Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the mass nouns in Tshivenda. The specific mass nouns in each nominal class will then be investigated to see whether they have certain morphological and syntactic features which are different from count nouns. Chapter one is the introduction of this study. It describes the aim, organisation and method of the study. Chapter two is the overview of the literature on mass nouns. It gives overview of the most prominent words on mass nouns in general. Some of the prominent works on this alternation include the following: Pelletier (1979a, 1979b,); Ware (1979), Cartwright (1979), McCawley (1979) Chierchia (1982), Link (1983) and Eschenbach (1993). Chapter three investigates which nouns may be mass nouns, the purpose of the classification of nouns in wordnet, nominal classes in Tshivenda and the morphological and syntactic features of mass and count nouns. Chapter four is the conclusion of the study, the summary as well as investigation into the morphological, syntactic and semantic feature of plurality. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die meervoudige naamwoorde in Tshivenda. Die spesifieke meervoudige naamwoorde sal elkeen in sy normale klas geondersoek word om te sien of hulle sekere morfologiese en sintaktiese eienskappe het, wat nie ooreen stem met tel naamwoorde. Hoofstuk 1 is die inleiding van hierdie studie. Dit beskryf die doelwit, organisasie en metode van die studie. Hoofstuk 2 is ‘n oorsig van die literatuur aangaande meervoudige naamwoorde. Hierdie is ‘n oorsig van die mees prominente meervoudige naamwoorde in die algemeen. Sommige van die prominente werke van hierdie nasie sluit die volgende in: Pelletier 91979a; 1979b), Ware (1979), Cartwright (1979), McCawley (1979), Chierchia (1982), Link (1983) en Eschenbach (1993). Hoofstuk 3 identifiseer meervoudige naamwoorde. Die doel van die klasifikasie van naamwoorde in woordnet, normale klassie in Tshivenda en die morfologiese en sintaktiese eienskappe van meervoudigheid. Hoofstuk 4 is die konklusie van die studie, die opsomming as ook die ondersoek in die morfologiese, sinktaktiese en semantieke eienskappe van meervoudigheid.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The lemmatisation of nouns in African and Non-African language dictionaries is investigated with a view to account for the development of a theoretical framework of how nouns could be lemmatised in a Tshivenda monolingual dictionary. Within the African language dictionaries two traditions exist for lemmatisation of nouns: the stem or root system and the word system. Dictionaries belonging to the Nguni languages enter nouns according to the letter of the root or stem and this has been followed because of the presence of a preprefix in these langauges. Languages like Venda, Tsonga and Sotho usually enter nouns in the dictionary under the first letter of the prefix if present. In African languages the morphological and syntactic category noun is exactly the same. With syntax and morphology the category noun is presented by the root or stem of the noun with prefixes added as inherent semantic and grammatical features of such nouns. So, the exact entry in a dictionary has to be considered form the view point of the syntactic and morphological category only. Taking these considerations into account a case can be made for the treatment of nouns in dictionaries. In a Tshivenda monolingual dictionary nouns are entered as head of the noun phrases (NPs); thus indicating the syntactic operation of the noun outside the context of a sentence. In other instances the syntactic operations are indicated within the context of a sentence and this information is indicated within a dictionary implicitly or covertly by means of illustrative examples. Nouns in these dictionaries may appear with two and or more than two arguments. Semantically, the noun Halwa in a Tshivenda monolingual dictionary may have two arguments: firstly it may mean "an intoxicating drink" and secondly it may refer to "a container for holding beer". Thus the noun in African language dictionaries, Tshivenda in particular, could be represented syntactically morphologically and semantically. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die lemmatisering van naamwoorde in Afrika- en nie-Afrikatale woordeboeke is ondersoek om 'n teoretiese raamwerk te ontwikkel vir die lemmatisering van naamwoorde in 'n Tshivenda eentalige woordeboek. Binne die Afrikatale woordeboek bestaan twee tradisies vir die lemmatisering van naamwoorde: die stamsisteem en die woordsisteem. Woordeboek vir die Ngunitale skryf naamwoorde in volgens die eerste letter van die stam: Dié stelsel is toegepas weens die teenwoordigheid van 'n voorprefiks in hierdie tale. Tale soos Venda, Tsonga en Sotho neem gewoonlik naamwoorde in die woordeboek op onder die eerste letter van die prefiks, as daar een is. In die Afrikatale is die morfologiese en sintaktiese kategorie naamwoord presies dieselfde. Die naamwoord word deur die stam of wortel verteenwoordig en van prefikse vergesel ter aanduiding van bepaalde semantiese en grammatikale kenmerke. Die presiese inskrywing in 'n woordeboek word bepaal deur die sintaksiese en morfologiese kategorie. Baie aandag moet dus gegee word aan die aard van die behandeling van naamwoorde in woordeboeke. In 'n Tshivenda eentalige woordeboek, word naamworde opgeneem as kern van die naamwoordstukke ter aanduiding van die sintaksiese optrede van die naamwoord buite die konteks van 'n sin. In ander gevalle word die sintaksiese optrede aangedui binne die konteks van 'n sin en hierdie inligting word in 'n woordeboek implisiet aangedui deur middel van voorbeeldmateriaal. Naamwoorde in hierdie woordeboek kan met twee en of meer as twee argumente voorkom. Semanties kan die naamwoord [ Halwa] in 'n Tshivenda eentalige woordeboek twee argumente hê : eerstens kan dit beteken" 'n dronkmakende bier" en tweedens 'n blik wat bier hou". Dus kan die naamwoorde in Afrikataalwoordeboeke, veral Tshivenda, sintakties, morfologies en semanties voorgestel word.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: 1.1 AIM OF THE RESEARCH Relational nouns are those nouns which have the characteristic of being related in some other way. These nouns also show us that there is always equality and inequality in status amongst the people. It is in this research where I am going to show this difference amongst tshivenda nouns. At the end of this study tshivenda relational nouns, with the involvement of vertical relations of dependency and horizontal relations with no dependency, will be explained. Focus on this issue will be paid to different kinship terms with dependency and no dependency. 1.2. ORGANISATION OF THE STUDY Chapter 2 is going to focus on the tshivenda relational nouns. In this chapter vertical relations of dependency and horizontal relations with no dependency will be clearly explained. Kinship terms and non-kinship terms are also going to be illustrated. In the illustration of non-kinship terms, different situations in which they occur are also given. Venda antonyms and synonyms as words that occur in horizontal relations with no dependency are distinguished and classified. Chapter 3 will basically be doing with the kikinship terms. Anthropological views on kinship will also be looked at. Anthropologists Radcliffe – Brown and Fortes give their different views on the concept of kinship. This chapter goes further by showing the linquistic views on kinship. Here Doodenough comes with two relationships that lead to lineal descent. Lounsburry also shows the structural analysis of lexical set of covers and partitions a semantic field. The chapter proceeds by defining marriage and also shows how the Vhavenda boys choose their partners, pay lobola and marry. A Venda lineal descent has also been illustrated. Different generations, from the fourth ascending generation to the third descending generation are explained. Chapter 4 will be showing the outcome of the research. This will be based on chapters 2 and 3.