Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this assignment durational features in singular nasals and complex nasal combinations in Xhosa are studied. The focus is on durational differences between single nasals, nasals in combination with consonants and nasal combinations featuring a morpheme boundary. Nouns were selected with these INCI-combinations in various syllable positions in a word. Data from one mother-tongue speaker were analysed and statistically processed and internally compared. It was found that the duration of a singular /m/ and /n/ preceding a morpheme boundary was longer than the corresponding nasal in a final syllable without an intervening morpheme boundary. When an obstruent appears in conjunction with a labial and alveolar nasal, the total duration of these INCI-combinations are longer than those of the singular /m/ and /n/. The presence of a morpheme boundary after complex nasals seemingly has no influence on the duration of the nasal or on the rest of the segments in the syllable. The duration of the syllabic /m/ is longer than that of the singular labial /m/. As secondary findings sequential aspects of nasals are discussed. In this study theoretical arguments are offered where possible in support of the above mentioned results. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie werkstuk word duurverskynsels by enkelvoudige nasale en komplekse nasaalverbindings in Xhosa bestudeer. Daar word gefokus op die duurverskillle tussen enkelvoudige nasale, nasale in kombinasie met konsonante en nasaalverbindings waar 'n morfeemgrens voorkom. Naamwoorde is gesoek met die INK/-kombinasies in die laaste sillabeposisie, voorfinale en enige sillabeposisie vorentoe in die woord. Die data van een moedertaalspreker is ontleed en statisties verwerk. Die resultate hiervan is ook onderling met mekaar vergelyk. Daar is onder meer bevind dat die duur van 'n enkelvoudige /m/ en /n/ relatief langer is voor 'n morfeemgrens as die ooreenstemmende nasaal in 'n finale sillabe sonder 'n morfeemgrens. Wanneer 'n stopklank saam met 'n labiale en alveolere nasaal verskyn, is die totale duur van die INK/-kombinasies langer as die enkelvoudige /m/ en /n/ s'n. Die teenwoordigheid van 'n morfeemgrens na komplekse nasale het skynbaar geen invloed op die duur van die nasaal en of die res van die segmente in die sillabe nie. Die sillabiese /m/ se duur is langer as die enkelvoudige labiale /m/. In die sekondere bevindinge word sekere opeenvolgings van die nasaal bespreek. In hierdie studie word, waar moontlik, sekere teoretiese argumente aangebied vir onder meer bogenoemde resultate.

This thesis is an examination of the tonology of Xhosa. After an initial survey of the surface tones of the language, and a review of previous studies of Xhosa tone, a description is given of the major tonal patterns of Xhosa noun and verb morphology. In the course of this description the major tonologica1 rules are allowed to emerge. In particular it is shown that some of these rules lead to complex patterns of variation in the pronunciation of the same individual. The derivation of the tone patterns of adjectives and relatives is discussed and it is shown that these tone patterns offer partial support for the derivation of some adjective and relative constructions as derived from embedded sentences but also support for deriving simple attributive adjective constructions by means of phrase structure rules. Some interesting tonal patterns such as that shown by reduplicated stems are then explored. The tones of loan words are then investigated and evidence for the identification of English and Afrikaans stress with high tones by Xhosa speakers is adduced. In the final chapter certain general problems of Xhosa tone are discussed. In particular it is argued that attempts to interpret the tonal system in terms of an accent are unrevealing and also it is suggested that attempts to unify the various rules that spread tones to the right are mistaken. In the appendices a comprehensive survey of the tones of Xhosa inflections is given together with a substantial list of Xhosa words with the tones marked.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims to investigate the speech act of complimenting in Xhosa. The study constitutes of six chapters with respective to execute this aim. Chapter one provides special details regarding the aim of this study, the method that has been followed, and the organisational structure of the study. Chapter two focuses on both speech act and politeness theories. The central notion relates to (a) the acts of locution, (b) illocution and (c) perlocution. These elements of speech acts entail the notion that utterances that are produced by participants in a conversation comprises of (a) the actual sounds and words uttered, and those words and sounds (b) are intended towards the fulfilment of the force or intention behind them and (c) the effect of that force is intended to the hearer. Although there are other related elements, this notion is prominent in this chapter. Chapter three examines speech acts of complimenting in Xhosa along with their responses. This examination is informed by various ideas from respective researchers. For an effective and successful investigation of speech acts, a guideline which serves as a base follows a model of ethnography of communication. Almost all these researchers are putting emphasis on this view. This chapter takes this issue further by exploring the differences in compliments and responses with reference to gender, along with other qualities that have been mentioned. The elements of the responses the principles, their nature, structure and appearance in general conversations with specific reference to complimenting, are other key properties examined in this chapter. Chapter four focuses on the functions of the compliments. For example, almost all the researchers in the field are in agreement that compliments serve to revitalize, establish or create or encourage solidarity. Although there are other functions relating to this speech act, such as replacing other conversational formulas, e.g. greetings, softening criticism, the function of solidarity is perceived to be central. Another area which receives attention is the structural qualities of the compliment, along with syntactic and lexical features. This analysis explores the syntactic categories that relate to this work, together with the formulaic nature of this speech act. In addition, the status and gender of the participants in an interaction, as informed by situations or friends who like to be complimented, are all matters that receive scrutiny in this chapter. Chapter five constitute the central part of the study. The differences in compliments and responses receive attention with the aim of establishing possible difference between compliments given by males and females. Chapter six is the last chapter, it presents the findings and conclusion of the study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het as doelstelling die ondersoek van die spraakhandeling van komplimentering in Xhosa. Die tesis beslaan ses hoofstukke wat gestruktureer is om uitvoering te gee aan hierdie doelstelling. Hoofstuk een gee spesifieke besonderhede betreffende die doelstelling van die studie, die metode wat gevolg word, en die organisasie van die studie. Hoofstuk twee fokus op spraakhandelingsteorie en hoflikheidsteorie. Die sentrale konsep hou verband met (a) die handelinge van lokusie, (b) ilokusie en (c) perlokusie. Hierdie elemente van spraakhandelinge behels die begrip dat die uitinge wat deur deelnemers in 'n gesprek geproduseer word bestaan uit (a) die werklike klanke en woorde wat geuiter word, en wat (b) die intensie het om uitdrukking te gee aan die fors daaragter, en (c) die effek is gerig op die hoorder. Hierdie oorweging is sentraal in die hoofstuk. Hoofstuk drie ondersoek die spraakhandeling van komplimentering in Xhosa tesame met die response daarop. Hierdie ondersoek word ingelig deur sieninge van verskillende navorsers. Vir die effektiewe ondersoek van spraakhandelinge, is 'n rigtinggewende basis vanuit die etnografie van kommunikasie nodig. Hierdie hoofstuk ondersoek die verskille in komplimente en die response daarop met betrekking tot gender en ander eienskappe. Die aspekte van die response, hulle beginsels, aard, en struktuur, en die gebruik daarvan in gesprekke wat komplimente bevat, word ondersoek. Hoofstuk vier fokus op die funksies van komplimente. Feitlik al die navorsers in die veld van komplimentering stem saam dat komplimente die doel het om solidariteit te skep of te versterk. Alhoewel daar ander funksies is van komplimentering, bv. die verplasing van gespreksformules, soos groet, kritiek, is die bevestiging van solidariteit sentraal. 'n Ander area wat aandag kry in die hoofstuk, is die strukturele kenmerke van komplimente, insluitende sintaktiese en leksikale kenmerke. Die analises behels 'n ondersoek na die sintaktiese kategorieë wat komplimente realiseer, tesame met die formule-agtige aard van komplimente as spraakhandelinge. Voorts word die status en gender van die gespreksgenote ondersoek. Hoofstuk vyf vorm die sentrale deel van die studie betreffende die bepaling van moontlike gender verskille in komplimente. Hoofstuk ses bied die samevatting en gevolgtrekkings van die studie. / ISISHWANKATHELO: Esi sifundo sikwiphulo lokuphanda ngezenzo zentetho zezincomo. Kuqulunqwe izahluko ezintandathu ezineenjongo ezahlukiyo ukufezekisa eli phulo. Isahluko sokuqala sinika umkhombandlela malunga nenjongo yesifundo, imethodi elandelweyo kananjalo nolwakhiwo zinikwa ingqwalasela. Isahluko sesibini sinika ingqwalasela kwithiyori yezenzo zentetho kananjalo neyentlonelo. Uluvo olungundoqo nolunika umdla kule ngxelo luqulathe izenzo ze (a) ilokhushini, (b) 1- ilokhushini ne (c) nephelokhushini. Ezi zenzo zixhibe ingcamango yokuba intetho eveliswa ngabo bathatha inxaxheba kunxibelelwano iqulathe (a) izandi zolwakhiwo Iwesigama, ukuze eso sigama (b) sijoliswe kwinjongo ethile ekuyimfuneko ukuba iphunyezwe ekugqibeleni (c) ifuthe laloo mpumelelo lingqale lowo kunxityelelwano naye okanye umphulaphuli. Nasekubeni ekhona namanye amasolotya axhagileyo, kodwa le ngcamango iphawuliweyo iphume izandla kwesi sahluko. Isahluko sesithathu siphonononga izenzo zeentetho zezincomo kananjalo neempendulo zazo. Olu phononongo lungqongwe zizimvo zeengcali eziphuma kwiinkalo ngeenkalo. Umkhombandlela osisikhokhelo kwiphulo lophando Iwezenzo zeentetho naziphi na, ukuze lube yimpumelelo kwaye lusulungeke kufuneka luiandeie imodeli okanye umgaqo weethinografi yonxibelelwano phantse bonke aba baphandi babeke umnwe kule ngcamango. Ngokunxusa oku, esi sahluko, xa sihlabela mgama, siphawula ngeyantlukwano yezincomo neempendulo zazo ngesini, nangezinye iimpawu ezikhankanyiweyo. Uqulunkqo Iwemigaqo yokuphendula, ubunjani, ubume nembonakalo yayo entethweni gabalala ngokunxulumene nezincomo ngamanye amasolotya abalulekileyo nanika umdla kwesi sahluko. Isahluko sesine sinika ingqwalaselo kwimisebenzi yesincomo. Umzekelo, phantse zonke ezi ngcali zikweli phulo ziyayingqina nento yokuba izincomo zivuselela , ziyila okanye zikhuthaza umanyano. Nangona ibonakala ikhona eminye imisebenzi ekhankanywayo engqonge esi senzo sentetho njengokuthabatha indawo yezinye zeefomuia zonxulumano, umz. imibulisi, ukuthomakalisa ugxeko-ncomo, olu luvo lomanyano lubonwa njengoluhamba phambili. Enye indima ephononongwayo ziimpawu zolwakhiwo Iwezincomo, kananjalo neempawu zesintaksi neleksikali. Olu hlalutyo lulo oludulisa izigaba zentetho ezibandakanyekayo kananjalo nobufomula besi senzo sentetho. Ukwaleka, iwonga nesini sabo bathabatha inxaxheba kolu nxibelelwano ngokulawulwa ziimeko okanye izihlobo ezikholisa ukunconywa, konke oku yimibandela efumana ukuphicothwa kwesi sahluko. Isahluko sesihlanu siqulathe umongo wesi sifundo. Uhlalutyo Iwezincomo neempendulo zazo lunikwa ingqwalasela ngamehlo abukhali; ngeenjongo zokufumanisa umahluko ongaba ukhona phakathi kwezincomo zamaduna namabhinqa. Isahluko sesithandathu nesokugqibela sinika iziphumo zophando nesiphelo sesi sifundo.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the theoretical work in articulating the motivations and conditions for account-giving in isiXhosa in relation to image restoration. This emotional and behavioural rehabilitation is done through accounts. In this context, accounts are similar to narratives and can be retained at the level of private reflections or written as diary entries or for others to read and refer to from time to time. The account-making process according to Warren (1989), is like a "life in motion" in which individual characters are portrayed as moving through their experiences, dealing with some conflict or problem in their lives and at the same time searching for a resolution. It is then this quest to understand the major stresses in each individual's mind that is at the core of this study. The why questions that are the result of the daily experiences of destitution, depression, death, disability, etc., are also addressed here. The importance of the intelligibility of accounts is established with reference to Schank and Abelson (1977) who contend that people construct accounts based on their knowledge structure approach, causal reasoning and text comprehension. Thus, for an account to be hounered, it has to be goal-oriented and coherent. In this study, the social-interactive aspects of account-giving are investigated and it is discovered that severe reproach forms involving personality attacks and derogatory aspects, elicit defensive reactions that result in negative interpersonal and emotional consequences. The mitigation-aggravation continuum is then examined with regard to the selection of the failure management strategies. Narrative accounts based on Mcintyre (1981) form the basis of moral and social events and as such, stories have two elements through which they are explored. They are explored firstly in the way in which they are told and secondly, on the way they are lived in the social context. These stories follow a historically or culturally based format and to this effect, Gergen (1994) suggested a narrative criteria that constitute a historically contingent narrative form. Narrative forms are linguistic tools that have important social functions to satisfactorily fulfil such as stability narrative, progressive narrative and regressive narrative. According to Gergen (1994), self-narratives are social processes in which individuals are realized on the personal perspective or experience, and as such their emotions are viewed as constitutive features of relationship. The self-narratives used and analysed in this study portray the contemporary culture-based elements or segments of a well-formed narrative. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die teoretiese werke en die artikulasie van die motiverings en kondisies vir verslag-making en verslagdoening in isiXhosa m.b.t. beeld-herstel ('image restoration'). Hierdie emosionele en gedragsrehabilitasie word gedoen deur verslagdoening. In hierdie konteks is verslae soortgelyk aan narratiewe en kan beskou word op die vlak van privaatrefleksies of geskryf word as dagboekinskrywings. Die verslagdoeningsproses, is, volgens Warren (1989) soos 'Iewe-in-beweging', waarin individuele karakters voorgestel word as dat hulle beweeg deur hulle ondervindings waarin hulle een of ander konflik of probleem aanspreek, en soek na 'n oplossing. Dit is hierdie soeke om die hoofspanninge in elke individu se denke te verstaan wat die kern van hierdie studie is. Die waarom-vrae wat die gevolg is van die daaglikse ondervindinge, eensaamheid, depressie en gestremdheid, word ook aangespreek in die studie oor narratiewe in isiXhosa. Die belangrikheid van die verstaanbaarheid van verslae word ook ondersoek met verwysing na Schank en Abelson (1977) se siening dat mense verslae konstrueer gebaseer op hulle kennis, struktuurbenadering, kousale beredenering en teksbegrip. Dus, vir 'n verslag om gerespekteer te word, moet dit doel-georiënteerd en koherent wees. In hierdie studie, word die sosiaal-interaktiewe aspekte van verslagdoening ondersoek, en dit word bevind dat erge verdedigingsvorme persoonlike aanvalle en verkleinerende aspekte insluit wat verdedigende reaksies uitlok wat negatiewe interpersoonlike en emosionele gevolge het. Die vermindering-vergroting kontinuum word ondersoek m.b.t. die selektering van mislukking bestuurstrategieë. Narratiewe verslae gebaseer op Mcintyre (1981) vorm die basis van morele en sosiale gebeure, en as sodanig, het stories twee elemente waardeur hulle ondersoek word, eerstens op die wyse waarop, en tweedens, op die wyse wat hulle beleef word in sosiale konteks. Stories volg In histories- en kultureelgebaseerde formaat. Gergen (1994) het narratiewe kriteria voorgestel. Narratiewe vorme is linguistiese gereedskap wat belangrike sosiale funksies het, insluitende stabiliteit narratief, progressiewe narratief en regressiewe naratief.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Relational nouns are dependent on one another in terms of how they themselves denote e.g. brother and neigbour denote individually standing in relation to at least one other individual in specific nouns. This study has established how relational nouns are treated in Xhosa. The study has focused on horizontal relations with a semantic feature of [± sibling] and hierarchical relations with two distingualising semantic features: [± dependent] and [± kinship]. According to these two types of relations the study has then been divided into two main sections, i.e. non-kinship relational nouns with vertical and horizontal relation with and without any dependency. The second part concentrated on kinship terms with emphasis on names such as marriage, lineal and collateral descent and in-laws. Various semantic features for kinship terms have been developed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Relasionele naamwoorde is afhanklik van mekaar in terme van hoedanig hulle self betekenis aandui, bv. Broer en buurman dui individue aan wat in verhouding staan met ten minste een ander individu op spesifieke maniere. Hierdie studie het vasgestel hoe relasionale naamwoorde in Xhosa behandel word. Die studie het gefokus op horisontale verhoudings met 'n semantiese kenmerk van [± verwantskap] en hiërargiese verhoudings met twee onderskeie semantiese kenmerke: [±afhanklik] en [± verwantskap]. Volgens hierdie twee tipes verhoudings is die studie verdeel in twee hoofafdelings, dit is relasionele naamwoorde met geen verwantskap met vertikale en horisontale verhoudings met en sonder enige afhanklikheid. Die tweede deel konsentreer op verwantskapsterme met nadruk op sake soos die huwelik, bloedverwante in die regstreekse linie en in die syline sowel as die aangetroude familie. Verskeie semantiese kenmerke vir verwantskapsterme is ontwikkel.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Key words: acoustic speech analysis, speech synthesis, speech perception, copulative queclarative, linguistics, psycho linguistics, human language technology This study investigates the notion of interrogativity in Xhosa as expressed in the form of Queclaratives. Queclaratives, or statements which are question-like in function, have been studied in many languages of the world. Unfortunately with regard to the Bantu languages, studies relating to interrogativity in general have largely been impressionistic in nature. This research comprised two aspects of analysis. These included an acoustic and a perceptual analysis of data. The reason for this approach is that, without this combination the results could have been considered to be suspect and lacking in authenticity. The acoustic analysis was conducted on 858 words in statement and queclarative pairs. Significant parameters were extracted and these were then statistically analyzed. The results revealed that duration on the penultimate vowel, pitch on the penultimate vowel and the overall raised pitch of queclaratives as opposed to statements were indeed the acoustically significant parameters differentiating statements from queclaratives. However as is well known, there is no one-to-one relationship between the acoustic signal and its perception and, therefore, it is imperative that such findings also be perceptually tested. The perceptual testing of these parameters was conducted in an attempt to elicit whether they were perceptually significant and also at what point in the utterance listeners could differentiate between queclaratives and statements. The next progression was the compilation of carefully designed perception tests on the acoustically significant parameters. Two experiments were compiled using stimuli that were manipulations of the original signal of one of the selected informant's utterances. These tests were administered on multimedia computers in the Language Laboratory at the University of Stellenbosch using 64 subjects for the first experiment and 63 for the second. The results of the perception tests showed that duration and pitch on the penultimate syllable are perceptually highly significant in differentiating statements from queclaratives. However the results also indicated very early recognition of the different forms with minimal speech segments from which the penultimate vowels were absent altogether. This then suggests that the perceptual judgements made earlier in the utterance may be either reinforced or overridden by the duration and pitch on the penultimate vowel. These results have assisted in the validation of some impressionistic claims made within the Bantu and other languages, while refuting others. However, as this corpus of data has included research on copulative queclaratives, it appeals for further research on this subject using any other linguistic markers. The results have also been evaluated in terms of their possible contribution to the related disciplines of psycholinguistics, linguistics and human language technologies. In so doing, the thesis makes an urgent appeal to researchers to pursue this experimental approach to language research. Another appeal is made for an awareness campaign as to the importance of this approach in harnessing the power of language for the development of language and society as a whole. The fertility of the South African society lies in its richness of multilingualism and the necessity for the improvement of the dissemination of information to all people of all languages and the improvement of communication between people in general, including those less fortunate in terms of literacy skills. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sleutelwoorde: akoestiese spraakanalise, spraaksintese, spraakpersepsie, kopulatiewe stelvraag, linguistiek, psigolinguistiek, taal-en-spraaktegnologie In hierdie projek word die aard van vraagstelling in Xhosa ondersoek met betrekking tot die stelvraag-vorm. Stelvrae, of stellings wat ook as vrae kan funksioneer, is reeds bestudeer vir heelwat wêreldtale. Oor die algemeen was studies oor vraagstelling in die Afrikatale egter grootliks impressionisties van aard. Hierdie navorsingsprojek het uit twee analisekomponente bestaan, naamlik 'n akoestiese analise van die data en 'n reeks persepsueie eksperimente. Sonder die kombinasie van die twee tipes analise sou die resultate van die navorsing minder kredietwaardig gewees het. Die akoestiese analise is gedoen op 858 woordpare bestaande uit stellings en stelvrae. Die data is statisties ontleed en die relevante parameters is onttrek. Die resultate het daarop gedui dat die duur en toonhoogte van die voorlaaste vokaal sowel as die register van die hele woord belangrike parameters is in die onderskeid tussen stellings en stelvrae. Aangesien dit wel bekend is dat daar nie 'n een-tot-een verwantskap tussen die akoestiese klanksein en die persepsie daarvan is nie, is dit noodsaaklik om ook 'n persepsueie eksperiment uit te voer. Die persepsueie toetse is so opgestel dat bepaal kon word watter akoestiese parameters ook persepsueel relevant is en om die vroegste sillabie te vind waar luisteraars reeds die onderskeid tussen die twee vorme kan maak. Die volgende stap was om stimuli vir die persepsietoetse op te stel wat inderdaad bogenoemde resultate sou lewer. Stimuli is geskep deur die spraakdata van een spreker te manipuleer. Die persepsietoetse is toe uitgevoer op multimedia-rekenaars in die Taallaboratorium van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Die resultate van die persepsietoetse het gewys dat die duur en toonhoogte van die voorlaaste sillabe ook persepsueel belangrik is in die ondersekeid tussen die verskillende vorme. Dit was ook duidelik dat proefpersone die vorme van mekaar kon onderskei met minimale hoeveelhede inligting waar die voorlaaste en laaste sillabes heeltemal afwesig was. Dit dui daarop dat luisteraars persepsuele besluite baie vroeg in die woord neem, maar dat hierdie besluite óf versterk óf omgekeer kan word deur die duur en toonhoogte van die voorlaaste sillabe. Die resultate van die navorsing het sekere impressionistiese stellings ten opsigte van Afrikatale ondersteun terwyl ander stellings as foutief bewys is. Een van die belangrike bevindings was dat die impressionistiese standpunt dat stellings 'n dalende intonasiekontoer en vrae 'n stygende intonasiekontoer tydens die afloop van die uiting het, 'n oorvereenvondiging is. Hierdie werk is gedoen op enkelwoord-kopulatief stelvrae en leen dit daartoe om uitgebrei te word na frases en sinne vir toekomstige navorsmg. Verder is die navorsingsresultate in verband gebring met verwante dissiplines soos psigolinguistiek, linguistiek en taal- en spraaktegnologie. 'n Pleidooi is gelewer vir 'n bewusmakingsveldtog om die belangrikheid van hierdie tipe navorsing te beklemtoon om die potensiaal van taal te benut vir die ontwikkeling van Suider-Afrikaanse tale en gemeenskappe. Die rykheid van ons gemeenskap lê in die veeltaligheid daarvan en bied besondere uitdagings om die verspreiding van inligting na alle mense van alle tale te verbeter en om die kommunikasie tussen mense in die algemeen, maar ook spesifiek vir diegene met laer vlakke van geletterdheid.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This Study investigates how favor asking may be expressed in Xhosa. Both favor asking and requesting are situated in a context, where the meaning of each is necessarily driven by the way the interlocutors interpret each other's speech. Again favor asking and requesting share the same underlying intent in that a speaker tries to get a hearer to do something. People in the working environment, more especially in the educational sector, have lots of projects to do and they are obliged to ask for favors for such projects. In the process of asking for favors, they are faced with a wide choice of strategies to choose from. In this study, the data shows consistent use of request strategies within specific contexts. The results of this study are consistently interpretable in that the more polite is the request for compliance; the greater is the degree of compliance. In Xhosa, unhedged performative and obligation are request strategies with the highest frequency of occurrence. There are also certain strategies in Xhosa that have a low frequency, i.e., imperative, ability, hedged performative, willingness, wishes, permissions and desire. Therefore they are not considered possible compliance strategies in Xhosa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek hoe die verskynsel van guns-vra in Xhosa uitgedruk word. Sowel guns-vra en versoeke word geritueer in 'n konteks, waar die betekenis van elk noodwendig gedryf word waarop die gesprekvoerders mekaar se spraak interpreteer. Guns-vra en verskoning deel dieselfde onderliggende bedoeling daarin dat die spreker poog om die hoorder iets te laat doen. Persone in die werksektor, meer spesifiek die opvoedkundige sektor, het talle take en projekte om uit te voer en hulle het noodwendig talle gunste om te vra vir die doeleindes van hierdie take. In die proses van gunste-vra, het sprekers 'n wye keuse van strategieë om aan te wend. Die data in die studie toon 'n konsekwente gebruik van versoekstrategieë in spesifieke kontekste. Die resultate van hierdie studie is konsekwent interpreteerbaar daarin dat hoe meer beleefd die versoek vir voldoening is, hoe groter is die graad van voldoening. Hierdie studie toon aan dat in Xhosa, ongekwalifiseerde performatief en verpligting die strategieë is wat die hoogste frekwensie van verskyning het. Die studie toon voorts aan dat daar ook bepaalde strategieë in Xhosa is wat 'n lae frekwensie het, naamlik die emperatief, vermoë, gekwalifiseerde performatief, bereidheid, wense, toestemming, en begeerte. Dus word hierdie strategieë nie beskou as moontlike voldoeningstrategieë nie.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa declared all 11 South African languages official to bring back dignity to all citizens of this country and to ensure that communication reaches all people in the language of their choice. In an effort to meet this constitutional mandate, government institutions are obliged to translate documents into all official national or provincial languages. Before 1998, only two languages were used in official documentation -and those were English and Afrikaans. That meant that a lot of money was invested in and committed into developing these two languages, especially Afrikaans, so that they could be used readily in all official and general communication. African languages were not developed as much then and this became a problem when they were declared official as they were not ready to meet the challenges of official and technical use. Government has not been able to identify this as a problem and has therefore lightly and ignorantly regarded tasks such as translation as easy tasks that can be handled by any speaker of the language concerned. This has resulted in very poor translations. This study begins with an introduction that entails the hyphothesis. According to the hyphothesis, most government documents translated into isiXhosa do not communicate with their target audiences because of their poor quality. This makes it difficult for target readers to follow the message. The poor quality results from the use of either untrained translators or people who claim that they can translate -as well as the use of any language speaker to translate by the virtue of being able to speak the language concerned. In other instances, the issue is not the quality but rather transliteration because of the use of language professionals such as lecturers who are conversant with the language and grammar, but who have no expertise, training or experience in translation. Chapter 2 explores the three main approaches of translation, namely the linguistic approach, the text-linguistic approach and the functional approach. In this chapter, the results of extensive research and development over the years in the translation field are presented. In Chapter 3, two government documents are analysed by the researcher and by a group of participants who were given relevant questionnaires and others interviewed. In Chapter 4, the reasons for poor quality are identified and, in Chapters 5 and 6, solutions to problems and reasons for poor translation are suggested. It is hoped that the research will stimulate a new subject for discussion and a field of study concerning translation into African languages so that government can seriously regard translation as a specialist field. / (ISIXHOSA) AMAGQABANTSHINTSHI: UMzantsi Afrika umisele zonke iilwimi ezilishumi elinanye zeli lizwe njengezisemthethweni ukubuyisela isidima sabemi bell lizwe. Oku kwenzelwa nokuqinisekisa ukuba wonke ubani ufumana ulwazi ngolwimi afuna ukulufumana ngalo. Kwimizamo yokuphumeza le njongo yoMgago-siseko, amaziko karhulumente kuye kwanyanzeleka ukuba aguqulele onke amaxwebhu kuzo zonke iilwimi ezisemthethweni zelizwe okanye zephondo. Phambi ko-1998, zimbini kuphela iilwimi ebezisemthethweni, ibisisiNgesi nesiBhulu. Oku kwenza ukuba ezi lwimi zimbini ziphuhliswe, ingakumbi isiBhulu, ukulungiselela ukuba zikwazi ukusetyenziswa kumaxwebhu asemthethweni nakunxibelelwano ngokubanzi. lilwimi zesintu azizange ziphuhliswe kangako, nto leyo ekhokelele ekubeni zijongane nemiceli-mngeni emva kokuba zamiselwa ngokusemthethweni. Urhulumente akakuboni ukuba oku kuseyingxaki kangangokuba imisebenzi efana noguqulo-lwimi uyithatha njengemisebenzi elula nenokwenziwa nguye nabani na okwazi ukuthetha ulwimi olo. Oku kubangela ukuba sibe namaxwebhu aguqulwe kakubi nangafundekiyo. Le thisisi iqala ngokubeka ingxaki yokuba, amaxwebhu amaninzi karhulumente aguqulelwe esiXhoseni akafundeki ngenxa yokuba uguqulo olo lukumgangatho ophantsi. Oku kwenza ukuba abo bantetho isisiXhosa abafanele ukufunda la maxwebhu, bangayilandeli into ebhalwe kuwo. Olu luguqulo lungafundekiyo lwenziwa kukusetyenziswa kwabaguquli-lwimi abangawuqeqeshelwanga lo msebenzi kwakunye nabo bathi bayakwazi ukuguqula ukuya kuma ekusetyenzisweni kwaye nawuphi na umntu othetha olu lwimi. Ngamanye amaxesha, ingxaki kukuba abo baguqulayo bavele balandele ulwimi olo basukuba beguqula kulo nokusetyenziswa kweengcali zolwimi ezifana nabahlohli zibe zingenabungcali naluqeqesho lokutolika okanye loguqulo-lwimi. lsahluko sesibini sichaza ngokubanzi ngezifundo zoguqulo nophando osele lwenziwe kwezi zifundo. Sichaphazela iindlela-ndlela zoguqulo eziphambili. Eyokuqala yileyo yokuguqula uqinisekisa ukuba onke amagama akuxwebhu aguquliwe kunye nazo zonke izigaba zentetho ezilapha. Eyesibini yileyo iqinisekisa ukuba ingxam yoxwebhu iguquliwe ze eyesithathu ibe yekuguqulwa kulandelwa injongo efanele ukuphunyezwa luxwebhu olo nokuqinisekisa ukuba uyazanezisa iimfuno nolwazi lwabantu abaza kulusebenzisa. KwiSahluko sesi-3, umbhali nomphandi wolu xwebhu uye waphonononga waza wehla amahlongwane amaxwebhu amabini karhulumente, wawanika nabanye abantu ukuba bakhe bawajonge yaye banike izimvo zabo ngawo. KwiSahluko sesi-4, Izizathu ezenza ukuba la maxwebhu angafundeki kamnandi zichaziwe ze kwiSahluko sesi-5 nesesi-6 kwanikwa iingcebiso nezisombululo eziya kunceda ukuba kuguqulwe ngendlela engcono. Umphandi lo unomnqweno nethemba lokuba olu phando luya kubangela ukuba lo mba ukhe uqwalaselisiswe. Ukwathemba kananjalo ukuba ngenxa yolu phando kuya kuthi kuntshule ezinye izifundo ezijonga le ngxaki, ukuze urhulumente ayithathele ingqalelo into yokuba uguqulo-lwimi lufanele ukwenziwa ngabo bantu bawuqeqeshelweyo okanye bawufundeleyo lo msebenzi. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika het al elf Suid-Afrikaanse tale amptelik verklaar om waardigheid terug te bring na al die landsburgers en om te verseker dat kommunikasie almal in die taal van sy of haar keuse bereik. Ten einde uitvoering te gee aan hierdie grondwetlike mandaat, is staatsinstellings verplig om dokumente in al die nasionale of provinsiale tale te vertaal. Voor 1998 was daar net twee amptelike tale, naamlik Afrikaans en Engels. Dit het behels dat baie geld bestee en verbind is om hierdie twee tale en veral Afrikaans te ontwikkel sodat hulle maklik in alle amptelike en algemene kommunikasie gebruik kon word. Pogings is nie dienooreenkomstig aangewend om die Afrikatale te ontwikkel nie. Dit het onmiddellik aanleiding tot probleme gegee toe die Afrikatale as amptelik verklaar is aangesien hulle nie gereed was om die uitdagings van amptelike en tegniese gebruik die hoof te bied nie. Die regering het dit nie as 'n probleem beskou nie en het dus ligtelik en onkundig sulke take soos vertaling as maklike take beskou wat deur enige spreker van die taal gedoen kon word. Dit het gelei tot baie swak vertalings. Die studie begin met 'n inleiding wat die hipotese stel, naamlik dat die meeste staatsdokumente wat in isiXhosa vertaal word, nie met hul teikengroepe kommunikeer nie omdat die swak gehalte daarvan dit moeilik maak vir die teikengroep om die boodskap te verstaan. Die swak gehalte spruit uit die gebruik van of onopgeleide vertalers, Of enigeen wat daarop aanspraak maak dat hy of sy kan vertaal, of uit die situasie waar enige spreker van 'n taal versoek word om te vertaal omdat hy of sy die taal kan praat. In ander gevalle is die probleem nie die gehalte nie, maar eerder transliterasie en die gebruik van akademici wat vertroud is met die taal en die grammatika, maar geen vertaalkundigheid, -opleiding of —ervaring het nie. Hoofstuk 2 ondersoek die drie vernaamste benaderings tot vertaling, naamlik die linguistiese benadering, die tekslinguistiese benadering en die funksionalistiese benadering. Die resultate van omvattende navorsing en ontwikkeling ten opsigte van hierdie benaderings wat oor die jare in die veld van vertaling gemaak is, word hier aangebied. In hoofstuk 3 word twee staatsdokumente deur die navorser ontleed en ook deur 'n groep deelnemers wat tersaaklike vraelyste moes invul en met wie onderhoude gevoer is. Die oorsake van swak gehalte word bepaal en oplossings word in hoofstuk 4 aanbeveel. In hoofstukke 5 en 6 word oplossings tot en redes vir vertaalprobleme aangevoer. Hierdie navorsing sal hopelik 'n nuwe onderwerp vir bespreking en 'n studieveld ten opsigte van vertaling in Afrikatale bevorder sodat die regering ems kan maak daarmee om vertaling as 'n spesialisveld te beskou.

Thesis (MA (African Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / This study has the main goal of investigating the speech act of persuasion in isiXhosa. The main aim of the investigation is to examine the characteristics of persuasion in remedial interchanges based on the isiXhosa pragmatics. The study is concerned with the strategies people use when persuading targets, how message sources seek compliance, how targets resist and / or comply and how influence interactions are structured and what constraints on conversation need to be taken into account.

Study to present a lexical-semantics analysis of two verbs in Xhosa. / Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / Study to present a lexical-semantics analysis of two verbs in Xhosa. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to present a lexical-semantics analyis of the verbs -phambuka and -jika in Xhosa. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the study as a whole, including reference to the aims of the research, the Theoretical Framework assumed and the organisation of the study. In Chapter 2, the Generative theory of the lexicon is reviewed. The multiple levels of representation of the different kinds of lexical information are discussed, including Argument structure, Event structure, Qualia structure and also the Lexical Inheritance structure. Chapter 3 presents a discussion of the polysemy of the verbs with reference to -phambuka. The polysemous behaviour of the verb -phambuka is examined with reference to sentence alternation constructions illustrating how the properties of the event structure of the verb changes in the alternations. Chapter 4 examines the polysemy of the verb -jika. The polysemous behaviour of the verb -jika is examined with reference to sentence alternation constructions that demonstrate the properties of the event structure of this verb in the respective alternations with AgentlTheme subject in contrast to Location-subject constructions. Chapter 5 presents a summary of the main findings and the conclusion of the study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelstelling van hierdie studie is om 'n leksikaal-semantiese analise te doen van die bewegingswerkwoorde -phambuka ('afdraai') en -jika ('draai') in Xhosa. Hoofstuk 1 bied 'n oorsig van die studie as geheel, insluitende die stel van die doelstellings van die studie, die teoretiese raamwerk wat aanvaar word, en die organisasie van die studie. In Hoofstuk 2, word die Generatiewe Leksikon Teorie behandel. Die veelvuldige vlakke van representasie vir die tipes semantiese inligting benodig, word ondersoek. Hierdie vlakke is naamlik die Argumentstruktuur, Gebeurtenisstruktuur ('Event structure'), Qualia struktuur, en Leksikale erfenisstruktuur. Hoofstuk 3 bied 'n bespreking van die polisemie van werkwoorde met verwysing na -phambuka in Xhosa. Die polisemiese gedrag van -phambuka word ondersoek met verwysing na alternasiekonstruksies, wat illustreer het hoe veranderings in die alternasies verband hou met gebeurtenis-struktuur eienskappe van die werkwoord. Hoofstuk 4 ondersoek die polisemie van die werkwoord -jika in Xhosa. Die polisemiese gedrag van die werkwoord -jika word ondersoek met verwysing na sinsalternasie konstruksies wat die eienskappe van gebeurtenis struktuur van die werkwoord illustreer in die respektiewelike alternasies met AgentrTema subjek, in teenstelling met Lokasie-subjek konstruksies. Hoofstuk 5 bied die hoofbevindinge en 'n opsomming van die studie.