PhD (Xitsonga) / Ehansi ka Senthara ya M. E. R. Mathivha ya Tindzimi ta Afrika, Vutshila na Ndhavuko / Ndzavisiso lowu wu wela ehansi ka dyondzo ya swa vuhundzuluxi leyi nga tlhelaka yi vuriwaka leswaku i xiyenge xa swa ririmi ni ndhavuko. Ndzavisiso lowu wu boxa no kanela mitlhontlho leyi ku hlanganiwaka na yona eka vuhundzuluxi lebyi khumbaka Xichangana eZimbabwe. Ndzavisiso lowu wu xopaxopa mitlhontlho leyi eka swiyimo swo hambanahambana swa xilingwistiki leswi katsaka mipfumawulo ya marito, swivumbeko swa marito, vulongoloxamarito na tinhlamuselo ta wona. Ndzavisiso lowu wu tlhela wu xopaxopa mitlhontlho ya vuhundzuluxi leyi khumbaka swa ndhavuko. Eka swa ndhavuko ku langutiwa swivuriso, swivulavulelo, switekatekisani/mitshayilo, swivongo na swithopo. Ndzavisiso lowu wu wela eka xivumbeko xa nhlawulo naswona ku tirhisiwa tindlela to hlengeleta mahungu ta nhlokohliso wa swivutiso ni ntlhatlho wa vundzeni. Tithiyori leti tirhisiweke i ta xilingwistiki ni ya matirhiselo leti khumbaka timhaka ta mindhavuko. Nsusumeto wo endla ndzavisiso wa muxaka lowu wu kongomisa eka Xichangana xa Zimbabwe i ku vona leswaku matsalwa manyingi ya hundzuluxeriwa eka tindzimi leti hluvukeke khale ta Xixona na Xindhevele, kasi tindzimi to fana na Xichangana na tin’wana leti a ti vuriwa ta vavulavuri va nhlayo yintsongo ti karhi ti honisiwa. Ndzavisiso lowu wu kumile leswaku ku na mitlhontlho ya swa ririmi leyi ku hlanganiwaka na yona eka swiyimo swa fonoloji, mofoloji, vulongoloxamarito na semantiki loko ku hundzuluxiwa switsariwa exikarhi ka Xichangana na Xinghezi. Xivangelonkulu xa mhaka leyi i ku hambana ka swivumbeko swa vuvulavuri bya tindzimi, ngopfungopfu eka mofoloji ni vulongoloxamarito. Ndzavisiso lowu wu kumile nakambe leswaku mitlhontlho yin’wana yi tisiwa hi timhaka ta matsalelo laha vahundzuluxi va tirhisaka matsalelo yo hambana ya Xichangana. Hi tlhelo ra swa ndhavuko, ndzavisiso lowu wu kumile leswaku ku na mitlhontlho loko swi fika eka ku hundzuluxela swivuriso, swivulavulelo, switekatekisani/mitshayilo, swivongo n swithopo. Eka xiyenge lexi ku kumekile leswaku ku na marito ya ndhavuko lama nga hundzuluxekiki ku ya eka Xinghezi. Leswi swi vangiwa hi ku hambana ka mindhavuko exikarhi ka Xichangana na Xinghezi.

This dissertation investigates the revitalisation of Tonga, an endangered minority language in Zimbabwe. It seeks to establish why the Tonga people embarked on the revitalisation of their language, the strategies they used, the challenges they encountered and how they managed them. The Human Needs Theory propounded by Burton (1990) and Yamamoto’s (1998) Nine Factors Language Revitalisation Model formed the theoretical framework within which the data were analysed. This case-study identified various socio-cultural and historical factors that influenced the revitalisation of the Tonga language. Despite the socio-economic and political challenges from both within and outside the Tonga community, the Tonga revitalisation initiative was to a large extent a success, thanks to the speech community’s positive attitude and ownership of the language revitalisation process. It not only restored the use of Tonga in the home domain but also extended the language function into the domains of education, the media, and religion. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Sociolinguistics)