Thesis (M.A. (African Languages)) --University of Limpopo, 2013

The colonial era brought about Western civilisation, industrialisation, urbanisation and technology that led to the negation of the validity of the traditional wall decorations and the meaning behind what is understood as merely decorative shapes and parttens. To research as to whether this is true, the aim of this study is to establish whether the symbols applied on the traditional African murals have any linguistic significance. The research investigated the pictography embedded in the traditional murals of three linguistic groups, namely the Balobedu, Vatsonga and Vhavenda in Limpopo Province. The researcher gathered and recorded from the surviving elders the vital codes which unlock the meaning of signs, symbols, colours and geometric shapes before the knowledge is lost forever when they die. Data was collected mainly from Vatsonga female elders in their homes by using unstructured interviews. Traditional huts are decorated with symbols, signs, shapes, lines, and colours on the maguva (walls around the courtyard), mavala ya nghotsa (design and patterns, mainly in repeated half circles (figures 26 to 35)), mabilomu/swiluva/ swiphaswana (calabash/gourd flowers), ku sindza hi makholo (patterned cow dung floor) and ku tsema (coloured bands around the hut), depicted in figures 12 to 15. According to the respondents, the maphapha (calabashes/gourds) is a symbol for the plant that feeds the people. The plant from which maphapha are made, has heart-shaped green leaves and yellow flowers that develop into a calabash/gourd, which are consumed as food (figures 10–11). In this sense, it represents a woman and her responsibilities as carer and life giver. The results affirm that the pictography is not merely a reproduction of common decorative patterns, but is instead the source of an ancient visual expressive language carried down from generation to generation through oratory and visual narratives in the form of symbols, and signs. The study recommends the preservation of the linguistic significance of the traditional South African murals that have long been marginalised, possibly encouraging the younger generations to review their own history. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil.(African Languages)

PhD (Xitsonga) / Eka Senthara ya M. E. R. Mathivha ya Tindzimu ta Afrika, Vutshila na Ndhavuko / Xikongomelo xa ndzavisiso lowu i ku xopaxopa swivuriso swa Xitsonga leswi tshuriweke ku suka eka swiharhi swa le nhoveni na swiharhi swa le kaya (swifuwo) ku endlela ku kombisa hilaha swi paluxaka mahanyelo ni mavonelo ya vutomi ya Vatsonga eka swiyenge swa vutomi leswi landzelaka: rirhandzu na vukati, mavabyi na matshungulelo ya wona, rifu na swikholwakholwana, milandzu na maahlulelo ya yona, mitirho, vusiwana, rifuwo, vukhongeri, rivengo, vukungundzwana, nyimpi, vutlhari, dyondzo, makhombo, maambalelo, swakudya na swakunwa na swin‟wana na swin‟wana. Ndzavisiso lowu wu aviwile hi swiyenge swimbirhi leswikulu, xiyenge xo sungula xi kongomisiwe eka swivuriso leswi tshuriweke ku suka eka swiharhi swa le nhoveni kasi xiyenge xa vumbirhi xi kongomisiwe eka swivuriso leswi tshuriweke ku suka eka swiharhi swa lekaya (swifuwo). Xiyenge xo sungula xi tlhela xi aviwa hi swiyengentsongo swinharhu, ku nga, xiphemu lexi vulavulaka hi swivuriso leswi tshuriweke ku suka eka swiharhi swa le nhoveni leswi dyaka swimilana ntsena, swiharhi swa le nhoveni leswi dyaka nyama, na swiharhi swa le nhoveni leswi dyaka swimilana na nyama. Xiyenge xa vumbirhi na xona xi aviwa hi swiyengentsongo swinharhu, ku nga, swivuriso swa swiharhi leswi tshuriweke ku suka eka swifuwo leswi dyaka swimilana ntsena, swivuriso swa swifuwo leswi dyaka nyama na swivuriso swa swifuwo leswi dyaka swimilana na nyama. Vuxokoxoko bya ndzavisiso lowu byi tekiwile ku suka eka Vutlhari bya Vatsonga (Machangana) ku nga tsalwa ra swivuriso swa Xitsonga leri tsariweke hi HP Junod (1978). Swivuriso leswi swi xopaxopiwa hi tihlo ra vuxoperi hi ku tirhisa maendlelo ya Lakoff, G na Johnson, M (1980) ya thiyori ya mianakanyo ya vugego (Conceptual Metaphor Theory) Eka thiyori leyi ku vuriwa leswaku mhakankulu leyi lawulaka matirhelo ya swivulwana swa vugegovutlhokovetseri a hi ririmi, kambe i mianakanyo. Thiyori leyi yi tirhisa mpananiso (cross domain mappings), laha mhaka ya nkoka ku nga xitikoxihlovo (source domain) na xitikoxikongomisiwa (target domain). Hi ku ya hi thiyori leyi, nchumu wo karhi wu twisiseka kahle hi ku wu pimanisa na wun‟wana. Hileswaku, xitikoxikongomisiwa xi twisiseka ku antswa hi ku xiya xitikoxihlovo.

MA (Xitsonga) / Senthara ya M. E. R. Mathivha ya Tindzimi ta Afrika, Vutshila na Ndhavuko / See the attached abstract below

MA (Xitsonga) / Ehansi ka Senthara ya M.E.R. Mathivha ya Tindzimi ta Afrika, Vutshila na Mfuwo / Ndzavisiso lowu wu lava ku kombisa nkucetelo lowu Xilungu xi nga na wona eka mathyelo ya mavito ya vanhu eka Xitsonga. Ku thyiwa ka mavito ya munhu ku na ntikelo lowukulu eka vanhu hikuva ku komba ndhavuko, matitwelo, mitolovelo, maendlelo, ku navela na ripfumelo ra vanhu va rixaka ro karhi. Hi xitalo mavito ya tisa hungu ro karhi endyangwini, emugangeni kumbe etikweni; hileswaku hungu leri ri nga eka vito ri nga kongomisiwa eka n’wini wa vito kumbe eka vanhu van’wana erixakeni. EAfrika mavito a ya thyiwi ntsenantsena kambe ya thyiwa hikuva ya ri na nhlamuselo yo karhi. Ndzavisiso lowu wu kombisile switandzhaku swo biha leswi va ka kona loko Vatsonga va nga tirhisi mavito ya Xitsonga ku thya vana va vona. Ndzavisiso wu ta tlherile wu languta swivangelo leswi endlaka leswaku Vatsonga va thya vana mavito ya Xilungu. Xo hetelela, ndzavisiso wu langutile tindlela leti nga tirhisiwa ku endla leswaku Vatsonga va tirhisa mavito ya Xitsonga ematshan’wini ya Xilungu. / NRF

MA (Xitsonga) / Ehansi ka Senthara ya M. E. R. Mathivha ya Tindzimi ta Afrika, Vutshila ni Ndhavuko / See the attached abstract below