Thesis (MPhil )--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the differences in the communication styles of siSwati and American
English speakers. Specifically, it investigates the realization patterns of the speech acts of request
and greeting in siSwati, by native and non-native speakers of siSwati. It also investigates how
these same speech acts are realised by the non-native speakers of siSwati in their first language,
English. The participants were 10 Swazis and 10 American Peace Corps volunteers living in
Swaziland, Southern Africa at the time this study was conducted. The data were collected by
means of a questionnaire followed up with a semi-structured interview. The data were analysed
using the framework of the Cross-cultural Speech Act Realization Project as developed by Blum-
Kulka (1989). Common trends were noted in the realization of the two speech acts by native
speakers and non-native speakers and conclusions were made based on the similarities and
differences observed. Overall, the results suggest (i) that there are marked differences in the way
in which American English speakers and Swazi people perform and interpret greetings and
requests, and (ii) that such differences emanate from the different cultural orientation of the two
groups of people. Since such differences sometimes lead to misunderstandings, there is evident
need to make people aware of cultural differences in order for understanding and tolerance to
prevail in cross-cultural interactions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die verskille in die kommunikasiestyle van sprekers van siSwati en
Amerikaanse Engels. Dit beskou spesifiek die realiseringspatrone van die taalhandelinge versoek
en groet in siSwati, deur moedertaal- en nie-moedertaalsprekers van siSwati, en in Engels. Die
deelnemers was 10 Swazis en 10 Amerikaanse Vredekorps-vrywilligers woonagtig in Swaziland,
Suid-Afrika, ten tye van die studie. Die data is ingesamel deur middel van 'n vraelys wat
opgevolg is deur 'n semi-gestruktureerde onderhoud. Die data is geanaliseervolgens die
raamwerk van die Kruiskulturele Spraakhandeling-realiseringsprojek, soos voorgestel deur
Blum-Kulka (1989). Algemene tendense is opgemerk in die realisering van die twee
spraakhandelinge deur moedertaalsprekers en nie-moedertaalsprekers en afleidings is gemaak op
grond van die waargenome verskille en ooreenkomste. Oor die algemeen dui die resultate op (i)
duidelike verskille tussen die wyses waarop sprekers van Amerikaanse Engels en Swazis
versoeke en groethandelinge uitvoer en interpreteer, en (ii) die verskillende kulturele oriënterings
van die twee groepe as oorsprong van hierdie tipe verskille. Aangesien laasgenoemde dikwels
aanleiding gee tot misverstand, is dit duidelik noodsaaklik dat mense bewus gemaak word van
kulturele verskille ten einde begrip en verdraagsaamheid te laat hoogty vier tydens
kruiskulturele interaksie.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/17874 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Sithebe, Faith Bonsile |
| Contributors | Huddlestone, Kate, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | v, 60 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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