M.A. (African languages) / The aim of this study is to give an overview of Setswana grammatical description since 1837 when the first Setswana grammar was published by James Archbell. This study will investigate the various approaches used by linguists to describe Setswana grammar, and the word classes that resulted from these approaches. This thesis will only focus on published grammar books and school handbooks ...

M.A. (African Languages) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (African Languages) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (African Languages) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An apology in Setswana is offered ;when an individual has violated a social norm or want to restore any form of a complainable. When it is given, it serves as a remedial work,designed to smooth over any social disruption that was caused. Sometimes a person who is suppose to apologize may find reasons to minimize the degree of the offence. If the offence in question is big, a verbal apology may be insufficient to restore the damaged relationship. Male and female learners commit a lot of offences towards each other at school and they are obliged to apologize for such offences. In the process of apologizing, they are faced with a wide chioce of strategies to choose from. In most cases, male learners have a tendency of giving an explanation to their offences. They do not always seek for a direct apology. In the acceptance of their offences, they opt for longer strategies to apologize. Males seem to be either proud or shy to ask for an apology from females. Female learners on the other hand, do not want to use longer strategies to apologize, but they ask for forgiveness immidiately. It is not all the males who do not want to apologize directly to females, but there are some who apologize directly. They are the ones who take females as their equals and they also want to maintain a good relationship with them. The same applies with females, a minimal number of them use longer strategies to apologize. They do not use direct strategies. There are other strategies also useful to Setswana male and female learners, but their use is not so popular. Strategies like explicit acceptance of the blame and expression of self-deficiency are considered the least of manifested. An apology is usually influenced by the way the complainant shows his or her dissatisfaction. Male and female learners also differ with the way they complain. They use complaint strategies differently. Both male and female learners use direct accusation and indirect accusation extensively. But the difference comes by the fact that females are longer with their complaints than males. Females show their annoyance by involving more complaint strategies. Males do not take long to complain, they involve a few strategies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Apologie in Setswana word gedoen wanneer 'n individu 'n sosiale norm oortree het, of enige vorm van 'n klagte wil herstel. Wanneer dit gegee word, dien 'n apologie as remediële werk, ontwerp om enige sosiale ontwrigting wat veroorsaak is, uitstryk. Somtyds kan 'n persoon wat veronderstel is om 'n apologie aan te teken, redes vind om die graad van die oortreding te minimaliseer. Indien die oortreding baie groot is, kan 'n verbale apologie onvoldoende wees om die beskadigde verhouding te herstel. Manlike en vroulike Setswana-sprekende leerders pleeg talle oortredings teenoor mekaar by die skool, en hulle is verplig om apologie aan te teken teenoor mekaar. In die proses van apologie aanteken, word hulle gekonfronteer met In wye verskeidenheid strategieë waaruit hulle kan kies. In die meeste gevalle, het leerders die neiging om In verduideliking te gee vir hulle oortredings. Hulle kies nie altyd 'n direkte apologie nie. In die aanvaarding van hulle oortredings, kies hulle langer strategieë om apologie aan te teken. Manlike persone blyk óf te trots óf te skaam te wees om apologie aan te teken teenoor vroulike leerders. Vroulike leerders, hierteenoor, wil nie langer strategieë aanwend om apologie aan te teken nie, en hulle vra onmiddellik vir vergiffenis Dit is egter nie alle manlike leerders wat nie direk apologie aanteken teenoor vroulike leerders niesommige manlike leerders teken wel direk apologie aan, maar die gebruik daarvan is nie so gewild nie. Hulle is die manlike leerders wat die vroulike leerders as hulle gelykes sien en 'n goeie verhouding met hulle wil handhaaf. 'n Klein getal vroulike leerders gebruik langer strategieë om verskoning aan te teken en hulle gebruik nie direkte strategieë nie. Daar is ander strategieë wat ook bruikbaar is vir Setswana-sprekende manlike en vroulike leerders, maar die gebruik daarvan is nie so populêr nie. Strategieë soos die aanvaarding van blaam, en uitdrukking van self-tekort, word die minste gemanifesteer. 'n Apologie word gewoonlik beïnvloed deur die wyse waarop 'n klaer sy/haar ontevredenheid wys. Manlike en vroulike leerders vershil ook t.o.v. die wyse waarop hulle kla - hulle gebruik klagtestrategieë verskillend. Sowel manlike as vroulike leerders gebruik direkte en indirekte aantygings uitgebreid. Vroulike leerders neem egter langer met hulle klagtes as manlike leerders. Vroulike leerders wys hulle ontevredenheid deur meer klagte strategieë te gebruik, terwyl manlike leerders nie lank neem om te kla nie - hulle gebruik slegs 'n paar strategieë.

Ph.D. (African Languages) / The main concern of this study has to do with the investigation of linguistic variation and standardization in Setswana. We are of the idea that linguistic variation and standardization occur as a result of both internal and external factors. Focus of this study was both on some of those areas inhabited by Batswana both in Botswana and South Africa. An investigation has been made on the different orthographies used in these countries. Although their orthographies presently differ, they were initially the same. They separated after the revision of the 1937 orthography version by the then Tswana Language Committee in South Africa. But, however, Setswana Standard Orthography 1981 (1981) in Botswana, is the same as Tswana Terminology and Orthography No.3 (1972) in South Africa. This similarity was caused by the great influence and presence of Professor E.S. Moloto. Botswana dependency on South Africa during that time, on language planning may have been because 'South Africa has more speakers of Setswana, has had larger total resources in money and manpower, and thus rather naturally took the lead and Botswana ended following suit' (Janson and Tsonope, 1991:78). During that time, South African policies were directed by the ideology of the apartheid system. So, 'to ignore linguistic developments in South Africa was impossible, but to accept them has often been unpalatable and maybe important' (Janson and Tsonope, 1991:78). Data collected bear testimony that standard language is what Botswana people really want to be taught at schools and tertiary institutions. Most of them do not really understand why their children are expected to use standardized language as formal style. The reason behind all these is that they were never involved in language planning. Therefore, there is great need to involve people from different sectors where Setswana is involved. The language policy for the new South Africa in the future should be written in all official languages not just in English and Afrikaans only (refer to Government Gazette, 9 May 1997).

M.A. (African Languages) / Africa encompasses such a variety of languages and language types that even today linguistic science is somewhat at a loss to describe the mutual relationships between all these languages. This study is concerned with the Sotho group of Bantu languages. The existing classifications of the Sotho group are examined with regard to the classification criteria employed and how consistently and correctly these have been applied. A critical consideration of these classifications brings to light a considerable number of problems which show the classifications to be inadequate. The conclusion is drawn that the various criteria need to be reconsidered and that the requirements for a well-founded, ideal classification of Sotho should be clearly spelled out. Three basic approaches to the problem are dealt with, namely: a purely synchronic linguistic. classification, a genealogical classification based on diachronic principles, and a sociolinguistic classification. In each case the applicability to Sotho of the method concerned, given the present state of knowledge, is evaluated. As regards a synchronic linguistic classification, it is shown that clarity is needed. concerning crucial terms such as "language" and "dialect"; that a hierarchy of criteria has to be determined; that mutual influences and the influences of non-related languages should be allowed for; and that different degrees of relatedness should be accounted for. Given that these problems are addressed satisfactorily and given that sufficient data is available, a wellfounded synchronic classification would be possible. In the case of a genealogical classification, the use of reconstructions of proto forms of the Bantu languages, such as those of Meinhof and Guthrie, and of reconstructions of Proto-Sotho, such as that of Dickens, is considered...

M.A. / This study aims to examine the structure and style of Setswana folktales. Secondly it wishes to test the applicability of synchronic approach in general and (in particular) Propp-Dundes' approaches in the evaluation of Setswana folktales. We intend to interview as many informants as possible both in urban and (in) rural areas. Folktales will be recorded, transcribed in their original language and then literally be translated into the target language. However where literal translation fails to reflect the intended meaning free translation will be pursued.

M.A. (African Languages) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

No abstract available / Dissertation (MArch (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Architecture / unrestricted