Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Swazi language'

Bibliography: pages 66-73.
Based on the educational theorists Gardner (1977(a)), Ehindero (1980), Mawasha ( 197 6-1984) and Ogunniyi ( 1985) and extending earlier findings by McNaught (1980) in Zimbabwe, my investigation sought to answer the following questions: 1. How do the item facilities of a group of African (Swazi) college science students, on two parallel tests of logical connectives, based on Gardner's work, each consisting of the same 34 logical connectives, but different in presentation format compare? 2. Are there significant correlations between the item facilities obtained by the Swazi first year science students on the tests of logical connectives and their scores obtained in Matriculation English and Biology and college English communication and General science? 3. Is there evidence of learning of logical connectives without direct instructional intervention over a period of six months when exposed to English first language speaking lecturers? 4. In what ways are the works of Gardner and McNaught expanded, confirmed, or enriched by further investigation in a totally different culture? Diagnostic and pre-test - post-test methods were used to gather data on the comprehension of the 34 logical connectives, and on academic achievement scores, of 65 Swazi teachers-in-training in KaNgwane, a subtropical, rural-agricultural region in Southern Africa. The data were collected by means of modified Gap Filling and Sentence Completion items, derived from Gardner's pioneering work, by adapting and refining certain items to be more relevant and meaningful in the local South African context. The data was processed by means of comparing Gardner's form N pupils' item facilities with the Swazi students' item facilities on each logical connective. The differences were analysed by means of Chi square tests, Spearman's Test, McNemars' Test and a correlation matrix. The chief findings -were that Swazi students' item facilities compared favourably with those obtained by Gardner's form N pupils on the 34 logical connectives· overall. The Swazi students found 7 easier than the Australian pupils, 16 equally as difficult and 15 more difficult than the Australian pupils, but this was dependent on the format. The thesis concludes by making recommendations to teachers, textbook writers, publishers and educational authorities on issues in science education with regard to English second language, particularly in terms of teacher training.

MPhil
The concept of ‘new Englishes’ developed as a result of the relatively new perception of English as an adapting and evolving language within increasingly wider global contexts. According to McArthur (1992:688) the term “new Englishes” refers to "recently emerging and increasingly autonomous variet[ies] of English, especially in a non-western setting, such as India, Nigeria, or Singapore." Such varieties of English develop from an English, traditionally recognised as standard, to become distinctly individual: they retain some cultural and linguistic characteristics of the standard English but additionally represent and include many aspects of the culture and language of the country in which the new English functions. These new Englishes are lexico-grammatically sophisticated and as viable as any of the traditionally recognised standard Englishes. The “new languages” are used intranationally and internationally and so are not only a result of intercultural communication; they also facilitate and enable intercultural communication. This thesis investigates (i) Swazi English (SwE) as a ‘New English’ and (ii) the perceptions that Swazis themselves, as well as speakers from other language communities, have of SwE and its users. Swaziland is a landlocked country in the northeast region of Southern Africa and one of the last remaining monarchies on the African continent. English was introduced to Swaziland during the 1800’s and remained one of the official languages alongside siSwati after Swaziland achieved independence from Britain in 1968. English in Swaziland continued to develop despite increasingly restricted access to input from English first language speakers of British descent thus resulting in SwE developing independently of any external norm. SwE now appears to be a stable variety of English that is not only spoken but also written in newspapers, in government and legal correspondence and in the public relations documents of Swazi companies. The research for this thesis identifies a number of lexical, syntactic and semantic features of SwE that are different from those of standard British or American English. These features of SwE occur frequently and consistently in newspaper articles. Nevertheless, as indicated by the research results of this thesis, SwE continues to be perceived as an error-ridden second language variety rather than as a new English in its own right. Furthermore, the language prejudice is extended to users of SwE as many judge the intelligence, credibility and trustworthiness of writers of SwE negatively on the basis of linguistic features that cannot be indicators of character, skill or competence. This prejudice gives rise to stereotyping which is a barrier to effective intercultural communication.

This project concerns the way the radio programme "Khalamdumbadumbane" functions as non-formal education and influences discourses of femininity in Swaziland. I have engaged in critical research in an attempt to show how the media (more specifically radio in this context) influence women's perceptions of themselves in a way which sustains the inequality between sexes. I also show how the programme "Khalamdumbadumbane" as a popular and topical programme has become a social institution, exerting its hidden power to ensure· the dominance of males within the Swazi society. Women's experiences have been recorded in transcribed interviews and these have been discussed and analysed for common themes. The following themes are discussed: Power relations, Cultural identity and the Discourse of rights. The first two themes have been further divided into subthemes: Imbalance I inequality between the sexes, patriarchal family system, disregard for women, abusive relationships, Swazi values versus Western values and the religious discourse. From interviews with the host of the radio programme in question and with Swazi women, I show how this programme has influenced women's self perceptions through their acceptance of the problem solving as 'help' and not as ideological propaganda for patriarchy. Bibliography: pages 99-108.

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.

Thesis (MLitt)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Linguistic scholars have been exploring an effective, contextual and multidisciplinary approach to language education, following the global increase in multilingual societies. This study aims to explore properties of writing related to genre-based literacy in Siswati as a first language for learners in South Africa in a multilingual context. The research is concerned with the properties of writing in Siswati at the high school level and the instruction associated with it. In reality, the educational context of the learners entails that English is the language of instruction or an educational lingua franca in all subjects in schools with learners who have an African language as home language, although English is a second language (L2) for most learners. Therefore, the learners’ first language (L1) is only taught as a subject. In this situation, learners and teachers are faced with problems of language (L2) proficiency. According to the South African language policy, all national languages spoken in South Africa should be prioritized in education. This study advances a proposal for a multilingual approach in education through genre-based teaching. Hence, this study presents an investigation of the implementation of genre in the home language classroom context in respect to the textlinguistic features of agricultural sciences genres. The genre-based theoretical framework and related methodology is explored and elaborated in this study with regards to how Siswati first language learners can be taught linguistic skills acquired in their mother tongue Siswati to writing in content subjects, e.g. biology. The methodology of this study involves the translation of six agricultural science texts for Grade 12 which are then analysed according to systemic functional linguistic (SFL) grammar. The study also investigates issues and challenges in multilingualism and Education policy. The findings of this study present support of the view of the transfer of genre-based skills in texts across the curriculum.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Taalkundiges het oor die afgelope jare ‘n doeltreffende, kontekstuele, multidissiplinêre benadering ondersoek tot taalonderwys, gegee die wêreldwye toename in meertalige gemeenskappe. Die studie het die doelwit om die eienskappe van skryf te ondersoek soos wat dit verband hou met genre-gebaseerde geletterdheid in Siswati, as ‘n eerste (huis) taal vir leerders in Suid-Afrika in ‘n meertalige konteks. Die navorsing hou verband met die eienskappe van skryf in Siswati op hoërskoolvlak en die onderrig daarmee geassosieer. In die werklikheid van die onderrig is Engels oorwegend die medium van onderrig in vakke in skole waar die leerlinge hoofsaaklik ‘n Afrikataal soos siSwati as eerste (of huis) taal het, alhoewel Engels ‘n tweede (of addisionele) taal is van die leerders. Gevolglik word leerders slegs in hulle eerste taal onderrig in die taalvak (van die spesifieke Afrikataal) self. In hierdie medium van onderrig situasie (waar leerders se tweede/ addisionele taal gebruik word vir die onderrig van inhoudsvakke) word sowel leerders as onderwysers gekonfronteer met die probleem van onvoldoende tweede taal (Engels) vaardigheid. Volgens die nasionale taalbeleid in Suid-Afrika, behoort alle nasionale tale in Suid-Afrika voorrang te geniet in onderwys. Hierdie studie betoog vir ‘n meertalige benadering in onderwys deur gebruik van die genre-gebaseerde benadering. Aldus, bied hierdie studie ‘n ondersoek van die implementering van teksgenres in die huistaal-klas konteks ten opsigte van die teks-linguistiese kenmerke van verskillende genres in landbouwetenskappe. Die genre-gebaseerde teoretiese raamwerk en verbandhoudende navorsingsmetodologie word ingespan in hierdie studie met betrekking tot hoe die tekslinguistiese vaardighede, onderrig aan siSwati eerstetaalleerders soos opgedoen in die onderrig van hulle huis (of eerste) taal, uitgebrei kan word na inhoudsvakke soos landbouwetenskappe. Die metodologie gebruik in hierdie studie behels die vertaling in Siswati (vanuit Engels) van ses landbouwetenskaptekste vir Graad 12, wat dan ontleed word volgens die sistemiese funksionele linguistiek (SFL) model wat onderliggend is aan die genre-gebaseerde benadering. Die studie ondersoek voorts vraagstukke en uitdagings rakende taalbeleid en –beplanning in onderwys. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie bied ondersteuning van die standpunt van die oordrag van genre-gebaseerde vaardighede in tekste oor die kurrikulum heen.
SiSWATI ABSTRACT: Bongcongcoshe betilimi bebasolo baphenya indlela yefufundzisa lulwimi lesebenta kahle, lohambelana nesimo, nalosebenta etifundvweni tonkhe letiniketwa esikolweni, kulandzela kutsi emhlabeni wonkhe jikelele sibalo semimmango lecuketse tive letehlukene netilimi letehlukene siya ngekukhula. Lombhalo uhlose kucwaninga timphawu letihambelana nelwati kutemfundvo eluhlangotsini lwekubhala ngekusebentisa tinhlobo temibhalo elulwimini lweSiswati, lolululwimi lwemdzabu/lwekucala kulabanye bafundzi eNingizimu neAfrika esimeni lesinetilimi letinyenti. Lombhalo lona ukhatsatwe yindzaba yekubhala kubafundzi belibanga lelisetulu, libanga lelishumi nakubili nendlela lebafundziswa ngayo. Ecinisweni, bafundzi basesimeni lapho khona Singisi sisetjentiswa njengelulwimi lwekufundzisa tonkhe tifundvo letinemtsamo noma ke lulwimi lolusetjentiswa esikolweni etifundvweni tonkhe kantsi phela Singisi akusilo lulwimi lebalumunya ebeleni labafundzi. Ngaleso sizatfu, lulwimi lwemdzabu lwalabafundzi lufundziswa kwangatsi lusifundvo phaca njenge lwati lwendalo yonkhana, isayensi. Esimeni lesinjengalesi bafundzi nabothishela bahlangabetana nebulukhuni ekucudzelaneni nalabanye babe basebentisa Singisi. Ngekubeka kwemitsetfo yetemfundvo eNingizimu neAfrika, tonkhe tilimi letisemtsetfweni letifaka ekhatsi tembuso wase Ningizimu neAfrika, tebachamuki, temdzabu, naletihlanganisa emave ngemave tinelilungelo leliphelele lekusetjentiswa esikolweni. Loku kusetfulo sendlela yekufundzisa leshwambakanya tilimi letinyenti, lesolo ingakacali kusetjentiswa. Kungako lombhalo uhlolisisa kutsi ingasetjentiswa njani indlela yekufundzisa ngetinhlobo temibhalo endlini yekufundzisa. Luhlaka lwemdvwebo wekufundzisa ngetinhlobo temibhalo kanye nendlela lekufundziswa ngayo kunconywe ngu (Christie na Derewianka (2008), (Knapp na Watkins (2005), (Martin na Rose (2008), (Rose na Martin (2012), na (Feez na Joyce (1998). Loluhlaka lubuke kutsi simo sivuma kanganani kutsi bafundzi labaceceshwe eSiswatini basebentise emakhono elulwimi lwemdzabu ekubhaleni etifundvweni letinemtsamo, njenge bhayoloji. . Indlela lelandzelwe ekusebenteni lombhalo ifaka ekhatsi kuhunyushwa kwetinhlobo temibhalo letisitfupha letitsetfwe encwadzini yelwati lwendalo kutekulima yelibanga lelishumi nakubili.Lemibhalo iyahlatiywe ngenhloso yekutfola emasu latfolakala elulwimini lweSiswati labhekene nekusebenta kwelulwimi nakukhulunywa ngekwakhiwa kwemisho, tinhlobo temisho, nekuhlanganiswa kwemisho; emasu lasetjentiswa ekwendluliseni tinkhulumo kubalaleli betigaba letehlukene, kanye nemasu ekuhlanganisa emagama kuze akhe umbhalo lonemcondvo lophelele nalovakalako. Ngetulu kwaloko, lombhalo lona uhlolisisa indzaba yekufundzisa leyengamela tilimi letehlukene kanye nemtsetfo wetemfundvo. Lombhalo wetfula indlela yekucecesha bafundzi ekubekeni imibono nemicabango yabo ephepheni, lekuyindlela lesebenta etifundvweni tonkhe letinemtsamo, letifundziswa etikolweni.Lombhalo futsi uphenculula luphikiswano netinsayeya letihambelana nekusetjentiswa kwendlela yekufundzisa lefaka ekhatsi tilimi letehlukene nemtsetfo wetemfundvo. Imiphumela yaloluphenyo kulesifundvo iniketa siciniseko sebukhona nekusebenta kwemasu lahambelana nendlela yekufundzisa ngekusebentisa tinhlobo temibhalo kulo lonkhe luhlelo lwetifundvo. Loku kugcwalisa inhloso yalombhalo lona.

Submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Arts in the Department of African Languages at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2010.
Lolu lucwaningo loluphatselene nekuvetwa kwesibekandzaba etindzabeni Ta - J.J Ncongwane. Luhleleke ngetehluko letisihlanu Sehluko sekucala: Setfulo selucwaningo Lesehluko siphatselene netinhloso nemkhawulo welucwaningo, tindlela telucwaningo, kuchazwa kwemagama nekutfutfuka kwetindzaba letimfisha tesiSwati. Sehluko sesibil: Indzawo Kulesehluko kwetfulwa indzawo yasemakhaya yasemadolobheni, lesuselwa enhloko,levetwe esihlokweni nalevetwe esingenisweni. Sehluko sesitsatfu: Sikhatsi Kulesehluko kwetfulwa tikhatsi temnyaka, tikhatsi telusuku nemalanga eliviki. Sehluko sesine: Simonhlalo Kulesehluko kuvetwa simonhlalo lesifana nenjabulo, lusizi,buchawe, bucili,kuvana, butsa,kubeketela nekucasuka. Sehluko sesihlanu: Siphetfo Lesehluko siphatselene nesiphetfo ngendzawo,ngesikhatsi, ngesimonhlalo kanye netincomo.

Submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the Department of African Languages at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2005.
Lomsebenti ucwaninga ngekubaluleka kwetangoma nemisebenti yato ekutfutfukiseni lulwimi IwesiSwati. Kulapho kuvela khona kutsi buyini bungoma tutsi bubaluleke ngani emphilweni yesive ngekwemisebenti nangekwelulwimi. Sehlukosekucala setfula tinhloso telucwaningo, indzima noma umkhawulo welucwaningo, tindlela tekucwaninga letiluhlolomibuto (interview) nekufundvwa kwetincwadzi. Imigudvu yelucwaningo i1andzela indlela yemisebenti (Functional approach) nendlela yeluchumano (Communicative approach). Kulapho kuchazwe khona lokushiwo ngemagama lasisekelo salolucwaningo latana nalawa: sangoma, inyanga, lldloti, lugedla, kutfwasa/litfwasa nendumba. 5ehluko sesibili siniketa inchazelo ngalokuphatselene netangoma kusukela ekutfwaseni, timphawu tekutfwasa, kubhoboka kwelidloti, tinhlola, sangoma nebuhlobo, sangoma nemabitongco kanye nemabitomuntfu, sangoma naleminye imikhakha yemphilo, sangoma netinanatelo, sangoma nesitsembu, umtsakatsi, umtembi, sangoma nenhlonipho. Sehluko sesitsatfu setfula tingcikitsi letehlukene tetingoma tetangoma letihlelwe ngalendlela: A. Kufundzisa, kukhutsata nekumisa sibindzi. B. Kubalisa, umbusave nesimo senhlalo. -ivC. Lutsandvo, bunye nelubumbano. D. lnkholo, inkholelo nemlandvo. E. Emandla, inkhani nelunakashelo. Emasu ekwakheka kwetingoma letehlukene acwaningiwe. Sehluko sesine sicwaninga ngetangoma, tihlahla netifo. Kubukwe imitsi leyakhiwe ngetilwane tasendle, ngetilwane tasekhaya, tinyoni netimila letehlukene. Lapha kutsintfwenetinhlobo tetifo letimbalwa letelaphekako nembulalave loseseyinkinga lenkhulu kubelaphi. Sehluko sesihlanu siligcogca Iwalokucwaningiwe. Kulapho kuniketwe tincomo ngekubuka kuhleleka kwelucwaningo, tingoma nelulwimL imitsi nelulwimi kanye netifo nelulwimi. -

This study is an analysis of the nature of possession in siSwati from a socio-cultural perspective. The study seeks to uncover how possession is expressed in siSwati and also the socio-cultural traits of the Swazi people that are revealed through possession. A written corpus was used to collect the requisite data and the relevant data was subsequently analysed. The study adopted systematic functional linguistic and sociolinguistic approaches to analyse the nature of possession in siSwati
African Languages
M. A. (African Languages)

M.A.
This dissertation examines the use of language and its implications on gender relations within the Swazi courts. Starting from the premise that language use is an important guide in understanding gender differences and differences in power between men and women, this dissertation investigates the language used by the different participants in court proceedings of selected court cases, particularly on offences that involve or otherwise touch on assault. The data is based on proceedings in two selected courts, one in Mbabane (an urban court) and the other in Lobamba (a semi urban court). Analysis is strengthened by an array of theories of gender and cultural studies. The major analytical methodology for this study is Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). The study ultimately locates itself within the line of gender studies on cultural influences, examining how lexical choices in linguistic discourses contribute to sustaining or subverting age-old ideas of manhood versus womanhood in Swaziland. The analysis leads to a conclusion that: (a) Women are viewed as docile and unchanging in terms of their interaction in the society. (b) Within the patriarchal Swazi context, the linguistic expectations of “good women” put them at a disadvantage when communicating with men. (c) Traditionalists have to shift from patriarchal values and integration of the Swazi custom with some of the positive ways in life borrowed from education, Christianity and other modernized institutions. If this is enforced then women would cease to be treated as doormats and marginalised by society. This gender imbalance is revealed in situations of contest. It not only draws on, but also engenders the already existing ideologies of strong and knowledgeable men versus weak and ignorant women, in part by muting the latter. This, in the researcher’s view, is worsened by the fact that such linguistic disempowerment takes place within the structures of the State such as the courts, whose authority can easily be mistaken for that of the men who function within them. Put differently, the connotations of power, authority, coercion and fear within the courts are reinforced when one half of participants are disadvantaged by cultural ideologies such as those of linguistic control.

D.Litt. et Phil.
The final objective of this study involves the acquisition of received French pronunciation on the part of native speakers of siSwati. However, considering the sole aspect of phoneticophonological competence in the context of foreign language learning needs to be justified. Hence, we explain which role phonology plays in contemporary linguistics (chapter I). Further, we commit ourselves in chapter II to accommodating foreign language phonology in the framework of contrastive linguistics. This results in testing the development of foreign language pronunciation against the contrastive analysis hypothesis. To support this, we evaluate the degree to which L2 learners inherit the well-established phonological representation of Ll in their attempt to communicate in a foreign language. Secondly, we are convinced that it is needful to consider the way in which our learners decode phonological intelligibility into observable phonetic facts. This leads us to analyse the physioacoustic "surface" features of our learners' basis of articulation. Accordingly, we justify why the analysis and comparison of the phonological systems involved are to be complemented by experimental analyses of the recorded speech data. The formant tracking of the vowels and selected spectrographic analyses of the consonants in chapters IV, V and VI allow us to show to what extent the phonological abstract of the languages involved are decoded differently according to the respective bases of articulation. To achieve this, we rely on adequate experimental analyses and 'statistical tests. The first Part of chapter V identifies and compares the vowel qualities of the two languages by means of their first two formants, while the second part investigates the spectrographic differences between the siSwati and French consonant charts. To become familiar with the physio-acoustic characteristics of the target language, we introduce the French articulatory setting in chapter VII. Turning to the final aim of our contrastive and corrective undertaking, we need to select the most beneficial method of diagnosing the characteristics of our learners' foreign accent. Moreover, we design corrective strategies that will help our learners attain faithful speech performance in the targetlanguage community. Therefore, chapter III assesses the extent to which the verbo-tonal method of corrective phonetics can be instrumental in overcoming siSwati-induced French. Further, the error analysis of the recorded interlanguage discourse results in designing ad hoc corrective strategies to be implemented (chapter VIII).

This thesis is a comparative study of Pai and Swati. The Pai language is spoken in the easten1 parts of the Mpumalanga Province of the Republic of South Africa. The study concentrates on the correspondences and differences of the speech sounds of these two languages and reference is also made to the morphology. The previous comprehensive work on Pai was by Ziervogel (1956) where he classified the Pai language as one of the three dialects of Eastern Sotho. He also considered the Swati elements present in Pai to be merely borrowings. The present investigation into the history of the Pai people indicates that Pai may have had links with languages other than those belonging to the Sotho group and, from the evidence, an Nguni connection has become a distinct possibility. The speech sounds of Pai are described in detail in chapter two and corresponding speech sounds in Swati are included. The vowels of both languages receive special attention because Pai apparently has a seven-vowel system and Swati a five-vowel system. The corresponding consonants in these two languages soon points towards a relationship that is based on more than just borrowed items. In chapter three the Ur-Bantu sounds of Meinhof and their reflexes in Swati and Pai are described and compared. The wide variety of attestations in Pai and the instability of some phonemes are indicative of a language that has been subjected to many outside influences and that is at the moment in a state of flux. In chapter four some aspects of the morphology are described in order to highlight the peculiar characteristics of Pai as an individual language. The relationship with Swati is again emphasized by the findings in this chapter. A statistical analysis of the speech sounds of Pai and Swati in chapter five indicates that an Nguni core of sounds exists that is shared by both these languages. A re-classification of Pai within the language context of that area may therefore be necessary.
African Languages
D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

This research work has several aims, demanded by a number of external and internal factors. First of all, it aims to identify Lala: whether it is simply a dialect of Tekela- Nguni, or perhaps the substratum Bantu language spoken in the eastern parts of Southern Africa since the fourth century of the first millennium A.D. on which every new migratory wave imposed its language (chapters one and two). The lexical-statistical method has been attempted (chapter three), but with mixed results. In fact, relexification is widely used in southern African societies, and this renders the identification of the core vocabulary a very difficult task. The result is that all that can be said is that Lala indeed shows the characteristics of a Tekela-Nguni language, but it is impossible to determine at this stage whether Lala is the mother or the daughter of Tekela. Another important aim, dictated by an earlier research by Wilkes (1981 ), was to compare the two main branches of Lala, called North and South Lala, to prove whether the differences between the two dialects are so wide as to justify a division into two separate entities or not. Here the verdict is emphatically negative. In fact the various stages of the research abundantly re-affirm the view that Lala is one language, with only marginal differences caused by the different linguistic environments: Zulu in the north and IsiZansi in the south. African societies in this part of the world have affirmed themselves in the realm of the written word only recently, i.e. during the last 150 years or so. The background culture of these societies is still vigorously oral, and this means that the spoken word is used for much more than simple communication of thought and feeling. Language is felt as the major binding element in a society that has seen constant political break-ups, upheavals, migrations, wars, attempted exterminations. This means that Lala, as a language or the dominant dialect of a group, is banded about as a cultural-historical flag around which people are proud to gather. This sense of unity is an emotion, a feeling, rather than a deep reality. The colours of the flag, or the distinguishing elements of the language, may be fading away, and only a core might be preserved. But this is quite enough to kindle emotions and to rally people. At least in areas where people are still proud of their cultural heritage. hnicity and language should not be the same, but most of the people interviewed (cf chapter two) felt very strongly that they were Lalas because they spoke Lala; and that they spoke Lala because they are Lalas. Their either glorious or sad histories are recorded in chapter two to demonstrate how Shaka's wars, and the Mfecane, forced them to leave their homeland and to migrate. The trauma of this latest migration is still felt so strongly that it is often superimposed and confused with the great migrations from Central and Western Africa that took place in mythological times, or very long ago. But through their histories, they keep alive their memories and the certainty of the unity of the Lala nation, even though it is now spread from Kranskop to Harding and IZingolweni. Chapter four examines the phonetics and phonology of the two Lala dialects in the context of Swati and Zulu. Lala is a Tekela dialect indeed, but with its own phonetic and phonological peculiarities. The same can be said with regard to the research exposed in chapter five, on the morphology of Lala compared to Swati and Zulu. The grammatical system among the three languages is extremely similar, and there is hardly any substantial difference between North and South Lala. This can also be said with regard to tonology (chapter six) The last chapter reflects on what has been achieved. The ancient Lala language, about which James Stuart stated in the 1920's that it was nearly extinct, is proving very strong and resilient. Possibly the very dynamism experienced in its ability to adapt to the colonial languages and the new material culture by assimilating many foreign lexical items, and that South Lala has adopted many words from IsiZansi, is proof that Lala has got a life of its own that cannot be taken for granted, nor extinguished. The more one is able to study the local languages, the more one dusts up some ancient treasure that needs to be admired and constantly re-valued. The functional word here is 'treasure': because all languages, as carriers of culture, are a treasure that together form the mosaic of our beautiful "Rainbow Nation".
African Languages
D.Litt et Phil.

This thesis investigates the use of metaphorical language in The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. Vivekananda is one of the most influential modern-day Hindu scholars, and his interpretation of the ancient Hindu scriptural lore is very significant. Vivekananda’s influence was part of the motivation for choosing his Complete Works as the empirical domain for the current study. Vivekananda’s Complete Works were mined using AntConc, for water-related terms which seemed to have a predilection for metaphoricity. Which terms to search for specifically was determined after a manual reading of a sample from the Complete Works. The data was then tagged, using a convention inspired by the well-known MIPVU procedure for metaphor identification. Thereafter, a representative sample of the data was chosen, and the metaphors were mapped and analysed thematically. This study had as its main aim to investigate whether Hindu religious discourse uses metaphors to explain abstract religious concepts, and if so, whether this happens in the same way as in Judaeo-Christian traditions. Furthermore, following Jäkel (2002), a set of sub-hypotheses pertaining to ubiquity, domains, models, unidirectionality, invariance, necessity, creativity and focussing is assessed. Key findings in this study include a general confirmation of the above-mentioned hypotheses, with the exception of ‘invariance’, which proved to be somewhat contentious. The data allowed for the postulation of underlying conceptual metaphors, which differed somewhat from the metaphors used in traditional Judaeo-Christian philosophy.
Linguistics and Modern Languages
D. Litt. et Phil. (Linguistics)