology development should follow the following four steps: (1) analysis of the terminological needs of the situation, (2) preparation of a plan and strategies for research, (3) implementation of terminology in practice by means of suitable policies, and lastly, (4) evaluation and constant updating of terminology. Within the canonical model for language planning, different models or frameworks are proposed. First is the theoretical model, which follows the pragmatic approach rather than a purist approach and takes into consideration other extralinguistic factors such as the nature of the special subject field, the needs of the target users and the socio-cultural context. The pragmatic approach is divided into two phases, namely the borrowing phase and the indigenisation phase. In the borrowing phase the borrowed terms are incorporated into the language with immediate effect and these terms may be replaced by indigenous terms in the indigenisation phase where less specialised communication is used. In the indigenisation phase, different language internal term formation strategies were identified, namely semantic shift, derivation, compounding, paraphrasing, initialisms, acronyms, clipping and new word manufacture. It was established that the use of these term formation strategies in Venda requires linguistic expertise, technical expertise and cultural expertise. Accordingly, a sociolinguistic approach is recommended rather than a purely linguistic approach. Lastly, a model of practical terminology work and a model for cooperation and coordination are proposed for terminology work in this language. With regard to the former, various steps that should be followed in terminology work are outlined. In the latter model various language agencies, such as government departments, parastatals and non-governmental organisations that may be involved in the modernisation of this language are identified. A framework in which these agencies could cooperate and coordinate their terminology work is proposed. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / D.Litt. et Phil. (Linguistics)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie verhandeling word skoolname as onderafdeling van die Onomastiek behandel. Die gee van skoolname is 'n amptelike aangeleentheid en daarom is die beleid onderliggend aan die handeling onder die loep geneem. Beleid bepaal die ortografiese aard van skoolname en die manifestasie daarvan is sosiolinguisties van belang. Skoolname, wat onder eiename ressorteer, is hoofsaaklik oor 'n semantiese en sosiolinguistiese boeg gegooi, daarom word terme soos verwysing, konvensie en agtergrondbeskrywing aan die hand van veral die teoriee van Devitt, Strawson en Kripke beskryf. Van Langendonck le veral klem op die pragmatiese aard van die eienaam en daarom vorm sy teorie, die hetekenisparadoks van die eienaam, 'n belangrike uitgangspunt by die konsepsuele en pragmatiese aard van skoolname. Die gee van name is In suiwer menslike handeling wat selde ooit ongemotiveer geskied. Die ontstaansmotiewe wat skoolnaamgewing ten grondslag le, word bespreek aan die hand van die verskillende kategoriee. Botsende sosiale faktore soos veral teweeggebring deur kulturele diversiteit beinvloed naamgewing en daarom verander name. Die faktore onderliggend aan naamsverandering word uitgelig en bespreek. Die moontlikheid om ten spyte van 'n multikulturele en multilinguistiese samelewing tog 'n nasionale identiteit te vertoon, word ten slotte ondersoek en bespreek. / In this dissertation, names of schools as a subdivision of Onomastics are dealt with. School names are researched mainly under the cloak of Semantics and Socio-linguistics. Therefore, terms like reference, convention and a backing of descriptions are referred to according to the theories of Devitt, Strawson and Kripke. Van Langendonck specifically emphasises the pragmatic nature of proper nouns in his theory the paradox of the meaning of proper nouns which is an important point of departure in the conceptual and pragmatic nature of the names of schools. The underlying motives in respect of school naming are categorized and discussed according to the motives of origin. Conflicting social factors play an important role in the naming of schools and therefore names also change. These changes are accentuated and discussed. The possibility for a country to reflect a national identity in spite of a multicultural and multilingual society, is explored and discussed. / Afrikaans and Theory of Literature / M.A. (Afrikaans)

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans, English and Tshwana / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-193) / Pragmatiese merkers in Omgangsafrikaans dien as belangrike kontekstualiseringswenke. Dit rig gespreksgenote in terme van uitingrelevansie en stel die spreker in staat om, op bondige wyse, ’n houding teenoor die proposisie van die uiting te openbaar. Dit dra ook by tot die gesprekstruktuur. Die sistematiese ondersoek na pragmatiese merkers volg ’n eklektiese benadering: die relevansieteorie, grammatikalisasieteorie, diskoersanalise, sosiopragmatiek en korpuslinguistiek word ingespan om die verskynsel te bestudeer en te verklaar. Die pragmatiese merkers “rêrig/regtig”, “oukei”, “soos”, “hoor” en “weet” is bestudeer aan die hand van die Pretoriakorpus van Omgangsafrikaans (PO) vanweë hul hoë gebruiksfrekwensie in die korpus. ’n Vergelyking van die gebruiksfrekwensies van hierdie pragmatiese merkers onder verskillende groeperinge van sprekers toon aan dat jong, volwasse en bejaarde mans en vroue dit verskillend gebruik. Die onderskeie funksies bied voorts leidrade waardeur die grammatikalisasie van pragmatiese merkers nagespeur kan word. Dit wil voorkom asof jong vroulike sprekers die voortou neem in die gebruik en ontwikkeling van pragmatiese merkers teenoor jong manlike sprekers. Die studie het verder bevind dat veral volwasse vroulike sprekers aktief bydra tot die ontwikkeling van hierdie pragmatiese merkers. / Pragmatic markers in interactional Afrikaans serve as important contextualising cues. They guide interlocutors as to the relevance of utterances and equip the speaker to signal an attitude towards the proposition of the utterance in a succinct way. They also contribute to the conversation structure. The systematic investigation of pragmatic markers follows an eclectic approach: relevance theory, grammaticalisation theory, discourse analysis, sociopragmatics and corpus linguistics are engaged in order to study and explain the phenomenon. The pragmatic markers “rêrig/regtig”, “oukei”, “soos”, “hoor” en “weet” are studied on the basis of the Pretoriakorpus van Omgangsafrikaans (PO) owing to their high frequency in the corpus. A comparison of the usage frequencies of these pragmatic markers among various groups of speakers indicates that young, adult and elderly men and women use them differently. The respective functions offer clues by which the grammaticalisation of pragmatic markers may be traced. It appears that young female speakers take the lead in the use and development of pragmatic markers compared to young male speakers. The study further found that especially adult female speakers contribute actively to the development of these pragmatic markers. / Matshwao a puo mo puong ya kgolagano ya Afrikaans a dira jaaka matshwao a botlhokwa a bokao. A kaela babui ka bomaleba jwa dipuo le go thusa sebui go bontsha maikutlo malebana le polelo e e tshitshinngwang ka boripana. Gape a tshwaela mo sebopegong sa puisano. Tshekatsheko e e rulaganeng ya matshwao a puo e ne e dirisa mekgwa e e farologaneng: tiori ya bomaleba, tiori ya tiriso ya thutapuo, tshekatsheko ya puisano, matshwao a puoloago le thuto ya dipuo e e lebelelang dikwalo tse di gona (corpus linguistics) di dirisitswe go batlisisa le go tlhalosa dikgakgamatso tseo. Matshwao a puo a “rêrig/regtig”, “oukei”, “soos”, “hoor” le “weet” a batlisisitswe go lebeletswe Pretoriakorpus van Omgangsafrikaans (PO) ka ntlha ya go nna teng ga ona thata mo dikwalong. Tshwantshanyo ya seelo sa tiriso ya matshwao ano a puo magareng ga ditlhopha tsa dibui e supa gore bašwa, bagolo le bagodi ba banna le basadi ba a dirisa ka ditsela tse di farologaneng. Ditiro tse di rileng di bontsha disupi tse ka tsona go ka latedisiwang tiriso ya thutapuo ya matshwao a puo. Go bonala fa dibui tsa bašwa ba basadi di eteletse pele mo tirisong le kgodisong ya matshwao a puo fa di ntshwantshanngwa le dibui tsa banna. Thutopatlisiso e fitlheletse gape gore dibui tsa bagolo ba basadi bogolosegolo di tshwaela ka botlhaga mo kgodisong ya matshwao ano a puo. / Afrikaans and Theory of Literature / M.A. (Afrikaans)

PhD (African Studies) / Department of African Studies / Vanhu vo tala va vile xiphemu lexi endleke leswaku ndzavisiso lowu wu humelela. Ndzi khensa nghamu na vana lava va ndzi hlohloteleke no ndzi seketela hi mianakanyo. Ndzi tata ku khensa eka vatswari lava va nga phuphu ya mina. Vamakwerhu lava a va ndzi khutaza eka gondzo leri a ri nga olovi, kambe va ri olovisa leswaku ndzi kota ku rhelela. Ndzi ri, xandla eka henhla xin’wana xandla! Eka wena mudzaberi wa thesisi leyi, Dokodela Chauke M.T, namuntlha ndzi dya mihandzu leyi u tikarhateke swinene hi ku chela manyoro u cheleta yi kala yi vupfa. U bile comana swikwembu swi kala swi huma kutani namuntlha ndzi thwasile hikuva nyongwa se ndzi yi khomile hi mavoko ya mina. Dokodela Babane M.T na wena u vile mupfuneti wa mudzaberi hi vutshembeki. Tatana Maluleke (Ngwenya) Tinyiko na vapfuneti va wena hi tlhelo ra ku thayipa xitsariwa lexi wa khensiwa. Hakunene u ngwenya. Sesi Kudakwashe Chirobe, nseketelo na mitirho ya wena eka vuhumelerisi bya thesisi leyi swi khenseka hi xiheri (Zvakanaka shamwari!). buti Respect Mlambo na wena sesi Kudakwashe migingiriko ya n’wina ya ku ya hala na hala ku tiyisisa leswaku xitsariwa lexi xi tixaxametisa na swilaveko swa xihofisi swi tswarile mihandzu leyinene. I vanyingi lava hoxeke xandla ehenhla ka ndzavisiso lowu, ndzi ba mandla ndzi vuyelela eka n’wina hinkwenu handle ko mi hlaya hi mavito. Ndzi tlangela ku humelerisiwa ka mafumelo ya xidemokirasi laha Afrika-Dzonga. Swi ta va swi nga hetisekangi eka mina ku va ndzi vulavula hi xidemokirasi xa Afrika-Dzonga loko vito ra Dokodela Rolihlahla Mandela ri nga boxiwangi. Hi un’wana wa tinghanakana ta valweri va ndzingandzingano wa tindzimi eka swin’wana swa swona. Ingi moya wa yena wu nga wisa hi kurhula swinene. Eku heteleleni, ndzi khensa Muvumbi tanihileswi masungulo ya vutlhari ku nga ku chava Yehovha. Hi yena loyi a ndzi tsetseleleke no ndzi hletela ku kondza ndzi gwaza. / NRF

The initial purpose of this study was to describe and analyse the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital. This was seen as a microcosm of the language situation in urban South Africa. As such, this study set out to identify problems and offer suggestions in resolving the difficulties experienced in communication in this hospital as well as in other medical institutions in the rest of the country. Before attempting such an investigation, a sound theoretical framework had to be established. In order to gain familiarity with the research field, concepts on sociolinguistics had to be researched and described. In order to apply particular concepts to the situation under investigation, the concepts had to be defined and interpreted first. This study has made a contribution to the theoretical debate regarding various sociolinguistic concepts, in that it has shown how these concepts apply to the South African situation. The next step in the research process involved making a decision about which method would be most appropriate for collecting data. Therefore, various approaches were investigated in order to find the appropriate one. The techniques of data collection and the recruitment of respondents had to be refined before the main data collection process could begin. Then began the journey of discovery. The detailed description of the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital presented in chapter 3 forms the crux of this study. This is the first time that such a comprehensive, qualitative description of the entire language situation in this hospital has been done. An appropriate method for data analysis had to be devised. This entailed various levels of analysis and interpretation. A description of the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital would have been incomplete without presenting a few of the various scenarios that took place in this hospital. Many important conclusions were reached during the course of the research. The most important of these were: 1. A huge communication problem exists at Baragwanath Hospital. 2. Either interpreters will have to be hired to overcome this problem; or nurses will have to be paid more for their interpreting services. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil.

The initial purpose of this study was to describe and analyse the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital. This was seen as a microcosm of the language situation in urban South Africa. As such, this study set out to identify problems and offer suggestions in resolving the difficulties experienced in communication in this hospital as well as in other medical institutions in the rest of the country. Before attempting such an investigation, a sound theoretical framework had to be established. In order to gain familiarity with the research field, concepts on sociolinguistics had to be researched and described. In order to apply particular concepts to the situation under investigation, the concepts had to be defined and interpreted first. This study has made a contribution to the theoretical debate regarding various sociolinguistic concepts, in that it has shown how these concepts apply to the South African situation. The next step in the research process involved making a decision about which method would be most appropriate for collecting data. Therefore, various approaches were investigated in order to find the appropriate one. The techniques of data collection and the recruitment of respondents had to be refined before the main data collection process could begin. Then began the journey of discovery. The detailed description of the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital presented in chapter 3 forms the crux of this study. This is the first time that such a comprehensive, qualitative description of the entire language situation in this hospital has been done. An appropriate method for data analysis had to be devised. This entailed various levels of analysis and interpretation. A description of the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital would have been incomplete without presenting a few of the various scenarios that took place in this hospital. Many important conclusions were reached during the course of the research. The most important of these were: 1. A huge communication problem exists at Baragwanath Hospital. 2. Either interpreters will have to be hired to overcome this problem; or nurses will have to be paid more for their interpreting services. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil.