Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Kinyarwanda language'

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The decision to investigate the lexicographic representation of Kinyarwanda phrasemes has been motivated by two problems. Firstly, the compilers of Kinyarwanda general dictionaries do not take cognisance of the wide-ranging nature of Kinyarwanda phrasemes. As a result, the confusion of different types of phrasemes entails inadequate treatment of phraseology in Kinyarwanda dictionaries. Furthermore, some types of phrasemes are mistakenly left out or under-represented in Kinyarwanda dictionaries due to the fact that the multifaceted nature of Kinyarwanda phrasemes is not recognised. Secondly, the representation of phrasemes in current Kinyarwanda dictionaries is unsatisfactory as far as data presentation, distribution and accessibility is concerned. Therefore, not only is the multifaceted nature of phrasemes not reflected in the representation of phrasemes in Kinyarwanda dictionaries but Kinyarwanda dictionaries also fall short as far as the application of adequate metalexicographic principles and tools is concerned. It is anticipatively argued that the use of innovative tools and suggestions offered by the contemporary theoretical lexicography coupled with insights from the linguistic classification of phrasemes will enable a user-friendly presentation of phrasemes in general dictionaries of Kinyarwanda. This thesis attempts to bring solutions to these shortcomings by formulating theoretically motivated proposals for lexicographic representation of phraseological items in Kinyarwanda general dictionaries. To achieve this goal and in order to formulate a model for lexicographic representation of phrasemes this study uses a positivist approach and utilises two theories of lexicography, namely the functional theory of lexicography mainly developed by Bergenholtz and Tarp and the general theory of lexicography outlined by Wiegand. The theory of lexicographic functions provided this study with decisive heuristics such as the concept of user situation, lexicographic function and user profile that have been employed to devise a function-motivated model of lexicographic representation of different types of phrasemes. Insights from the theory of dictionary structures were used to determine how various dictionary structures could be used to position phrasemes in the dictionary so that easy access is secured. These theories helped formulate policies for inclusion and treatment of different classes of phrasemes taking into account the function that the dictionary is purported to fulfil and the role different structures of the dictionary play in user-friendly distribution of lexicographic data. In addition, this research relied on various sources of data and used a qualitative approach to data analysis and argument construction. In Chapter 3 the concept of phraseme in the framework of Meaning-Text linguistics is defined and various pitfalls in lexicographic representation of phrasemes in existing dictionaries of Kinyarwanda are addressed. In Chapter 4, proposals have been made regarding both straight lemmatisation and sublemmatisation of Kinyarwanda idioms in the central list whereby the proposed models have been evaluated taking into account different lexicographic functions. In addition, suggestions have been made as to how to use both the central list section and the outer texts, especially the back matter and the middle matter to present proverbs in general language dictionaries of Kinyarwanda. Further, a model for lexicographic presentation of collocations has been formulated in Chapter 5, taking into account four lexicographic functions: text production, text translation, text reception and cognitive-oriented dictionary. In this chapter it is shown what the representation of collocations could look like when satisfying each of the above-mentioned lexicographic functions. Finally two models for the lexicographic representation of pragmatemes or pragmatic phrasemes are proposed in Chapter 6. In this chapter, both the internal-article treatment of pragmatemes in the central list and the presentation of pragmatemes in the outer texts are discussed and evaluated. Chapter 7 outlines the summary of major research findings along with related recommendations on the lexicographic treatment of different types of phrasemes and assesses whether the initial research questions have been properly answered, while at the same time paving the way for further research and more comprehensive discussions.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die besluit om die leksikografiese verteenwoordiging van Kinyarwanda fraseme te ondersoek, word deur twee probleme gemotiveer. Eerstens word die uiteenlopende aard van Kinyarwanda fraseme nie deur die samestellers van algemene woordeboeke vir Kinyarwanda in ag geneem nie. Die verwarring van die verskillende tipes fraseme lei tot onvoldoende hantering van fraseologie in Kinyarwanda woordeboeke. Voorts word sekere tipes fraseme eenvoudig uit Kinyarwanda woordeboeke weggelaat of swak verteenwoordig, juis omdat die veelsydige aard van Kinyarwanda fraseme misgekyk word. Tweedens is die verteenwoordiging van fraseme in die bestaande Kinyarwanda woordeboeke onbevredigend wat betref die aanbod, verspreiding en toeganklikheid van data. Daarom word die veelsydige aard van fraseme nie net swak verteenwoordig in Kinyarwanda woordeboeke nie, maar sodanige woordeboeke skiet ook ver te kort wat die toepassing van voldoende metaleksikografiese beginsels en toepassings betref. Daar word vooruitskouend ‘n saak voor uitgemaak dat die gebruik van innoverende instrumente en voorstelle vanuit die kontemporêre teoretiese leksikografie tesame met insigte oor die linguistiese klassifikasie van fraseme, ‘n gebruikersvriendelike fraseemaanbod in Kinyarwanda algemene woordeboeke sal bewerkstellig. Hierdie tesis probeer om oplossings vir die tekortkominge te bied deur middel van teoreties gemotiveerde voorstelle vir die leksikografiese verteenwoordiging van fraseologiese items in Kinyarwanda algemene woordeboeke. Om hierdie doel te verwesenlik en om ‘n model vir die leksikografiese verteenwoordiging van fraseme te ontwikkel, word ‘n positivistiese benadering gevolg en word twee leskikografieteorieë, naamlik die funksionele teorie, hoofsaaklik ontwikkel deur Bergenholtz en Tarp, en die algemene leksikografieteorie soos uiteengesit deur Wiegand, toegepas. Die teorie van leksikografiese funksies het hierdie studie van bepalende, deurslaggewende riglyne voorsien, soos die konsep van die gebruiker se situasie, die leksikografiese funksie, en die gebruikersprofiel wat gebruik is om ‘n funksie-gemotiveerde model van leksikografiese verteenwoordiging vir die verskillende tipes fraseme op te stel. Daarbenewens is insigte uit die woordeboekstruktuurteorie aangewend om te bepaal hoe verskillende woordeboekstrukture gebruik kan word om fraseme sodanig in woordeboeke te posisioneer dat vinnige en maklike toegang verseker word. Hierdie teorieë het bygedra tot beleidsformulering vir die insluiting en hantering van verskillende klasse fraseme met inagname van die veronderstelde woordeboekfunksie en die rol wat verskillende woordeboekstrukture in die gebruikersvriendelike verspreiding van leksikografiese data speel. Die navorsing het ook op verskeie databronne staatgemaak en ‘n kwalitatiewe benadering tot data-analise en argumentkonstruksie is gebruik. In hoofstuk 3 is die konsep fraseem binne die raamwerk van die linguistiese teorie van Meaning-Text (Betekenis-Teks) gedefinieer en verskeie slaggate in die leksikografiese verteenwoordiging van fraseme in bestaande Kinyarwanda woordeboeke word ondersoek. In hoofstuk 4 word voorstelle ten opsigte van die gewone lemmatisering en sublemmatisering van Kinyarwanda idiome in die sentrale lys bespreek en die voorgestelde modelle word geёvalueer met inagname van die verskillende leksikografiese funksies. Daarbenewens word voorstelle gemaak oor hoe om sowel die sentrale lys as die buitetekste, veral die agter- en middelteks, te gebruik om spreekwoorde in Kinyarwanda woordeboeke vir algemene taal aan te bied. ‘n Model vir die leksikografiese voorstelling van kollokasies word in hoofstuk 5 geformuleer. Vier leksikografiese funksies word in ag geneem, naamlik teksproduksie, teksvertaling, teksresepsie en kognitief-georiёnteerde woordeboeke. Daar word aangetoon hoe kollokasies verteenwoordig kan word sodat elk van die bogenoemde leksikografiese funksies in ag geneem word. Twee modelle vir die leksikografiese verteenwoordiging van pragmateme of pragmatiese fraseme word in hoofstuk 6 voorgestel. Sowel die interne-artikelhantering van pragmateme as die hantering van pragmateme in die buitetekste word bespreek en evalueer. Ten slotte word die belangrikste navorsingsresultate saam met ander voorstelle ten opsigte van die leksikografiese hantering van verskillende tipes fraseme in hoofstuk 7 uitgelig. Daar word ook gekyk of die navorsingsvrae behoorlik beantwoord is, terwyl die weg gebaan word vir verdere navorsing en meer omvattende bespreking.

Toute la population du Rwanda parle une même langue, le kinyarwanda, à la fois langue nationale et officielle. Cette homogénéité linguistique « de surface » se présente comme l’arbre qui cache la forêt d’une relative diversité linguistique « en profondeur » (dialectes, langues africaines et européennes en présence). L’heure n’est pas encore au chaos, mais l’adoption du trilinguisme officielle en 1996 [(kinyarwanda-français-anglais) impose, plus que par le passé, la définition d’une politique de gestion de la situation sociolinguistique du Rwanda, notamment par la détermination claire, par une loi linguistique, des fonctions des langues officielles dans les différents domaines, pour régler les problèmes qui se posent depuis le bilinguisme kinyarwanda-français adopté vers les années 1930. Les problèmes linguistiques et sociolinguistiques intéressent diverses catégories de personnes depuis le début du 20ème siècle. Cependant, la question de l’utilisation des langues dans les différents domaines et de leur connaissance approximative reste entièrement posée. Ce travail analyse les politiques linguistiques appliquées au Rwanda jusqu’à ce jour pour en dégager les enjeux et en établir le bilan afin de proposer de nouvelles stratégies de gestion de la situation sociolinguistique du Rwanda. Il s’agit en effet d’une politologie linguistique qui s’inscrit dans le cadre théorique et conceptuel déjà très rodé et dont l’efficacité a pu être testée sur le terrain dans différents pays ; cadre théorique qui est emprunté pour l’essentiel au linguiste québécois Jean-Claude Corbeil. Il est enrichi des analyses d’autres auteurs comme Robert Chaudenson, Louis-Jean Calvet, Loïc Depecker, Henri Boyer, etc. sur le concept d’aménagement linguistique et sur des situations concrètes. L’étude s’appuie à la fois sur une recherche documentaire minutieuse, une enquête de terrain qui a été effectuée au Rwanda auprès des diverses catégories de personnes et quelques entretiens informels avec certains intervenants en matière d’aménagement linguistique (linguistes et décideurs)
The whole population of Rwanda speaks the same language, Kinyarwanda, which is both the national and official language. This “surface” linguistic homogeneity is seen as a tree that hides a forest of a relatively “in depth” linguistic diversity (dialects, African and European languages). It is not yet time for chaos but the adoption of official trilingualism (Kinyarwanda-French-English) requires more than ever before the definition of the policy of managing the sociolinguistic situation of Rwanda, namely by clear determination, by a linguistic law, of the roles of official languages in various areas in order to solve the problems that have remained unanswered since the adoption of Kinyarwanda-French bilingualism in the 1930’s. From early the 20th century, the linguistic and sociolinguistic issues have interested various researchers. However, the question of the use of languages in various domains and their approximate mastery is still posed. This work analyses the linguistic policies that have been adopted in Rwanda with aim to bring out the stakes and assess the situation geared towards suggesting the new management strategies of the sociolinguistic situation of Rwanda. This is indeed a linguistic “politology” which falls within the theoretical and conceptual framework already explored whose efficiency has been tested on the ground in different countries. The theoretical framework has essentially been borrowed from the Quebec linguist Jean-Claude Corbeil. It is enriched with analyses of such other authors as Robert Chaudenson, Louis- Jean Calvet, Loïc Depecker, Henri Boyer, etc. on the concept of language planning and concrete situations. The study is based on both a meticulous documentary research and field work that have been carried out in Rwanda with various categories of people and some informal interviews with some stakeholders in language policy and planning [linguists and decision-makers]

Doctor Educationis
The language of instruction plays a determining role in students’ academic performance. This suggests that students should be taught in a language they are familiar with in order to enhance understanding of the content subjects. In Rwanda, almost all Rwandans communicate and interact in Kinyarwanda, their mother tongue. It is, thus, expected that Rwandan children should be instructed in this home language. However, the status of English as a global language has also found echo in Rwanda, and this foreign language was adopted as medium of instruction from Primary 4 onwards. This thesis, therefore, aims to determine what role English as a medium plays in delivering quality education in Rwanda. To respond to the above question, the researcher investigated three secondary Third Form schools in the rural Gisagara District of the Southern Province. She wanted to explore the teaching and learning strategies deployed in the English language classrooms and the learning materials and infrastructure available at the schools. The focus was on English language classes as these were the spaces in which Rwandan children were explicitly exposed to English and where their proficiency in the language was developed. However, the researcher also needed to find out the effect that English had on the students’ academic performance, the correlation between their results in English and their results in content subjects, and the students’ and teachers’ perceptions of English as language of instruction. It is in this vein that a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches was used and various data collection techniques employed to obtain enriched data. Classroom observations and interviews with students and their English teachers were conducted. A questionnaire was also distributed to the students and their results in English and in content subjects were analysed to supplement the data generated by other methods. This study was guided by sociocultural theories of second language learning according to which language is a mediating tool that helps to adjust relationships between people that live in the same community. Language is, hence, a necessary artifact that is worth acquiring. For language learning to take place, learners need to interact with more knowledgeable people. In the classroom, it is the teacher who has to mediate this learning, assuming that he/she is more knowledgeable than the students. Classroom peer interactions in the target language also provide room wherein brighter students may assist their struggling classmates. Language across the curriculum approach and content-based instruction also inspired this study. These approaches suggest that language should be taught in context and especially through the content related to the students’ fields of study. The research findings indicate that the students were not proficient in English, the language of instruction, which hindered their school achievement. In addition, no correlation could be established between the students’ results in English and their results in content subjects. Indeed, despite the students’ poor performance in English they did better in this language than in the content subjects. Furthermore, not all students who fared well in English succeeded in the content subjects, and some students scored good marks in the content subjects whilst they failed in English. The findings also show that the teaching and learning strategies used in the language classrooms, as well as the learning materials and infrastructure at the schools, did not promote English acquisition. Ironically, despite English being a hindrance to the learning of other subjects, both the students and their teachers affirmed that they preferred that this language remain as medium of instruction. They believed that being competent in English could offer them more life opportunities than any other language.

Cette thèse a pour objectif l'étude sociolinguistique d'un contact mettant en jeu deux langues africaines, le Kinyarwanda et le Giciga. En effet, si au Rwanda en général (ch. 1) la situation sociolinguistique se caractérise, de manière plus manifeste, par la concurrence entre le Kinyarwanda, langue nationale et officielle, et le Français, langue officielle également, dans la région du Ndorwa, qui a sa propre histoire et des problèmes qui lui sont spécifiques (ch. 2), la concurrence entre le Kinyarwanda et le Francais est éclipsée par une concurrence quotidienne beaucoup plus serrée entre le Kinyarwanda et le Giciga, deux langues bantoues (présentées au ch. 3). Le traitement des résultats d'une enquête sur les opinions des locuteurs (ch. 4) et l'observation de cas (ch. 5) permettent de dégager les faits suivants : existence d'un conflit latent et du phénomène de la covariance dans lequel attitudes et comportements sont à situer dans un cadre de référence identitaire très complexe déterminé par des facteurs extra-linguistiques (scolaires, socioprofessionnels, politiques, psychologiques ou liés à l'âge, etc. . . ) qui s'imbriquent les uns dans les autres
This thesis aims at undertaking a sociolinguistic study of a relationship between two african languages : Kinyarwanda and Giciga. In fact if generally in Rwanda in the sociolinguistic atmospere is marked by a rivalry between Kinyarwanda, an official and national language, and French also an official (language ch. 1), in the region of Ndorwa which has its own history and its own problems (ch. 2), the rivalry between Kinyarwanda and French is by passed by an everyday and more acute rivalry between Kinyarwanda and Giciga, two bantu languages (presented in ch. 3). According to an analysis of an opinion poll that has been carried out on the field (ch. 4) and the observation of case studies (ch. 5), these two allow us to put forward the following facts : the existence of a prevailing conflict and the covariation phenomenon in which attitudes and behavior are to be associated with a complex problem of identity which is determined by extra-linguistic factors (e. G. Educational, social, professional, political, psychological and or simply related to age groupe) and each of these interact

This study investigates Kinyarwaanda sexuality taboo words and their meaning in Rwandan culture to enable the youth to improve their communication and the values of Rwandan culture. It explores whether the use of Kinyarwaanda sexuality taboo words is a good way to communicate with one another or is a transgression of Rwandan culture. Its intent is to see the value that Rwandans assign to verbal taboos, particularly sexuality taboo words, to see how these taboos regulate Rwandans lives, to see the attitudes Rwandans hold towards them, and to find out the link there might be between sexuality taboo words, the information dissemination on HIV/AIDS and the spread of AIDS.

Cette étude traite d'abord de la situation sociolinguistique du Rushobyo, en le considérant comme le résultat d'un brassage entre diverses communautés linguistiques et définit ses délimitations géographiques en localisant son noyau et quelques ilôts de locuteurs. Elle établit ensuite, dans une perspective constrastive par rapport au Kinyarwanda "standard", les schèmes tonologiques des nominaux et des verbaux et les schèmes intonologiques. Elle définit ainsi les règles de démarcation résultant des procédés de régularisation morphophonologique : syntaxique (généralisation du syncrétisme des marques temporelles, des marques de focalisation et des classes), syllabique et tythmique (allongements compensatoires), prosodique (répétition des schèmes intonatifs), dont résultent une "dégénérescence" ou bouleversement tonal, caractérisé par l'absence de variation tonale, la perte de la fonction distinctive et la fixité des éléments tonals. Leurs seules traces son tl'anticipation et le ton syntaxique inhérent aux modes et ne jouent plus qu'un rôle contrastif. Ces éléments démontrent le passage du Rushobyo d'un système tonal à un système accentuel à accent libre agissant sur le premier infixe, la syllabe antépénultième et la syllabe finale dont la phase évolutive finale serait un accent fixe situé sur l'antépénultième qui prédomine déjà
First of all, this study deals with the sociolinguistic situation of Rushobyo, considering it as the result of the mixing of several linguistic communities ans establishes its geographic delimitation localizing its nucleus and somme small groups of speakers. After this, it establishes, in constrastive perspective with standard Kinyarwanda, tonologic schemes of nominals and verbals and intonative schemes. Then it defines the rules of demarcation resulting proceedings of morphophonologic regularization : we mean syntactic regularization (generalization of syncretism of temporal markers, focalization markers and verbal classes), syllabic and rythmic regularization (lengthening compensatoring) prosodic regularization (repetition of intonative schemes). These elements create tonal changes, caracterized by the absence of tonal variation, the loose of the distinctive function and fixity of tonal elements whose only vestiges are the anticipation and yntactic tone inherent with modes and which have nawadays only constrastive function. These elements demonstrate the passage of Rushobyo from tonal system to accentual system with free accent situated on the first infix, the antepenult syllabe and final syllabe. Its final evolutive stage would be an accentual system with fix accent on the antepenult syllabe which already predominates

L’introduction est consacrée à la présentation générale de la langue kinyarwanda, y compris ses dialectes, ainsi qu'à l'explication du cadre théorique et méthodologique utilise à savoir l'approche fonctionnaliste. Le premier chapitre est un rappel du système phonologique et des principales règles de représentation. Le deuxième traite des catégories grammaticales ; il examine en particulier le constituant nominal et le constituant verbal. Le troisième chapitre porte sur les fonctions syntaxiques dans la phrase simple. Y sont discutées la prédication non verbale, la prédication verbale, les fonctions sujet, objet et circonstant. Le chapitre quatre étudie l'énonce complexe, à savoir les constructions par juxtaposition, coordination et subordination. Enfin, le dernier chapitre examine la syntaxe particulière de certains genres littéraires oraux proches des formes simples (salutations, anthroponymes, devinettes, jurons et insultes)
The introduction presents a general survey of kinyarwanda language in its geographical and cultural context and gives the theoretical and methodological background. The first chapter is a review of the phonological and morpholological systems. The second one deals with the grammatical categories especially nominal and verbal constituants. The third chapter studies extensively the syntactic functions in the independant clause (non verbal predicates, verbal predicates, subject function, object and adjunct). The following chapter analyses the complex clauses, i. E. The problems of juxtaposition, coordination and subordination. The fifth and last chapter is a study of the particular syntax of some oral literary genres closer to the sentence, especially greetings, individual names, riddles, swearwords and insults, which reveals a real connexion between syntax and semantics

Kinyarwanda, like many other languages in contact, has adapted foreign words to meet the needs of its daily life vocabulary and activity. In addition to the lexical need filling, Kinyarwanda borrowed foreign words not only out of need for foreign words but also for prestige. This thesis is based on two hypotheses: Kinyarwanda has borrowed foreign words out of need in various areas; loanwords have been allocated to Kinyarwanda noun class system. This work has discussed and analysed how French and English loanwords have been allocated to key areas of influence and the nominal class system of Kinyarwanda. The data were collected from various sources, including publications, conversation, newspapers, Bible literature, school text books, commercial posters, hoardings. The study has analysed loanwords from French/English deceptive cognates in a bilingual context. This is a challenging task for other researchers who will have to deal with the complexity of deceptive cognate loanwords.
African Languages
M.A. (African Languages)

"A syntactic Analysis of Kinyarwanda applicatives" is a study of the syntax of Kinyarwanda which focuses on applicatives. Applicatives are constructions in which the object of a preposition becomes the direct object of the verb through a grammatical function changing process. In such constructions, the verb bears a morpheme referred to as the applicative morpheme which turns an intransitive verb into a transitive verb and a transitive verb into a ditransitive verb. The derived object may perform various thematic functions, including those of instrument, beneficiary, goal, manner, reason, purpose and motive. The study provides a thorough description of different types of ditransitive applicatives in Kinyarwanda by examining the syntactic properties exhibited by both objects. In general Kinyarwanda may be classified as a 'symmetrical' language in which more than one object can exhibit direct object properties. This is true for instrumental, benefactive and manner applicatives. However, some applicatives in Kinyarwanda such as the locative applicatives are 'asymmetrical' in that only one object exhibits all the direct object properties. In my research I analyse Kinyarwanda applicatives within the framework of Principles-and-Parameters (Chomsky 1981, 1986a, b and subsequent work), more specifically the Government and Binding theory (Chomsky 1981). I base the discussion on three analyses that have been proposed in the literature of applicatives: Baker's (1988) preposition incorporation theory, Larson's (1988) double object construction analysis and Nakamura's (1997) account of object extraction in applicative constructions, which is based on Chomsky's (1995) Minimalist Program. The study shows that the above analyses account for some aspects of applicatives, but that there are certain facts that are not accounted for, which require a different analysis.
Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

The study investigates the interface between the variables - language attitude and language use in a development context, and attempts to determine the contribution of language to Rwanda's post-conflict development, reconstruction and reconciliation. It examines the language attitudes and language use patterns of 53 students from Rwanda's public universities focusing on how students, who are all Rwandan citizens, view the role of Kinyarwanda, French, English and Kiswahili languages in twelve core areas of post-conflict development. Although post-conflict development is socio-economic, previous historical and political factors affecting Rwanda's violent past play a role as new forms of linguistic categorization - Anglophone and Francophone - emerge which may be used to camouflage previous ethnic categorizations that have had disastrous effects in Rwanda. Further, social categorizations laden with salient features of linguistic identity may influence the implementation of the post-conflict development programmes, and also affect the pace and pattern of reconciliation in Rwanda. Conclusions are based on eclectic sources: quantitative, qualitative, historical and participatory, with patterns of analysis established from secondary and historical data. The study is also grounded in the Communication Accommodation Theory that rests on issues of divergence and convergence during interaction where emerging language identities dovetail with language attitudes and language use, resulting in an interface that influences the implementation of Rwanda's post-conflict development programmes. Additionally, it is argued that the African languages such as Kinyarwanda and Kiswahili, should be considered as vehicles for Rwanda's post-conflict development, although Kinyarwanda, the home language, has in the past really not served an intranational unifying function. On the other hand, Kiswahili, unlike Kinyarwanda, has no divisive myths and identities that would inhibit post-conflict development; it is an important language in the East and Central African region where post-conflict Rwanda will play a positive and active role, and would be a language to be positively developed.
African Languages
D.Litt et Phil. (African Languages)

Student Number : 0311394E - MA research report - School of Literature and Language Studies - Faculty of Humanities
The present study on ‘Multilingualism and change on the Kinyarwanda sound system post-1994’ focuses on sociolinguistic approaches oriented to the effects of language contact to Kinyarwanda sound change. Many studies on various multilingual societies have been conducted, and most of them have focused on multilingualism and language policy, education and social integration in different multilingual societies. In particular, most studies conducted on the new linguistic configuration of Rwanda have focused on language attitudes in a multilingual context, but none of them has tackled the issue of multilingualism and sound change as a result of language contact. The main hypothesis expounded in this research is that Kinyarwanda sound variants that can be heard from current speech arise owing to Kinyarwanda speakers’ language background. In the light of the literature review on multilingualism and sound change, an extensive analysis of the most prominent linguistic variables of sound variation in Kinyarwanda was done, and its evaluation shows that there have been shifts in the sound system of Kinyarwanda post-1994. It has been shown that some sounds were modified or shifted to other sounds which exist in neighbouring languages because of contact. In addition to that, it has been argued that this sound variation has been possible mainly because Kinyarwanda came into contact with other languages which have different sound systems. It is hoped that this research will add a new dimension to studies of multilingualism within Bantu languages and will contribute to yielding a solution to the Rwandan language problem because of suggestions related to how the Kinyarwanda sound system can be standardized.

This thesis provides an analysis of Possessor Raising (PR) in a minimalist framework. I examine four languages that exhibit PR, namely Japanese, Korean, Kinyarwanda, and Swahili. I propose that cross-linguistic variation of PR in these languages is captured by the single notion of Multiple Feature-Checking (MFC). In addition to cross-linguistic variation of surface syntax of PR, this thesis also examines a universal feature of PR, namely the relational noun restriction. PR raises an interesting problem with the mapping relation between an argument DP and its grammatical function (GF). A DP is normally associated with a unique GF (i.e., a one-to-one mapping relation), but in some cases such as passive, a DP may be associated with more than one GF, being both an underlying object and a surface subject (i.e., a one-to-many). PR also poses another type of mapping relation, namely a many-to-one relation; under PR, a possessor DP may also bear the GF of its host. In order to capture such a many-to-one relation between a DP and its GF in PR, I propose that this is an example of MFC, which is defined as follows: (i) MFC is possible only if a Formal Feature (FF) of a head (T and v) can escape deletion. (ii) MFC applies to both strong and weak FFs. In contrast to the original formulation of MFC (cf. Chomsky 1995b), which always involves overt movement of DPs and derives multiple specifiers, I argue that MFC also takes place at LF, which involves covert movement of FFs and derives multiple adjuncts of feature bundles onto a head. Given the evidence against overt movement of the subject and object in Japanese and Korean, I argue that PR in these languages is best analyzed in terms of covert MFC. I also provide an overt MFC analysis for Kinyarwanda and Swahili PR. Lastly, I discuss the relational noun restriction on PR, which holds of all PR languages. I propose that this restriction is reducible to the structural position of the possessor of a relational noun, namely its position as complement to the noun.

Text in English
The study examines the social motivations that prompt the Rwandan bilingual speakers to code-switch from Kinyarwanda to English, French or Kiswahili in their casual conversations about real-life situations. Methodological techniques used for data collection are ethnographic non-participant observation, oral interviews, focus group discussions and shorthand notes techniques. Examples were examined and interpreted within Myers-Scotton’s Markedness Model as the main theoretical framework for the study. The research findings align with Myers-Scotton’s categories such as the sequential unmarked choice, code-switching itself as the unmarked choice, the marked choice and the exploratory choice respectively. The main social factors that influence code-switching among the Rwandan bilingual speakers were identified as signalling educated status, expressing different social identities, demonstrating measures of power, authority and prestige, narrowing or widening social distance, and maintaining relationships. These results support the hypothesis that code-switching is a strategy to maximise social benefits from the interlocutors in conversation.
Linguistics and Modern Languages
M.A. (Sociolinguistics)

In the Bantu language Kinyarwanda, the morpheme –ish can be used to mark both causation and the instrumental applicative. This report pro- poses an explanation for this causative-instrumental syncretism, arguing that both causation and the introduction of an instrument are—at their core—two outgrowths of the same semantic notion. Fitting with other morphological causatives in Bantu, the causative use of –ish patterns as a lexical causative marker. The analysis presented here captures the lex- ical nature of the causative use of the morpheme by arguing that the new causal link is added sub-lexically, situating Kinyarwanda into a cross- linguistic typology of morphological causatives.
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