In this study, a semiotic point of view of selected literature written by ‘coloured’ writers is examined, using some of the semiotic theories of Jurij M. Lotman, one of the leading Soviet semioticians of the school of Tartu. Selected theories of Lotman are applied to ‘coloured’ literature. These include an examination of poetic language (based on Lotman’s theory of a primary and secondary modelling system), the iconicity of the text, the aesthetics of identity and opposition, the distinction between text and extra-text, and the relationship that exists between the extra-text, culture and code. The literary texts chosen for analysis are works by three contemporary ‘coloured’ writers, namely Adam Small, Peter Snyders and Robert Pearce, who have all contributed poetry, prose and drama to Afrikaans literature in general, and original Afrikaans literature in particular. The selected dramas are Joanie Galant-hulle (Small 1978), Political Joke (Snyders 1983) and Die Laaste Supper in Marabastad (Pearce 1988b)*. These writers’ works span approximately three consecutive decades and their work can be examined for commonality and differences. The three chosen dramas were written five years apart respectively; yet they reveal thematic similarities. The dramas also feature a common ‘deviant’ language code used by ‘coloured’ people and discussed in this study as original Afrikaans. This code, which is juxtaposed with standard Afrikaans, is one of the basic areas of interest that motivated the choice of subject for this study. The primary objective of this study is to examine the differentiation that Lotman makes between the various sign systems that operate in natural language (the primary modelling system) and poetic language (a secondary modelling system), and to determine whether these sign systems can be detected and are functional in ‘coloured’ literature. In addition, an investigation is made of the iconicity that operates in poetic language (which, according to Lotman, is the basis for differentiation), and to ascertain whether iconicity occurs in these examples of ‘coloured’ literature and to what extent it influences meaning. In the process, intratextual relations within the poetic text were scrutinised to establish whether the manipulation of language, devices and codes raises any particular expectation in the poetic text, and also to detect whether oppositionally constituted code-systems which set up their own patterns of expectation within the syntactic and lexical levels of the poetic text clash with and contradict prior expectations. In addition, an analysis has been made to determine whether a new understanding of the texts can be reached, based on Lotman’s aesthetics of identity and opposition, and to what extent the reader is forced to collaborate in the modelling process of the texts when the reader’s expectations are undermined by an aesthetics of opposition. The study has successfully corroborated and substantiated all the selected aspects of Lotman’s theory. The differentiation that Lotman makes between the primary and secondary language model is demonstrated especially by the iconicity that operates in poetic language. Examples are abundant in the selected literature and are conspicuous, especially through the manipulation of the language, devices and codes employed by the authors to defamiliarise objects so that they transcend their familiar characteristics and perceptions, and sometimes signify a totally new concept. In this way, readers’ expectations are subverted and they are invited to collaborate in the modelling process of the texts. These techniques are also an integral part of both the text and the extra-text, and their presence justifies Lotman’s claims that the meaning of a literary text cannot be understood outside its cultural or historical context. In retrospect, it can be argued that this research has opened up some additional avenues for an analysis of meaning in ‘coloured’ literature. / Dissertation (MA (English))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / English / unrestricted

anglicky : Title of the thesis : Humour during the French classes Keywords : Comic, irony, humour, laughter, Henri Bergson, Louis Cazamian, gelotology, gélothérapie, sense of humour, French as a foreign language, school class, word play, joke, riddle, tongue twister, didactical sheet. Abstract : The thesis aims to provide a comprehensive description of possible use of humour in teaching the French language. In the theoretical section, it defines humour as a form of comic, deals with the influence of humour and laughter on health and describes the advantages and difficulties of integrating humour into school teaching. In the practical part, it analyses the humour in French textbooks, proposes a typology of humour in teaching materials and presents finally didactical sheets to teach French at all language levels. These exercises and activities are dedicated to all speech and language skills. They are focused on different themes to captivate the target age category and meet the requirements to be fun for students. The thesis should become aid and inspiration for those teachers, who decide to incorporate humour and laughter in the teaching of French.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:15:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Regina Rodrigues da Costa.pdf: 1189254 bytes, checksum: 5dab6e97a9dba41270bcaccb8ef96ba4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-12-02 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This study discusses the value of Play for the child, his goal was to investigate the senses and meanings of joke street children between 9 and 11 years, appraised by professional team of education of rua da Municipal Department of Social Assistance of Guarujá as brincantes Street, residents in the neighborhood of waterfall, located in the municipality of Guaruja, Sao Paulo State. Given the objectives proposed in the research, based on the qualitative study, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and applied in their own space of the Street between September and November 2009. the playground is perceived as one of the pillars of the construction process of relations between the child and the world which allows a constructive this identity in the way of being, thinking and acting for the world's critical appropriation. research part of understanding of how children define the condition of "being a child", and their representations about playing. Critical analysis grasps the specific questions that lead to approximation of street children with feelings that emerge from this social experience. shapes of practical realization of the game on the conditions imposed by the public space, the confrontation between the play dreamed and lived in entering. Conversely parsing the value of the content and contributions from the game to the child's social, training points the implications and the impact of experience for their lives as a result of the search, it is concluded that certainly playing in the street offers a playful social experience, though, cannot be regarded as fully satisfactory experience with content able to contribute with an apprenticeship, strengthening the subjectivity of the child. by reason of conditions imposed by the street environment, given the risk with accidents, urban violence and disrespect human game Street which should be developed as spontaneous activity becomes an activity divested and alienating the play depending on the restrictions of spaces for play. thus offers reduced contributions for the construction of children's social imaginary, committing its rapprochement with the contents of an informational universe capable of inducing the critical understanding of everyday life, exercise between understanding and dealing with the real world / Este estudo aborda o Valor do Brincar para a criança, seu objetivo foi investigar os sentidos e os significados da brincadeira de rua para crianças entre 9 e 11 anos, conceituadas pelos profissionais da equipe de educação de rua da Secretaria Municipal de Assistência Social de Guarujá como brincantes de rua,residentes no Bairro da Cachoeira,localizado no município de Guarujá,Estado de São Paulo.Atendendo os objetivos propostos na pesquisa,com base no estudo qualitativo, os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas semi-estruturadas e aplicadas no próprio espaço da rua entre setembro e novembro de 2009.O brincar é entendido como um dos pilares do processo de construção das relações entre a criança e o mundo que possibilita uma identidade construtiva presente no modo de ser,pensar e agir para apropriação critica do mundo.A investigação parte da compreensão de como as crianças definem a condição de ser criança ,e suas representações sobre brincar.A análise crítica apreende as questões concretas que levam a aproximação das crianças com a rua,revelando os sentimentos que emergem dessa experiência social.As formas concretas de realização da brincadeira diante das condições impostas pelo espaço público,o confronto entre o brincar sonhado e o vivido na cotidianidade.Afinando a análise no valor do conteúdo e contribuições da brincadeira para a formação social da criança,aponta as implicações e o impacto da experiência para suas vidas Como resultado da pesquisa, conclui-se que certamente brincar na rua propicia uma experiência social lúdica,embora,não possa ser considerada como uma experiência totalmente satisfatória,dotada de um conteúdo capaz de contribuir com um aprendizado, fortalecendo a subjetividade da criança.Em razão das condições impostas pelo ambiente de rua,conferido no risco com os acidentes,a violência urbana e o desrespeito humano, a brincadeira de rua que deveria ser desenvolvida como atividade espontânea,passa a ser uma atividade alienada e alienante na simplificação dos jogos e brincadeiras em função das restrições dos espaços para brincar.Desta forma,oferece reduzidas contribuições para a construção do imaginário social da criança,comprometendo sua aproximação com o conteúdo de um universo informacional capaz de induzir a compreensão crítica da vida cotidiana,o exercício entre compreender e lidar com o mundo real