Thesis (M.A. (Translation studies and linguistics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2009 / Refer to the document

Thesis (M. A. (African Languages)) -- University of Limpopo, 2004 / Refer to the document

Thesis (M.A. (Translation and Linguistics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2011.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Educational Psychology)) --University of Limpopo, 2012 / This research project was an endeavor to investigate the effects of the languages of instruction (English and Shona), to teach Tsonga (Shangani) speaking children in Chiredzi district of Zimbabwe. Because of the nature of the study, a mixed method design was used where both qualitative and quantitative methods were adopted to study the performance of the Tsonga (Shangani) minority language speaking learners in five purposively sampled schools. 222 learners participated in the study. The main aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the language instruction in teaching Tsonga (Shangani) speaking Grade Seven children in Environmental Science. In fact, the researcher was interested in finding out whether teaching learners in a foreign language was a bridge or barrier to learning. In this case, the research did not only look at the effect of using English for instructional purposes, but also investigated how other major or dominant indigenous languages which are used for instructional purposes affect the performance of minority language speaking children in Chiredzi district of Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected using lesson observation, document analysis, the questionnaire and a knowledge test. In this case, fifteen lessons were observed. Fifteen Tsonga (Shangani) speaking Grade Seven learners per school were purposively selected and taught in Tsonga (Shangani) only and the other fifteen Shona speaking Grade Seven children per school were also purposively selected and taught the same topic in Shona, and a third group of fifteen Grade Seven learners per school, were randomly selected and taught in English only. A knowledge test was given to each group thereafter. Children from each language condition were allowed to answer questions in their home languages, except for the third group which was taught in English. This group answered the questions in English with the restricted use of Shona. Each of the test results from the knowledge tests were analysed using a One Way Anova of Variance (ANOVA) and conclusions drawn. The results from other data collection instruments were analysed using qualitative methods like narrative discussions of data. A sample of five learners per school had their exercise books analysed. Data were presented in tables. The results from the knowledge tests given showed a significant difference in the mean marks obtained from the three groups (the Shangani, Shona and English group). The result showed that language has a significant influence on the performance of learners since the p – value was 0.000. This implies that the performance of learners between the three groups is significantly different. On the basis of these observations, the Null hypothesis was rejected. The same picture was also shown in document analysis and in the questionnaires. Consequently,conclusions were drawn and recommendations made.

Thesis ( M.A. (African Languages)) --University of Limpopo, 2011

Thesis (M. A. (Translation Studies and Linguistics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / The aim of this study is to find out whether or not there are locative prepositions in Xitsonga. If so, to determine if they are true prepositions, their functions and the difference between locative prepositions and locatives. The locative case theory is adopted. Data are collected using telephone interviews from a sample of 10 Xitsonga grade 12 language teachers in Mopani district, Limpopo, South Africa. This study finds that there is one locative preposition namely, eka in Xitsonga. This preposition has three forms e-, eka and (-) ka which is also a locative preposition. These forms appear with proper nouns, common nouns, abstract nouns and collective nouns. The forms e- and ka also appear with locatives derived from noun classes 16 and 18, whereby the form e- is omitted when the existential morpheme le (there) is present in a sentence. The form e- also appears with locatives derived in noun class 17. The Xitsonga locative preposition is one of its kind because it has morphemes that contribute in the formation of locatives indicating position. It is recommended that studies of a similar kind should be done to find out more information about prepositions, more especially locative prepositions.

In chapter 1 a short exposition of the history of the Tsonga tribes is given. In chapter 2 the reflexes of the different Proto-Bantu sounds in the particular Tsonga dialects are given. Chapter 3 is a short exposition of the grammar of Nkuna, the dialect on which the standard language is based. Chapter 4 The grammar of all the other dialects is compared with that of Nkuna in chapter 4. Chapter 5 a classification of the Tsonga dialects is made. The writer shows that a linguistic classification of dialects based on geographical principles or on the history of the different tribes speaking the dialects is untenable, since no account is taken in such a classification of the present state of the various dialects. A classification of dialects according to isoglosses is also not scientifically correct, because of the subjective judgement of' the investigator in deciding which isoglosses must be regarded as primary and which as secondary. Chapter 6 The writer then makes a classification of the Tsonga dialects into dialect clusters according to principles which he regards to be purely objective and scientific in which all the similarities and differences of the dialects are taken into account without the writer's subjective judge- ment playing a role. Capter 7 According to these principles, the Tsonga dialects of' the Republic of South Africa are divided into the following dialect clusters: Nucleus dialect cluster consisting of the following dialects: Changana of Gija, Changana of Komatipoort, Nkuna, Changana of Bushbuckridge, Gwama, Hlave, N'walungu, N 'walungu of the Vakavaloyi, Changana Mnisi and Changana of Makhuva. (b) Periferal dialect cluster consisting of Konde. (c) Intermediate A dialect cluster consisting of Xiluleke of Makuleke, Xiluleke of Mhinga, and Nhlanganu. (d) Intermediate B dialect cluster consisting of Xonga. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil.

Thesis (M.A. (African Languages)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / Refer to document

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.

MA (Xitsonga) / MER Mathivha Centre for African Languages, Arts and Culture / ni/kumbe swi ri hava maendli yo vulavula hi swa miehleketo eka Xitsonga. Ku xopaxopiwa ntsena maendli yo pfumala xiendliwa ni maendli ya xiendliwa xin’we eka dyondzo leyi. Maendli ya miehleketo ya swiendliwa swinharhu a ya katsiwangi eka ntirho lowu. Dyondzo leyi yi langutana ngopfu ni tinxaka tinharhu ta maendli ya swa miehleketo, ku nga maendli lama khumbaka swa miehleketo, maendli yo vulavula hi ntsako, na maendli yo vulavula hi nchavo. Tinhlamuselo leti talaka ku kumeka ni leti nga taliki ku kumeka eka swihlambanyisi leswi nga tirha eswivulweni ni maendli lama kumbe leswi nga tirhangiki na wona ma kaneriwa eka dyondzo leyi. Thiyori leyi landzeleriwaka eka dyondzo leyi i ya Lakoff (1992) ya Conceptual Theory of Metaphor. Ku ya hi thiyori leyi matirhelo ya swivulwa swa xivumbeko xa vutlhokovetseri swavugego ma le ka ririmi eka miehleketo. Thiyori leyi yi tirhisa mpimanyiso wa swilo leswi kumekaka eka michumu mimbirhi, laha nchumu wo karhi wu twisisekaka ku antswa hi ku xiya nchumu lowu pimanyisiwaka na wona. Eka dyondzo leyi, miehleketo yo pimanyisa milongoti leyi kumekaka eka michumu mimbirhi yo hambana yi tirhisiwaka eka ku xopaxopa swihlambanyisi swa Xitsonga leswi tirhaka na maendli ya swa miehleketo. Mahungu lama kamberiwaka eka ndzavisiso lowu ma tirhisiwa eka swivulwa hi xikongomelo xo kuma mikhuva ya tinhlamuselo leti humelelaka.