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.