Thesis (PhD)-- Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study considers a lexicographical intervention in the acquisition and use of English in
Zimbabwe. English is the country’s sole official language. This means that it dominates all
the other languages in the country in terms of prestige and usage in the high status domains
such as government, media, law, education, etc. English is learnt as a compulsory subject
throughout the education system up to the General Certificate of Ordinary Level (‘O’ Level)
and used as medium of instruction from the fourth grade upwards. The annual national pass
rate of around 33% and less than 10% for some schools in this subject has been recorded in
recent years. An ‘O’ Level certificate is considered complete if is has registered five ‘O’
Level subjects including English. This means that without an ‘O’ Level English pass, learners
have no chance to proceed to the General Certificate in Education Advanced Level (‘A’
Level) or tertiary education, and their chances of getting employment in the public service are
limited, if not non-existent. In the mainstream scholarship on language policy and language
planning in the country, this situation has resulted in advocating that indigenous languages,
particularly Shona and Ndebele, be developed and elevated to the official status currently
enjoyed by English. Far from being against the development and status elevation of
indigenous languages, this study proposes a lexicographical intervention in the acquisition
and use of English as one of the necessary mechanisms that may mitigate some problems
associated with this language. It is argued that the problem with English is not simply that it
is a language of foreign origin, to be explicit, the language of the former colonial master.
Rather, the problem is that the majority of Zimbabweans are not competent enough to
function in this language. Of course, this may be related to the fact that many Zimbabweans
have to learn it as an additional language since it is not an indigenous language and thus
linguistically and culturally distant from the native languages of its learners.
Dealing with the field of lexicography, this dissertation considers an intervention with respect
to those problems that may be addressed by the consultation of dictionaries. The availability,
use and user-friendliness of English dictionaries are investigated in view of the characteristics
of Zimbabweans as additional language learners of English, their situations in which
lexicographically-relevant problems occur and the subsequent information needs. In doing
this, the theory of learners’ lexicography (Tarp 2004; 2004a; 2008) is used. Firstly, it is
established that dictionaries are scarce commodities in Zimbabwe, with a very limited range
of dictionaries being available for Zimbabweans to buy. Secondly, dictionaries are not
actively used in the learning and use of English within the school system, except in the
former Group A schools which are elitist in nature. Curriculum developers, teachers,
assessors and learners are not very clear about the role of dictionaries within the school
system. Thirdly, the dictionaries that are used are not appropriate for the learners who consult
them, with advanced learners’ dictionaries dominating the limited presence even at primary
schools. Notwithstanding this poor background, it is generally accepted that appropriate
dictionaries, despite the fact that there is a general lack of awareness of the differences
between dictionaries, may address some of the problems associated with English, especially
within the education system. Should this happen, the learners will develop a dictionary
culture and regard dictionaries as utility products which they may rely on later in their
academic and professional careers in which English continues to be dominant.
A model of lexicographical intervention in the acquisition and use of English in Zimbabwe is
therefore formulated. This is done against the above background and also the history of both
English and Zimbabwean lexicography. English lexicography now sees English dictionaries
being produced in a host of countries other than Britain, America, Australia and New
Zealand, where English is a native language. This is mainly because of the dominant role that
English has acquired in those countries such as South Africa. However, Zimbabwean
lexicography has thus far focused on mother-tongue dictionaries in Shona and Ndebele, the
main reason being the need to develop these formerly marginalised languages. Accordingly,
the proposed model seeks to expand the scope of Zimbabwean lexicography. This is not just
for the sake of expanding. On the contrary, in the research it is observed that the dictionaries
constituting the envisaged lexicographical intervention have to be produced in Zimbabwe in
order for them to effectively address the local needs regarding this language. For example,
lemma selection, paraphrases of meaning, illustrative examples and data contained in the
outer texts have to be linguistically and culturally relevant, taking into cognisance the native
languages and cultures of the target users.
It is observed that if the proposed model is to be successfully implemented, local publishers
will need to play an important role, while curriculum developers, assessors, teachers and
learners have to be lexicographically educated. At present, local publishers with international
affiliations distribute externally-motivated dictionaries (Gouws 2005). Where dictionaries are
used, no serious consideration is given regarding the appropriateness of the dictionaries. Any
available dictionary is purchased regardless of its user-friendliness. Unfortunately this results
in a situation where users fail to extract the best from the dictionaries and end up being
disillusioned about the usefulness of dictionaries as utility tools. Some of the dictionaries
found at schools are just locked in safe cabinets in headmasters’ offices while learners
continue experiencing problems that could be solved by appropriate dictionaries.
Accordingly, with lexicographical pedagogy, and further research on specific aspects of the
model, a lexicographical intervention in the acquisition and use of English in Zimbabwe is
considered a worthwhile enterprise. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie beskou 'n leksikografiese tussenkoms in die verwerwing en gebruik van Engels
in Zimbabwe. Engels is die land se enigste offisiële taal. Dit beteken dat dit al die ander tale
in die land oorheers wat betref prestige en gebruik in die hoërstatusterreine soos die regering,
media, reg, opvoeding, ens. Engels word as 'n verpligte vak geleer dwarsdeur die
opvoedingstelsel tot by die Algemene Sertifikaat van Gewone Vlak ('O'-vlak) en gebruik as
onderrigmedium vanaf die vierde graad en hoër. Die jaarlikse nasionale slaagsyfer van
rondom 33% en minder as 10% vir sommige skole in hierdie vak is in onlangse jare
waargeneem. 'n 'O'-vlaksertifikaat word as volledig beskou indien dit vyf 'O'-vlakvakke
insluitende Engels geregistreer het. Dit beteken dat sonder die slaag van Engels op 'O'-vlak
leerders geen kans het om voort te gaan na die Algemene Sertifikaat in Opvoedkunde
Gevorderde Vlak ('A'-vlak) of tersiêre onderwys nie, en hul kanse is beperk, indien nie niebestaande
nie, om werk in die openbare diens te kry. In die hoofstroomvakkundigheid
betreffende taalpolitiek en taalbeplanning in die land het hierdie situasie daartoe gelei dat
bepleit word dat die inheemse tale, veral Sjona en Ndebele, ontwikkel en verhef word tot die
offisiële status wat tans deur Engels geniet word. Verre van teen die ontwikkeling en
statusverheffing van die inheemse tale te wees, stel hierdie studie 'n tussenkoms in die
verwerwing en gebruik van Engels voor as een van die noodsaaklike meganismes wat
sommige probleme wat verband hou met hierdie taal, kan versag. Daar word geredeneer dat
die probleem met Engels nie eenvoudig is dat dit 'n taal van vreemde herkoms, om dit
onomwonde te stel, die taal van die vroeëre koloniale baas is nie. Die probleem is eerder dat
die meerderheid Zimbabwiërs nie bedrewe genoeg is om in hierdie taal te funksioneer nie.
Dit kan natuurlik verwant wees aan die feit dat baie Zimbabwiërs dit as 'n bykomende taal
moet leer aangesien dit nie 'n inheemse taal is nie en daarom linguisties en kultureel verwyder
is van die inheemse tale van sy leerders.
Omdat dit oor die gebied van die leksikografie handel, beskou hierdie verhandeling 'n
tussenkoms met betrekking tot daardie probleme wat deur die raadpleging van woordeboeke
benader kan word. Die beskikbaarheid, gebruik en gebruikersvriendelikheid van Engelse
woordeboeke word ondersoek met betrekking tot die kenmerke van Zimbabwiërs as leerders
van Engels as 'n bykomende taal, hul omstandighede waarin leksikografies relevante
probleme voorkom en die gevolglike inligtingsbehoeftes. Om dit te doen, word die teorie van
aanleerdersleksikografie (Tarp 2004; 2004a; 2008) gebruik. Eerstens is vasgestel dat
woordeboeke skaars artikels in Zimbabwe is, met 'n baie beperkte reeks woordeboeke vir
Zimbabwiërs om te koop. Tweedens word woordeboeke nie daadwerklik aangewend by die
leer en gebruik van Engels binne die skoolstelsel nie, behalwe in die vroeëre Groep A-skole
wat elitisties van aard is. Leerplanontwikkelaars, onderwysers, assessore en leerders het nie
baie groot duidelikheid oor die rol van woordeboeke binne die skoolstelsel nie. Derdens, die
woordeboeke wat gebruik word, is nie geskik vir die leerders wat hulle raadpleeg nie, met
gevorderde aanleerderswoordeboeke wat selfs in primêre skole die beperkte aanwesigheid
oorheers. Nieteenstaande hierdie swak agtergrond, word dit algemeen aanvaar dat geskikte
woordeboeke, ten spyte van die feit dat daar 'n algemene gebrek aan 'n bewustheid van die
verskille tussen woordeboeke is, sommige van die probleme wat met Engels verband hou,
veral in die onderwysstelsel, kan oplos. Sou dit gebeur, sal leerders 'n woordeboekkultuur
ontwikkel en woordeboeke as nutsartikels beskou waarop hulle later kan steun in hul
akademiese en professionele loopbane waarin Engels voortgaan om oorheersend te wees.
'n Model van leksikografiese tussenkoms in die verwerwing en gebruik van Engels in
Zimbabwe word gevolglik geformuleer. Dit word gedoen teen die voorafgaande agtergrond
en ook die geskiedenis van sowel Engelse as Zimbabwiese leksikografie. Engelse
leksikografie toon tans dat Engelse woordeboeke voortgebring word in 'n menigte ander
lande as Brittanje, Amerika, Australië en Nieu-Seeland waar Engels 'n inheemse taal is. Dit
is hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die oorheersende rol wat Engels in daardie lande soos Suid-
Afrika verkry het. Zimbabwiese leksikografie het egter tot sover gefokus op
moedertaalwoordeboeke in Sjona en Ndebele, met as hoofrede die behoefte om hierdie
voorheen gemarginaliseerde tale te ontwikkel. Gevolglik probeer die voorgestelde model om
die omvang van Zimbabwiese leksikografie uit te brei. Dit is nie net ter wille van uitbreiding
nie. Inteendeel. In die navorsing word dit waargeneem dat die woordeboeke wat die
beoogde leksikografiese tussenkoms uitmaak, in Zimbabwe voortgebring moet word vir hulle
om die plaaslike behoeftes met betrekking tot hierdie taal doeltreffend te benader.
Byvoorbeeld, lemmakeuse, betekenisparafrases, toeligtende voorbeelde en data bevat in die
buitetekste moet linguisties en kultureel toepaslik wees om die inheemse tale en kulture van
die teikengebruikers in aanmerking te neem.
Daar word opgemerk dat, om die voorgestelde model suksesvol deur te voer, plaaslike
uitgewers 'n belangrike rol sal moet speel, terwyl leerplanontwikkelaars, assessore,
onderwysers en leerders leksikografies opgevoed sal moet word. Op die oomblik versprei
plaaslike uitgewers met internasionale verbintenisse ekstern-gemotiveerde woordeboeke
(Gouws 2005). Waar woordeboeke gebruik word, word geen ernstige oorwegings geskenk
aan die geskiktheid van woordeboeke nie. Enige beskikbare woordeboek word gekoop
ongeag sy bruikbaarheid. Ongelukkig lei dit tot 'n situasie waar gebruikers in gebreke bly om
die beste uit die woordeboeke te haal en ontnugter eindig oor die nuttigheid van woordeboeke
as gebruiksgereedskap Sommige van die woordeboeke wat in skole aangetref is, word net in
veilige kaste in skoolhoofde se kantore weggesluit, terwyl leerders voortgaan om probleme te
ondervind wat opgelos kan word deur geskikte woordeboeke. Met leksikografiese
opvoeding, en verdere navorsing oor bepaalde aspekte van die model, word 'n leksikografiese
tussenkoms in die verwerwing en gebruik van Engels in Zimbabwe gevolglik as 'n
verdienstelike onderneming beskou.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20074 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Nkomo, Dion |
| Contributors | Gouws, R. H., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Afrikaans and Dutch. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 318 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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