Thesis (Ph.D. (African Languages)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The main aim of this study is to analyse some of inconsistencies found in the macro- and micro structural elements of Xitsonga bilingual dictionaries. These dictionaries have more inconsistencies in them. The researcher undertook this study in order to advice lexicography of today about these inconsistencies. The research has also outlined some of the causes of this inconsistencies in Xitsonga bilingual dictionaries and to get ways of improving them by using a corpus.

Thesis (M. A. (Translation Studies and Linguistics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / The aim of this study is to find out whether or not there are locative prepositions in Xitsonga. If so, to determine if they are true prepositions, their functions and the difference between locative prepositions and locatives. The locative case theory is adopted. Data are collected using telephone interviews from a sample of 10 Xitsonga grade 12 language teachers in Mopani district, Limpopo, South Africa. This study finds that there is one locative preposition namely, eka in Xitsonga. This preposition has three forms e-, eka and (-) ka which is also a locative preposition. These forms appear with proper nouns, common nouns, abstract nouns and collective nouns. The forms e- and ka also appear with locatives derived from noun classes 16 and 18, whereby the form e- is omitted when the existential morpheme le (there) is present in a sentence. The form e- also appears with locatives derived in noun class 17. The Xitsonga locative preposition is one of its kind because it has morphemes that contribute in the formation of locatives indicating position. It is recommended that studies of a similar kind should be done to find out more information about prepositions, more especially locative prepositions.

This study focuses on the predicate argument structure (PAS) of a sub-class of verbs in Xitsonga - verbs of change of possession: give, contribute, future having, providing, obtaining and verbs of exchange. It is shown that these verbs select various theta roles to form their PAS in the different alternations allowed in this language. The effects of the applicative {-el-} and causative {-is-} verbal affixes on the PAS of such verbs are also considered. The study confirms the fact that the ordering of objects in ditransitive verbs is determined by an interplay of syntactic and semantic factors. Ambiguity arises in the case of two animate objects. In this case the object with a definite reading will appear adjacent to the verb. / African Languages / M. A. (Arican Languages)

This study focuses on the predicate argument structure (PAS) of a sub-class of verbs in Xitsonga - verbs of change of possession: give, contribute, future having, providing, obtaining and verbs of exchange. It is shown that these verbs select various theta roles to form their PAS in the different alternations allowed in this language. The effects of the applicative {-el-} and causative {-is-} verbal affixes on the PAS of such verbs are also considered. The study confirms the fact that the ordering of objects in ditransitive verbs is determined by an interplay of syntactic and semantic factors. Ambiguity arises in the case of two animate objects. In this case the object with a definite reading will appear adjacent to the verb. / African Languages / M. A. (Arican Languages)

PhD (Xitsonga) / Ehansi ka Senthara ya MER Mathivha ya Tindzimi ta Xintima, Vutshila na Mfuwo / Riengeteri hi xin’wana xa swihluvi swa mbulavulo lexi nga si kambisisiwaka hi vuenti eka Xitsonga. Hikokwalaho, ndzavisiso lowu wu ringeta ku pfala vangwa leri hi ku endla nkambisiso wo enta hi maengeteri eka Xitsonga. Maengeteri ma nga aviwa hi mitlawakulu minharhu ku nga maengeteri ma ndhawu, maengeteri ma nkarhi na maengeteri ma mukhuva. Ndzavisiso lowu wu kambisisa xivumbeko, tinhlamuselo na vulongoloxamarito bya maengeteri lama boxiweke laha henhla eka Xitsonga hi ku kongomisa eka swivulwahava swa maengeteri ma ndhawu, nkarhi, ntalo na maengeteri ma mukhuva. Eka ndzavisiso lowu ku kambisisiwa matirhelo ma maengeteri ma vundhawu lama humaka eka maviti mo tanihi mavitavito, mavitaswilo na masivi mo tanihi masivinene, masivintalo, masivikomba na man’wana na man’wana ku ya hi mitlawa ya maviti eswivulweni. Mahungu ma ndzavisiso lowu ma hlengeletiwile hi ku tirhisa endlelo ra khophasi laha mulavisisi a nga kuma mahungu kusuka eka matsalwa hi ku kongomisa eka tinovhele ta Xitsonga leti landzelaka: Xisomisana;Thuketana, F.A, (1983), N’waninginingi ma ka tindleve; Thuketana, F.A. (1978), Ndzi ta n’wi kuma; Chauke W.R. (2003), Nsuku wa mina; Chauke W.R. (1992), Hi ya kwihi; Maluleke M.J. (1993), I vutomi; Lubisi, C.M (2007), Xilondza; Lubisi,C.M. (2009), Mulunguntima; Khosa, T.H. (1996), Xona hi xihi? Maluleke; D.R. (1987) na Swa vilula; Ngobeni, M.T. (1996). Ndzavisiso lowu wu le hansi ka ka thiyori ya Neo-Davidsoni, ku nga ntlawa wa tithiyori leti tirhanaka na vuxaka lebyi nga kona exikarhi ka swiphemu swa xiendleko eka xivulwa na maendlelo lama simekiweke eka nhlamuselo, leynga ta tithisiwa eka tinhlamuselo ta maegeteri. Eka ndzavisiso lowu ku tirhisiwa endlelo ra nxopaxopo wa vundzeni bya matsalwa ku xopaxopa mahungu ma ndzavisiso. / NRF

Thesis (M.A. (Linguistics)) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / Xitsonga is one of the eleven official languages in South Africa. It is spoken mainly in three provinces, Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, while English is a global language. Whenever two languages meet, challenges are evident in terms of communication. The study aim to analyse the impact of nonverbal communication in both English and Xitsonga cultures. Nonverbal communication accounts for 60 to 70 per cent of what people communicate. Furthermore, the study deals with the role of nonverbal communication as it shapes the perceptions of both the receivers and communicators’ personality. Categories of nonverbal communication have been investigated by exploring different intercultural dimensions which include nonverbal immediacy and non-immediacy behaviours, power, authority and status, power distance, responsiveness, high-context and low-context communication, individualistic or collectivistic cultures. In addition, the study explores facial expressions which, among others, include expression of emotions; the types of emotions; paralanguage; and factors that influence facial expressions; cultural display rules, eye contact and gaze. Also, the study gives attention to Facial paralanguage and facial reflexes. It has been discovered in the study that although English and Xitsonga cultures are related in some nonverbal communication aspects, there are other aspects that are culturally bound. The latter aspects require a serious scrutiny lest miscommunication and misinterpretation occur. In other words, culture cannot be taken for granted when it comes to nonverbal communication cues. Cultural display rules dictate responsiveness, attitudes, and perspectives of communicators’ perceptions.

While the study of emotions is of universal interest because of its central role in the social sciences and humanities, emotions are of special interest for South Africa for both theoretical and applied reasons. South Africa, with its eleven official languages, is a true multicultural society with extreme differences in terms of culture, acculturation, and socio-economic status. Cultural frameworks differ substantially between ethno-cultural groups, and clarification of the differences between cultural frameworks can counter interpretation biases that could result in daily frictions and major conflicts. Additional fundamental cross-cultural research on emotional differences between cultural groups, together with the generation of a mutual understanding of the different cultural frameworks, makes these frameworks explicit and facilitates the incorporation of these frameworks into daily communication and interaction processes. The objectives of this research were to determine what the emotion structure of the Sepedi, Xitsonga and Tshivenda languages groups within a sample of Sepedi-, Xitsonga- and Tshivenda-speaking participants is, and how it compares with the European Emotion Structure. Furthermore this research aimed to establish the emotion structure and the relevant and representative features for each emotion component (such as appraisals, action tendencies, and subjective experiences) that have been encoded in a sample of Sepedi-, Xitsonga- and Tshivenda-speaking participants. Like\vise it was deemed necessary to verify (a) the extent to which the emotion words refer to specific positions on each of the emotion features of these language groups and (b) the extent of similarity or dissimilarity between emotion experiences of the Sepedi, Xitsonga and Tshivenda groups in the SAPS, as well as to compare the meaning structure between a "bottom-up" and a "top-down" (as conducted in Nicholls' research in 2008) approach between Sepedi-, Xitsonga- and Tshivenda-speaking participants. A survey design with convenience sampling was used to achieve the research objectives. The study population (n=390) consisted of Sepedi-, Xitsonga- and Tshivenda-speaking entry-level police applicants from the South African Police Service (SAPS). The Sepedi, Xitsonga and Tshivenda GRlD questionnaires were administered. Statistical methods and procedures (multidimensional scaling and descriptive statistics) were used and Cronbachrs alpha coefficients were determined to analyse the results. Results of this study on the Sepedi, Xitsonga and Tshivenda cultural groups indicated the extraction of a two-factor model within the Sepedi group. Due to the extremely low reliability analyses of the Xitsonga and Tshivenda language groups' data, a reliable scale analysis and the meaning structures of these two groups could not be determined. The low reliabilities could be attributed to the direct language translation of the questionnaire and the assessment may not have captured the full understanding of the items in the GRlD instrument. Results of this study for the Sepedi language group corresponded well with the results found in the study for the Sepedi group conducted by Nicholls (2008) on the emotion lexicon on the Sepedi, Xitsonga and Tshivenda language groups in South Africa. The Nicholls study (2008) indicated the extraction of a three-dimensional structure (evaluation, arousal, dominance) and a four-factor loading (positive emotion, sadness, fear, anger) for the Sepedi-speaking language group. In comparison, this research presented the extraction of a two-dimensional structure (evaluation and arousal) and a two-factor loading (positive emotion and sadness). Emotion concepts of the Sepedi group indicated that basic emotion concepts (love, joy, anger, sadness, fear, and surprise) readily came to mind in both Nicholls' (2008) and this study. Emotion concepts listed by the Sepedi group could be interpreted as emotion words associated with social, personality or environmental aspects and may be related to negative evaluation, dominance and/or aggression. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

While the study of emotions is of universal interest because of its central role in the social sciences and humanities, emotions are of special interest for South Africa for both theoretical and applied reasons. South Africa, with its eleven official languages, is a true multicultural society with extreme differences in terms of culture, acculturation, and socio-economic status. Cultural frameworks differ substantially between ethno-cultural groups, and clarification of the differences between cultural frameworks can counter interpretation biases that could result in daily frictions and major conflicts. Additional fundamental cross-cultural research on emotional differences between cultural groups, together with the generation of a mutual understanding of the different cultural frameworks, makes these frameworks explicit and facilitates the incorporation of these frameworks into daily communication and interaction processes. The objectives of this research were to determine what the emotion structure of the Sepedi, Xitsonga and Tshivenda languages groups within a sample of Sepedi-, Xitsonga- and Tshivenda-speaking participants is, and how it compares with the European Emotion Structure. Furthermore this research aimed to establish the emotion structure and the relevant and representative features for each emotion component (such as appraisals, action tendencies, and subjective experiences) that have been encoded in a sample of Sepedi-, Xitsonga- and Tshivenda-speaking participants. Like\vise it was deemed necessary to verify (a) the extent to which the emotion words refer to specific positions on each of the emotion features of these language groups and (b) the extent of similarity or dissimilarity between emotion experiences of the Sepedi, Xitsonga and Tshivenda groups in the SAPS, as well as to compare the meaning structure between a "bottom-up" and a "top-down" (as conducted in Nicholls' research in 2008) approach between Sepedi-, Xitsonga- and Tshivenda-speaking participants. A survey design with convenience sampling was used to achieve the research objectives. The study population (n=390) consisted of Sepedi-, Xitsonga- and Tshivenda-speaking entry-level police applicants from the South African Police Service (SAPS). The Sepedi, Xitsonga and Tshivenda GRlD questionnaires were administered. Statistical methods and procedures (multidimensional scaling and descriptive statistics) were used and Cronbachrs alpha coefficients were determined to analyse the results. Results of this study on the Sepedi, Xitsonga and Tshivenda cultural groups indicated the extraction of a two-factor model within the Sepedi group. Due to the extremely low reliability analyses of the Xitsonga and Tshivenda language groups' data, a reliable scale analysis and the meaning structures of these two groups could not be determined. The low reliabilities could be attributed to the direct language translation of the questionnaire and the assessment may not have captured the full understanding of the items in the GRlD instrument. Results of this study for the Sepedi language group corresponded well with the results found in the study for the Sepedi group conducted by Nicholls (2008) on the emotion lexicon on the Sepedi, Xitsonga and Tshivenda language groups in South Africa. The Nicholls study (2008) indicated the extraction of a three-dimensional structure (evaluation, arousal, dominance) and a four-factor loading (positive emotion, sadness, fear, anger) for the Sepedi-speaking language group. In comparison, this research presented the extraction of a two-dimensional structure (evaluation and arousal) and a two-factor loading (positive emotion and sadness). Emotion concepts of the Sepedi group indicated that basic emotion concepts (love, joy, anger, sadness, fear, and surprise) readily came to mind in both Nicholls' (2008) and this study. Emotion concepts listed by the Sepedi group could be interpreted as emotion words associated with social, personality or environmental aspects and may be related to negative evaluation, dominance and/or aggression. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

MAAS / M.E.R Mathivha Centre for Languages Arts and Culture

Thesis (M.A. ( Translation and Linguistics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / The aim of this dissertation is to examine the impact of phonetics and phonology on the Xitsonga orthography. It looks at the history of Xitsonga orthography and the developments from the missionaries’ era in the 1800s until 2013. The study also examines the contribution made by the Tsonga Language Board, the Tsonga Language Committee and Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) in the development of Xitsonga orthography. In addition, the study focuses on the Xitsonga speech sound types and the way they are spelled by the speakers. On the other hand, there are speakers who adhere to the standard orthography whereas on the other hand there are speakers who prefer to use speech sounds according to their respective dialects. The challenges which Xitsonga speakers face on a daily basis have been outlined and what can be done to resolve them. It is suggested that more Xitsonga dictionaries should be written and published and PanSALB should ensure that booklets that deal with Xitsonga spelling rules must be distributed as widely as possible