Thesis (MA (African Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The aim of this study is to explore and encourage the use of accounts in the sense
that events occur in our societies that compel those who are victims of those
circumstances to give account of their experiences.
The theme of this study is based on statements about events such as abuse,
cheating, death and being HIV positive and on answers to such events. In respect of
the theory of image restoration, Benoit (1995) discusses why people should give
account of their wrongdoings and narrate such events. He states that language and
communication practitioners as well as the great philosophers in communities have
an interest in how image restoration works in our communities. This research focuses
on the Benoit theory.
People give account in everyday life of their wrongdoings or of accusations of
wrongdoing, since this helps to restore their reputations. The focus of this study is on
the use of accounts in Xhosa culture as a strategy in the narration of life stories.
According to Benoit (1995), accounts are excuses and justifications that are
responses to offence or failure events such as requests for an account of the
violation of a norm, of the rebuke of another person and of the expression of surprise
or disgust at certain behaviours.
This study illustrates how to give account of your own experience. In this regard,
Gergen (1994) states that the term “self-narrative” refers to an individual’s account of
the relationship of self-relevant events across time, while White and Epston (1990)
state that people give meaning to their lives and relationships by narrating stories
about their experience of life.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2075 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Lugalo, Noxolo Veronica |
| Contributors | Dlali, M., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of African Languages. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | Xhosa |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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