Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))—Stellenbosch University, 2008. / This thesis discusses pertinent issues which should be taken into account in the production of LSP dictionaries in Ndebele. Special reference is made to a prospective Ndebele Linguistic and Literary Terms Dictionary, henceforth the NLLTD. The issues discussed include lexicographic planning, data collection, data processing, lemma selection, the provision of data categories and the utilisation of dictionary structures. The thesis demonstrates and emphasises the need for theoretical guidance in the execution of all lexicographic tasks. Two main theories are used to formulate a theoretical framework for this study. A general theory of lexicography developed by Herbert Ernst Wiegand is used to affirm the status of lexicography as separate from linguistics and other fields from which it draws theoretical and methodological insights. Lexicography is, according to Wiegand (1984), a scientific field concerned with the production of reference works on language. As a typical reference product, a dictionary is regarded as a utility tool with a genuine purpose. These two postulates of the general theory of lexicography enable lexicographers to carry out their tasks in a systematic and efficient way. The postulates are emphasised in the theory of lexicographic functions, which was developed by Danish lexicographers of the Aarhus School of Business, mainly under the direction of Henning Bergenholtz and Sven Tarp. Because of this, the theories are employed in a complementary way. Since lexicography is regarded by these theories as a separate discipline, it follows that the production of user-friendly dictionaries may not be guided exclusively by linguistic theories or other theories developed in disciplines with which lexicography comes into contact. It is important to reiterate this regarding terminological theories and special subject field theories in the case of LSP lexicography. The theory of lexicographic functions requires lexicographers to identify the target users of their dictionaries, and the situations in which the users may experience problems that may be addressed by means of lexicographic data. It determines dictionary typological choices, lemma selection policies, the provision of lexicographic data for individual lemmata, and the planning and utilisation of dictionary structures in a user-friendly way. The main motivation for the complementary use of the general theory of lexicography and the theory of lexicographic functions in this thesis was to ensure that efficiency is achieved on the part of the lexicographer carrying out his/her various lexicographic tasks and also on the part of the user consulting the final product. Although this is demonstrated in the thesis using the prospective NLLTD, the criticism of some published dictionaries indicates that their quality could have been improved if their production occurred under such a strong theoretical guidance. An attempt is also made to show that similar theoretical applications are definitely required in the production of LSP dictionaries other than the NLLTD in Ndebele and other languages.

Thesis (MA (General Linguistics))--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the internal structure of the passive participle in Afrikaans from within the framework of Nanosyntax. The ternary mode of classification, adopted by Caha (2007), Embick (2003;2004) and Kratzer (2000), is taken as background for the analysis of the Afrikaans passive participle; the analysis is done according to the nanosyntactic account of verb event structure which was first proposed by Ramchand (2008), and adopted by Lundquist (2008) in his study of the passive participle in Swedish. The aim of the study is to determine whether the ternary classification of passive participles and the general nanosyntactic structure proposed by Lundquist for the passive participle in Swedish provide an adequate framework for the analysis of such participles in Afrikaans. Two alternative proposals, namely for a binary and a quaternary classification of passive participles, are also critically examined. The morphological difference between predicative and attributive passive participles in Afrikaans suggests that, if both the ternary classification and Lundquist.s proposal for the internal structure of passive participles are to be maintained, a structural account for this difference should be provided from within the Nanosyntactic framework. In this regard, a possible structure is suggested and discussed in Chapter 4. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie fokus op die interne struktuur van die passiewe deelwoord in Afrikaans binne die raamwerk van Nanosintaksis. Die drieledige klassifikasie, wat gevolg word deur Caha (2007), Embick (2003; 2004) en Kratzer (2000), dien as agtergrond vir die analise van die Afrikaanse passiewe deelwoord. Die analise is gebaseer op Ramchand (2008) se voorstelle oor die nanosintaktiese struktuur van werkwoorde; hierdie voorstelle word ook gevolg deur Lundquist (2008) in sy analise van die passiewe deelwoord in Sweeds. Die hoofoogmerk van hierdie studie is om te bepaal of die drieledige klassifikasie van passiewe deelwoorde en die algemene nanosintaktiese struktuur wat deur Lundquist voorgestel word, 'n toereikende raamwerk bied vir die analise van die verskillende Afrikaanse passiewe deelwoorde. Twee alternatiewe voorstelle, naamlik vir 'n tweeledige en vierledige klassifikasie, word ook krities ondersoek. Die morfologiese verskil tussen predikatiewe en attributiewe passiewe deelwoorde in Afrikaans dui daarop dat, indien beide die drieledige klassifikasie en Lundquist se voorstel vir die interne struktuur van passiewe deelwoorde gehandhaaf sou word, 'n strukturele verklaring van hierdie verskil gebied moet word binne die Nanosintaktiese raamwerk. In die verband word 'n moontlike struktuur voorgestel en bespreek in Hoofstuk 4.

Thesis (MPhil )--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the advent of the information age, government ministries in Lesotho, as well as nongovernmental agencies, are trying to gain publicity in terms of services they offer to the general public. The Ministry of Employment and Labour (MEL), for example, resorted to using radio programmes in order to inform the public about the services it offers. These range from career guidance and counselling, pre- and post-employment advice, information about occupational health and safety and HIV/AIDS, providing facts about what type of vacancies are available locally and internationally, to instilling the spirit of dialogue among relevant stakeholders in matters related to labour, employers and employees. During various weekly radio presentations, presented in Sesotho, several departments are able to go on-air and present services that their departments offer to the general public and what the public can do in the event they are given a disservice by the concerned department. In the process of doing so, many technical terms are used. These often take the form of code switches into English, translations from English into Sesotho and borrowings from English. The purpose of this thesis is to examine whether the use of code switching, translation and borrowing makes it possible for factory workers in Lesotho to understand the message that is being delivered to them in a clear and unmistakable manner that will influence a change of behaviour on the part of factory workers. In order to ascertain the level of comprehension of technical terms, participants completed a questionnaire in which they gave their understanding of various technical terms selected from transcribed MEL radio broadcasts. The findings of this study show that the use of code switching, translation and borrowing from English limit the understanding of what is being communicated, making the radio broadcasts less effective in disseminating information on matters related to HIV/AIDS, the plight of factory workers according to the ratified conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), legal terms related to contracts of employment, their commencement and termination, conditions of work, the level of the unemployed versus the employed, skills needed to venture into the country’s labour market and occupational health and safety guidelines as reflected in the Labour Code of Lesotho. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die aanbreek van die inligtingsera probeer staatsministeries in Lesotho, asook nieregeringsorganisasies, om publisiteit te verkry vir die openbare dienste wat hul lewer. Die Ministerie van Werksverskaffing en Arbeid (MWA) het byvoorbeeld besluit om gebruik te maak van radioprogramme om die publiek in te lig aangaande sy dienste. Hierdie dienste wissel van beroepsvoorligting en -berading, voor- en na-indiensnemingsadvies, inligting oor bedryfsgesondheid en -veiligheid en HIV/VIGS, die verskaffing van feite oor beskikbare plaaslike en internasionale vakaturetipes, tot die kweek van ’n dialoog-gees onder relevante belanghebbendes in arbeid-, werkgewer- en werknemersake. Tydens verskeie weeklikse radio-aanbiedings, aangebied in Sesotho, kan ’n aantal departemente hulle openbare dienste adverteer, asook die prosedure wat gevolg kan word deur lede van die publiek wat veronreg is deur die gegewe departement. Hierdie boodskappe bevat verskeie tegniese terme, dikwels aangebied in die vorm van kodewisselings na Engels, vertalings uit Engels na Sesotho, asook Engelse leenwoorde. Die doel van hierdie tesis is om vas te stel of die gebruik van kodewisseling, vertaling en woordleen fabriekswerkers in Lesotho daartoe in staat stel om die boodskap wat gekommunikeer word te verstaan in ’n duidelike, ondubbelsinnige wyse wat tot ’n gedragsverandering onder die fabriekswerkers sal lei. Ten einde die begripsvlak vir tegniese terme vas te stel, het deelnemers ’n vraelys voltooi waarin hulle hul begrip van verskeie tegniese terme (geselekteer uit getranskribeerde MWA-radiouitsendings), weergegee het. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie dui daarop dat die gebruik van kodewisseling, vertaling en woordleen uit Engels die begrip van wat gekommunikeer word, beperk. Dít maak die radiouitsendings minder effektief in die verspreiding van inligting oor HIV/VIGS; die saak van fabriekwerkers (met inagname van die gesanksioneerde konvensies van die Internasionale Arbeidsorganisasie); regsterme wat verband hou met arbeidskontrakte, spesifiek hul aanvang en terminasie, asook werksomstandighede; die vlak van werkloses teenoor werkendes; die vaardighede wat benodig word om die land se arbeidsmark te betree; en bedryfsgesondheid en –veiligheidsriglyne, soos gereflekteer in die Arbeidswet van Lesotho.

Thesis (MA )--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Given the promise of upward socio-economic mobility that English is currently deemed to hold in South Africa, it is a matter of egalitarian principle that the schooling system provides all learners in this country with a fair chance at acquiring English to a high level of proficiency. There exists a common misconception, however, that such a chance is necessarily provided in the form of English medium education for all learners, regardless of what their mother tongue may be. As a result, the majority of learners are caught in a system that cites English as medium of instruction, despite their and often also their teachers’ low overall proficiency in this language; the little opportunity many have for the naturalistic acquisition of English; and the national Language-in-Education Policy of 1997’s advice to the contrary, in promoting additive bilingualism with the home language serving as foundation through the use thereof as medium of instruction. As an interim solution, it is suggested that English-as-an-additional-language be developed to serve as a strong support subject in explicitly teaching learners the grammar of English. In order to identify grammatical features for explicit instruction, an initial step was taken in analysing the free speech of eight first language speakers of isiXhosa, the African language most commonly spoken in the Western Cape. The grammatical intuitions of these speakers, who had all reached a near-native level of proficiency in English, were tested in an English grammaticality judgement task. Collectively, results revealed syntactic, semantic and morphological features of English, in that order, to prove most problematic to these speakers. More specifically, in terms of syntax, the omission of especially prepositions and articles was identified as a candidate topic for explicit instruction, along with the syntactic positioning of adverbs and particles. In terms of semantics, incorrect lexical selection, especially of prepositions / prepositional phrases and pronouns, proved the most common non-native feature to be suggested for explicit teaching. Lastly, in terms of morphology, inflection proved most problematic, with the accurate formulation (especially in terms of tense and / or aspect forms) of past tense, progressive and irrealis structures being the features suggested for explicit instruction, along with the third person singular feature. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Aangesien Engels tans vir baie Suid-Afrikaners die belofte van opwaartse sosio-ekonomiese mobiliteit inhou, is dit ’n egalitêre beginselsaak dat die skoolsisteem alle leerders in hierdie land voorsien van ’n regverdige kans op die verwerwing van Engels tot op ’n hoë vaardigheidsvlak. Daar bestaan egter ’n algemene wanopvatting dat só ’n kans homself noodwendig voordoen in die vorm van Engels-medium onderrig vir alle leerders, ongeag wat hul moedertaal ook al mag wees. Gevolglik is die meerderheid leerders vandag vasgevang in ’n sisteem wat Engels as onderrigmedium voorhou, ten spyte van hul en dikwels ook hul onderwysers se algehele lae vaardigheidsvlak in Engels én vele se beperkte geleenthede om Engels op ’n naturalistiese wyse te verwerf. Hierdie sisteem is verder ook teenstrydig met die nasionale Taal-in-Onderrigbeleid van 1997 se bevordering van toevoegende tweetaligheid met die huistaal as fondasie in die gebruik daarvan as onderrigmedium. As ’n interim-oplossing word daar voorgestel dat English-as-an-additional-language ontwikkel word tot ’n sterk ondersteunende vak deurdat dit leerders die grammatika van Engels eksplisiet leer. Ten einde grammatikale eienskappe vir eksplisiete instruksie te identifiseer, is ’n eerste stap geneem in die analise van die vrye spraak van agt eerstetaalsprekers van isiXhosa, die Afrikataal wat die algemeenste gebesig word in die Wes- Kaap. Hierdie sprekers, wat almal ’n naby-eerstetaalsprekervlak van vaardigheid bereik het in Engels, se grammatikale intuïsies is deur middel van ’n grammatikaliteitsoordeel-taak getoets. Resultate het gesamentlik daarop gedui dat sintaktiese, semantiese en morfologiese eienskappe van Engels, in hierdie volgorde, die grootste probleme ingehou het vir hierdie sprekers. Meer spesifiek, ten opsigte van sintaksis, is die weglating van veral voorsetsels en lidwoorde as kandidaatonderwerpe vir eksplisiete instruksie geïdentifiseer, tesame met die sintaktiese posisionering van bywoorde en partikels. Ten opsigte van semantiek, was onakkurate leksikale seleksie, veral in die geval van voorsetsels / voorsetselfrases en voornaamwoorde, die algemeenste problematiese eienskap wat gevolglik vir eksplisiete instruksie voorgestel is. Laastens, ten opsigte van morfologie, het infleksie die grootste uitdaging blyk te wees, en is die akkurate formulering (veral ingevolge tempus- en / of aspekvorme) van verledetyds-, progressiewe en irrealisstrukture voorgestel as kandidaatonderwerpe vir eksplisiete instruksie, tesame met die derdepersoon-enkelvoudeienskap.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: When English as a second language (L2) is learnt via classroom instruction, the extent to which learners become proficient depends, in part, on the education system in place and, more specifically, on the methods of instruction. This study set out to compare the efficacy of two focus-on-form methods of L2 instruction, namely enhanced input and traditional teacher-centred instruction, in teaching one typically problematic aspect of English grammar for L2 learners, namely the use of the passive form. The participants comprised two groups of grade 11 Afrikaans-speaking learners in a secondary, Afrikaans-English parallel medium school in the southern region of Gauteng, South Africa. One day before the onset of instruction on the English passive, all potential participants completed a pre-test to assess their existing knowledge of the English passive, in order to allow the members of one group to be paired with the members of the other group. Eight pairs could be found; a total of 16 learners thus participated in the study. Both groups then received 14 lessons (7 hours in total) on the English passive: The Enhanced group received (written) input enhancement in groups, whereas the Traditional group as a whole did copying exercises and received explanations on the formation of the passive structure. Participants wrote a post-test immediately after the end of the instruction period and a delayed post-test nine weeks later. The results of the immediate and delayed post-tests did not indicate a significant difference between the two groups; neither did the learners’ scores improve significantly from the pre-test to the post-tests. Reasons for this lack of improvement are suggested. Classroom observation indicated that learners in the Enhanced group enthusiastically participated in the activities, whereas the Traditional group appeared to be bored after a few lessons. The study also set out to ascertain whether different methods of assessment on the English passive lead to different test marks. It seemed that assessment tasks requiring little writing (such as multiple choice questions) result in higher marks than tasks requiring learners to formulate answers on their own. Although this was a small-scale study, the results suggest that under better circumstances (e.g., more time for instruction and a larger group of participants) it might be useful to conduct similar types of studies to test the effects of enhanced input and/or assessment methods when South African schools change from Outcomes Based Education to the new Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement system in 2012. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wanneer Engels as tweede taal (T2) deur middel van die klaskameronderrig aangeleer word, hang die vaardigheid wat die leerder verwerf gedeeltelik af van die opvoedkundige sisteem waarbinne T2- onderrig geskied en, meer spesifiek, van die metodes van onderrig wat gebruik word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die effektiwiteit van twee fokus-op-vorm-metodes van T2-onderrig met mekaar te vergelyk, naamlik verrykte toevoer en tradisionele onderwysergesentreerde onderrig, in die onderrig van een tipies problematiese aspek van die Engelse grammatika, naamlik die gebruik van die passiefvorm. Die deelnemers het bestaan uit twee groepe Afrikaanssprekende graad 11- leerders in ‘n sekondêre, Afrikaans-Engels parallel-medium skool in Suid-Gauteng. Alle deelnemers het een dag voor die aanvang van die onderrig oor Engelse passiefvorme ‘n voortoets afgelê sodat hul bestaande kennis aangaande sulke vorme gemeet kon word. Op grond van hul toetsresultate is die lede van die een groep daarna met die lede van die ander groepe afgepaar. Agt pare is geïdentifiseer; in totaal was daar dus 16 deelnemers. Beide groepe het 14 klasse (7 ure in totaal) se onderrig oor die Engelse passiefkonstruksie ontvang: Die Verrykte groep het geskrewe toevoer in groepsverband ontvang, terwyl die Tradisionele groep verduidelikings oor die vorming van die passief asook afskryf-oefeninge ontvang het. Deelnemers het onmiddellik ná die 14 klasse ‘n na-toets geskryf en nege weke ná instruksie ‘n uitgestelde na-toets. Die resultate van die onmiddellike en uitgestelde na-toets het nie beduidende verskille tussen die groepe aangedui nie. Die leerders se uitslae het ook nie beduidende verskille tussen die onmiddellike- en uitgestelde na-toets getoon nie. Redes vir die gebrek aan meetbare vordering word aangevoer. Klaskamer-observasie het egter getoon dat leerders wat die verrykte toevoer ontvang het, meer entoesiasties aan klaskameraktiwiteite deelgeneem het teenoor die groep wat tradisioneel onderrig is en verveeld voorgekom het. Die studie het ook gepoog om te bepaal of verskillende assesseringsmetodes vir Engelse passiewe lei tot verskillende toetsuitslae. Dit het voorgekom asof assesseringstake wat minimale skryfwerk vereis het (bv. veelvuldige keuse-vrae) tot beter resultate gelei het as die vrae wat van leerders verwag het om self antwoorde te formuleer. Alhoewel die studie van beperkte omvang was, is daar aanduidings dat dit – onder meer geskikte toestande (bv. meer tyd vir instruksie en groter deelnemergroepe) – nuttig sal wees om soortgelyke studies oor verrykte toevoer en/of verskillende assesseringsmetodes uit te voer, veral wanneer Suid-Afrikaanse skole in 2012 van Uitkomsgebaseerde Onderrig na die Assessment Policy Statement-sisteem toe verander.

Thesis (MPhil )--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the differences in the communication styles of siSwati and American English speakers. Specifically, it investigates the realization patterns of the speech acts of request and greeting in siSwati, by native and non-native speakers of siSwati. It also investigates how these same speech acts are realised by the non-native speakers of siSwati in their first language, English. The participants were 10 Swazis and 10 American Peace Corps volunteers living in Swaziland, Southern Africa at the time this study was conducted. The data were collected by means of a questionnaire followed up with a semi-structured interview. The data were analysed using the framework of the Cross-cultural Speech Act Realization Project as developed by Blum- Kulka (1989). Common trends were noted in the realization of the two speech acts by native speakers and non-native speakers and conclusions were made based on the similarities and differences observed. Overall, the results suggest (i) that there are marked differences in the way in which American English speakers and Swazi people perform and interpret greetings and requests, and (ii) that such differences emanate from the different cultural orientation of the two groups of people. Since such differences sometimes lead to misunderstandings, there is evident need to make people aware of cultural differences in order for understanding and tolerance to prevail in cross-cultural interactions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die verskille in die kommunikasiestyle van sprekers van siSwati en Amerikaanse Engels. Dit beskou spesifiek die realiseringspatrone van die taalhandelinge versoek en groet in siSwati, deur moedertaal- en nie-moedertaalsprekers van siSwati, en in Engels. Die deelnemers was 10 Swazis en 10 Amerikaanse Vredekorps-vrywilligers woonagtig in Swaziland, Suid-Afrika, ten tye van die studie. Die data is ingesamel deur middel van 'n vraelys wat opgevolg is deur 'n semi-gestruktureerde onderhoud. Die data is geanaliseervolgens die raamwerk van die Kruiskulturele Spraakhandeling-realiseringsprojek, soos voorgestel deur Blum-Kulka (1989). Algemene tendense is opgemerk in die realisering van die twee spraakhandelinge deur moedertaalsprekers en nie-moedertaalsprekers en afleidings is gemaak op grond van die waargenome verskille en ooreenkomste. Oor die algemeen dui die resultate op (i) duidelike verskille tussen die wyses waarop sprekers van Amerikaanse Engels en Swazis versoeke en groethandelinge uitvoer en interpreteer, en (ii) die verskillende kulturele oriënterings van die twee groepe as oorsprong van hierdie tipe verskille. Aangesien laasgenoemde dikwels aanleiding gee tot misverstand, is dit duidelik noodsaaklik dat mense bewus gemaak word van kulturele verskille ten einde begrip en verdraagsaamheid te laat hoogty vier tydens kruiskulturele interaksie.

Thesis (MPhil )--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is interested in discourses of displacement in which migrants articulate the experience of seeking improved life chances in a community considerably removed from their place of origin. Not only physical and environmental distance, but also distance related to cultural, linguistic and religious differences distinguish the (im)migrants from the local indigenous population, which is already a culturally and linguistically diverse community. This study investigates how histories of displacement and experiences of alienation or integration may be discursively managed among a group of young Somali males aged between 15 and 35 who entered South Africa in their late teens or early twenties. Specifically, this thesis considers how young Somali men who relocated to a rural Western Cape town and make a living through trading, present themselves in English-language narratives elicited during informal interviews. The study was conducted in Vredenburg, the administrative centre and economic hub of the Saldanha Bay Municipal area on the West Coast of South Africa. The data for the study was collected by means of audio recorded interviews. To supplement this data and gain more perspective on the situatedness of the discourses, the researcher further relied on field notes as well as additional informal conversations with the participants. The data was collected over a period of five months in 2007. To analyse the data, the researcher draws on the theoretical frameworks of Labov's structural analysis of narratives and Wodak and Reisigl's (2001) discourse-historical approach, and Bamberg's (1997) narrative constructivist perspective. The research aims to determine (i) how the narrators construct themselves in their narratives, and (ii) how speakers position themselves towards the content of their narratives, and towards their actual and imagined audiences. This study shows that displacement brings about new contexts characterised by uncertainty, conflict and inequalities, and this influences the way narrators orient themselves. The Somali narrators, in interviews conducted in English with a community outsider, position themselves as displaced and marginalised. During their narratives, the participants used several linguistic strategies to present themselves in various ways to actual or imagined audiences, which lead to negative otherpresentation and positive self-presentation and construction of in-group and out-group membership. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie fokus op diskoerse van ontworteling waarin migrante hul ervaring verwoord van ’n soeke na beter lewensgeleenthede in ’n gemeenskap ver verwyderd van hul plek van herkoms. Buiten vir die fisiese en omgewingsafstand, is daar ook afstand daargestel deur kulturele, linguistiese en godsdiensverskille, wat die (im)migrante onderskei van die plaaslike bevolking – op sigself ’n kultureel en linguisties diverse gemeenskap. Hierdie studie doen ondersoek na hoe geskiedenisverhale oor ontworteling en ervarings van vervreemding of integrasie diskursief bestuur kan word binne ’n groep jong Somaliese mans van 15 tot 35 jaar wat Suid-Afrika in hul laat tienerjare of vroeë twintigerjare binnegekom het. Die tesis fokus spesifiek op hoe jong Somaliese mans wat na ’n plattelandse Wes-Kaapse dorp migreer het en ’n handelsbestaan voer, hulself voorstel in Engelstalige narratiewe wat ontlok is tydens informele onderhoude. Die studie is gedoen in Vredenburg, die administratiewe en ekonomiese kern van die Saldanhabaai Munisipale Area aan die Weskus van Suid-Afrika. Die data vir die studie is ingesamel deur middel van klankopnames van onderhoude. Ten einde dié data aan te vul en meer perspektief te verkry ten opsigte van die plasing van die diskoerse, het die navorser verder gesteun op veldnotas sowel as bykomende informele gesprekke met die deelnemers. Die data is oor ’n tydperk van vyf maande in 2007 versamel. In die ontleding van die data maak die navorser gebruik van die teoretiese raamwerke van Labov se strukturele analise van narratiewe en Wodak en Reisigl (2001) se diskoers-historiese benadering, asook Bamberg (1997) se narratief-konstruktivistiese perspektief. Die navorsing het ten doel om vas te stel (i) hoe die vertellers hulself in hul narratiewe konstrueer, en (ii) hoe sprekers hulself posisioneer ten opsigte van die inhoud van hul narratiewe en ten opsigte van hul werklike en denkbeeldige gehore. Hierdie studie toon dat ontworteling nuwe kontekste skep wat gekenmerk word deur onsekerheid, konflik en ongelykhede en ’n invloed het op die wyse waarop vertellers hulself orienteer. Tydens onderhoude met ’n gemeenskapsbuitestaander, uitgevoer in Engels, posisioneer die Somaliese vertellers hulself as ontwortel en gemarginaliseer. In hul narratiewe gebruik hulle verskeie linguistiese strategieë om hulself op verskillende maniere voor te stel aan werklike en denkbeeldige gehore wat lei tot ’n negatiewe voorstelling van die Ander, ’n positiewe voorstelling van die Self en die daarstelling van binne- en buite-groep lidmaatskap.

Thesis (MPhil )--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An increasing number of studies indicate that South African learners' literacy levels are deplorably low. According to one international study, the Progress in International Literacy Study (PIRLS), conducted in 2006, South African grade 4 learners' literacy levels are the lowest of the 40 countries that participated in the study. The results of the first Annual National Assessment (ANA), conducted in 2011, show that the average literacy performance of grade 3 learners in South Africa lies at 35%. Even though numerous reasons can be presented for these low literacy levels - amongst others, large classes, insufficient teacher training, insufficient educational practices (especially the fact that so little time is spent on reading instruction), and a lack of teaching material - the blame is often cast on the insufficient language proficiency of South African learners. South African learners often receive education in a language which is not their first language. A large number of learners only receive education in their first language for the first three years of their school career and thereafter English usually becomes the language of learning and teaching. It is, however, not only those learners who receive education in their second language who have low literacy skills. Learners who receive education in their first language also encounter problems. The aim of this study was to determine whether a reading intervention programme, designed on the basis of the most recent research on reading, could improve the reading comprehension skills of grade 8 learners in their first language Afrikaans and whether these skills could be transferred to their second language English. The study showed that there was a significant improvement in the participating learners' reading comprehension skills in their first language Afrikaans, as well as in their second language English, even though the reading intervention was only offered in Afrikaans. According to the results of this study, it seems that reading comprehension skills which are acquired in the first language can indeed be transferred to a second language. The implications of these findings for first and second language literacy development are discussed in the final chapter of the thesis. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Toenemende aantal studies dui daarop dat Suid-Afrikaanse leerders se geletterdheidsvlakke kommerwekkend laag is. Volgens een internasionale studie, die Progress in International Literacy Study (PIRLS), wat in 2006 gedoen is, is Suid-Afrikaanse graad 4-leerders se geletterdheidsvlakke die laagste van die 40 lande wat deelgeneem het. Die resultate van die eerste Annual National Assessment (ANA) wat in 2011 gedoen is, wys dat graad 3-leerders in Suid-Afrika se gemiddelde prestasie vir geletterdheid slegs 35% is. Hoewel talle redes vir hierdie lae geletterdheidsvlakke aangebied kan word - waaronder groot klasse, onvoldoende onderwyseropleiding, onvoldoende onderrigpraktyke (veral dat daar te min tyd aan leesonderrig bestee word) en 'n gebrek aan onderrigmateriaal - word die blaam dikwels geplaas op die onvoldoende taalvaardighede van Suid-Afrikaanse leerders. Suid-Afrikaanse leerders gaan dikwels skool in 'n taal wat nie hul eerste taal is nie. Talle leerders ontvang slegs vir die eerste drie jaar van hul skoolloopbaan onderrig in hul eerste taal en daarna word Engels gewoonlik die taal van leer en onderrig. Dit is egter nie net die leerders wat in hul tweede taal onderrig ontvang, wat lae geletterdheidsvlakke het nie. Leerders wat in hul eerste taal onderrig ontvang, ondervind ook probleme. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel of 'n leesintervensieprogram, wat geskoei is op die nuutste navorsing oor lees, die leesbegripsvaardighede van graad 8-leerders in hul eerste taal Afrikaans kan verbeter en of hierdie vaardighede oorgedra kan word op hul tweede taal Engels. Die studie het aangedui dat daar 'n beduidende verbetering in die leerders se leesbegripsvaardighede in hul eerste taal Afrikaans sowel as hul tweede taal Engels was, alhoewel die leesintervensie slegs in Afrikaans aangebied is. Volgens die resultate van die studie wil dit voorkom asof leesbegripsvaardighede wat in die eerste taal verwerf word, oorgedra kan word na 'n tweede taal. Die implikasies van hierdie bevindinge vir die ontwikkeling van geletterdheid in 'n eerste en tweede taal, word in die finale hoofstuk van die tesis bespreek.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the use of the pidgin Fanakalo as a trade language in rural KwaZulu-Natal: its birth under certain historical circumstances; its spread; its apparent growth, post-1990, as new immigrants continue to enter the country and acquire and use Fanakalo out of expediency; and the reasons why Fanakalo continues to thrive in certain contexts. It focuses specifically on similarities between the relations between Gujarati traders and their customers in the 19th century and the relations that exist between Gujarati and Pakistani traders and their Zuluspeaking customers today. Data was collected primarily through semi-structured interviews with nine Gujarati traders – two born in South Africa and the others recent immigrants – five Pakistani traders and ten Zulu speakers, of which two were employees of traders while the others were customers. The results of the data analysis suggest the principles of expediency and non-intimacy may provide a space where Fanakalo can continue to flourish. Pidgins are a neglected element in the study of intercultural communication and the study endeavours to provide pointers for further research in this field. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die gebruik van die kontaktaal Fanakalo as ‘n handelstaal in nie-stedelike KwaZulu-Natal: die ontstaan daarvan onder sekere historiese omstandighede; die verspreiding daarvan; die waarskynlike groei daarvan, na 1990 met die arrivering van nuwe immigrante wat Fanakalo aanleer en gebruik uit gerief; en die redes waarom Fanakalo voortbestaan en floreer in sekere kontekste. Die spesifieke fokus is die soortgelyke verhoudinge tussen Gujarati-handelaars en hulle klante in die negentiende eeu, en tussen Gujarati- en Pakistani-handelaars en hulle Zoeloesprekende klante vandag. Inligting is hoofsaaklik deur semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude ingewin met nege Gujarati-handelaars – twee in Suid-Afrika gebore en die ander onlangse immigrante – vyf Pakistani-handelaars en tien Zoeloesprekendes, waarvan twee werknemers van handelaars en agt klante was. ‘n Analise van die gegewens dui daarop dat die beginsels van gerief of doelmatigheid, en ongemeensaamheid ‘n ruimte mag skep waarin Fanakalo sal voortbestaan. Die studie van kontaktale behoort meer aandag te geniet in die veld van interkulturele kommunikasie, en hierdie tesis poog om ‘n bydrae daartoe te lewer.

Bibliography / Thesis (MA (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.