University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Chinese

This thesis addresses the problem of the lack of a systematic approach to the modernisation of the indigenous languages of South Africa, with particular reference to Venda. Thus, a systematic approach is proposed in this study for the development of modem terminology in Venda. This approach is based on the canonical model for language planning. In this model, terminology development should follow the following four steps: (1) analysis of the terminological needs of the situation, (2) preparation of a plan and strategies for research, (3) implementation of terminology in practice by means of suitable policies, and lastly, (4) evaluation and constant updating of terminology. Within the canonical model for language planning, different models or frameworks are proposed. First is the theoretical model, which follows the pragmatic approach rather than a purist approach and takes into consideration other extralinguistic factors such as the nature of the special subject field, the needs of the target users and the socio-cultural context. The pragmatic approach is divided into two phases, namely the borrowing phase and the indigenisation phase. In the borrowing phase the borrowed terms are incorporated into the language with immediate effect and these terms may be replaced by indigenous terms in the indigenisation phase where less specialised communication is used. In the indigenisation phase, different language internal term formation strategies were identified, namely semantic shift, derivation, compounding, paraphrasing, initialisms, acronyms, clipping and new word manufacture. It was established that the use of these term formation strategies in Venda requires linguistic expertise, technical expertise and cultural expertise. Accordingly, a sociolinguistic approach is recommended rather than a purely linguistic approach. Lastly, a model of practical terminology work and a model for cooperation and coordination are proposed for terminology work in this language. With regard to the former, various steps that should be followed in terminology work are outlined. In the latter model various language agencies, such as government departments, parastatals and non-governmental organisations that may be involved in the modernisation of this language are identified. A framework in which these agencies could cooperate and coordinate their terminology work is proposed. / Linguistics / D.Litt. et Phil. (Linguistics)

This thesis addresses the problem of the lack of a systematic approach to the modernisation of the indigenous languages of South Africa, with particular reference to Venda. Thus, a systematic approach is proposed in this study for the development of modem terminology in Venda. This approach is based on the canonical model for language planning. In this model, terminology development should follow the following four steps: (1) analysis of the terminological needs of the situation, (2) preparation of a plan and strategies for research, (3) implementation of terminology in practice by means of suitable policies, and lastly, (4) evaluation and constant updating of terminology. Within the canonical model for language planning, different models or frameworks are proposed. First is the theoretical model, which follows the pragmatic approach rather than a purist approach and takes into consideration other extralinguistic factors such as the nature of the special subject field, the needs of the target users and the socio-cultural context. The pragmatic approach is divided into two phases, namely the borrowing phase and the indigenisation phase. In the borrowing phase the borrowed terms are incorporated into the language with immediate effect and these terms may be replaced by indigenous terms in the indigenisation phase where less specialised communication is used. In the indigenisation phase, different language internal term formation strategies were identified, namely semantic shift, derivation, compounding, paraphrasing, initialisms, acronyms, clipping and new word manufacture. It was established that the use of these term formation strategies in Venda requires linguistic expertise, technical expertise and cultural expertise. Accordingly, a sociolinguistic approach is recommended rather than a purely linguistic approach. Lastly, a model of practical terminology work and a model for cooperation and coordination are proposed for terminology work in this language. With regard to the former, various steps that should be followed in terminology work are outlined. In the latter model various language agencies, such as government departments, parastatals and non-governmental organisations that may be involved in the modernisation of this language are identified. A framework in which these agencies could cooperate and coordinate their terminology work is proposed. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / D.Litt. et Phil. (Linguistics)

Le présent ouvrage envisage la présentation des conclusions comparatives résultant de l’inventaire systématique et de l’analyse linguistique du vocabulaire relatif à la poterie en bantou. À partir des données comparatives provenant de l’ensemble des langues bantoues actuellement documentées, l’organisation interne et l’évolution historique de ce domaine particulier de vocabulaire technique sont examinées. Portant sur la lexicologie diachronique, l’étude associe une approche onomasiologique et une approche sémasiologique. Non seulement plusieurs reconstructions formelles sont proposées à différents niveaux chronologiques et géographiques, mais ceux-ci font également l’objet d’une analyse sémantique approfondie. Les quatre chapitres de la thèse traitent du lexique portant sur cinq catégories conceptuelles majeures du champ sémantique en question :le travail de la poterie lui-même, l’artisan, les matières premières, les différents types de produits finis et enfin les procédés et outils typiques de la chaîne opératoire céramique. Les résultats obtenus sont confrontés aux modèles historiques et culturels apportés par les approches spécifiques aux études archéologiques et ethnoarchéologiques d’une part, et d’autre part, aux connaissances qui découlent de l’étude comparative du vocabulaire bantou relatif à d’autres techniques. Dans un cadre plus général, l’étude aboutit à quelques réflexions sur les rapports qu’entretiennent les langues et les cultures de même qu’à quelques propositions en vue de l’approfondissement de la méthode ‘Wörter und Sachen’. Ainsi, elle met en lumière certains traits méthodologiques spécifiques à l’exploitation des vocabulaires techniques dans la reconstruction de l’histoire très ancienne des sociétés dépourvues de traditions écrites et de vestiges iconographiques. / Doctorat en philosophie et lettres, Orientation linguistique / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished