Academic literature on the topic 'Tsonga language'

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores selected motion verbs in Xitsonga within the framework of lexical sementics postulated by Pustejovsky (1995). This study examines the polysemy of the respective selected motion verbs in sentences with various noun subject types in Xitsonga. The motion verbs examined are: -~ (go), -@_ (come), -famba (go away), -baleka (run away), -kasa (crawl), -khandziya (climb up) and -gonya (ascend). Syntactically, these verbs occur in example sentences as evidenced below: The subject NP is [human] Sipho u ya ekaya hi milenge. Sipho is going home on foot. The subject NP is [inanimate] Tafuia ri tile exikolweni hi movha. The table is delivered at school by car. The subject NP is [weather noun] : Mpfula yi fambile etikweni. The rain has stopped in the country. Nkwangulatilo wu khandziya entshaveni. Rainbow climbs up to the mountain. Moya wo kasa. The wind is blowing slowly. The subject NP is [concrete noun]: Vuswa byi fambile emasin'wini. Food is carried to the field. Mugayo wu gonyile emakete. Maize meal is expensive in the market. The subject NP is [abstract noun] : Rivengo ri fambile eka vanhu. Hatred has ended from people. The subject NP is [natural phenomenon] Dyambu ri balekile emapapeni. The sun is very hot in the sky. The study explores the selected motion verbs and establishes the specific properties of selection restrictions, assignment of arguments as well as the event structure or sentences with the motion verbs. Lastly, the lexical conceptual paradigm is examined in order to determine the different senses or meanings of the motion verbs.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek geselekteerde bewegingswerkwoorde in Xitstonga binne die raamwerk van die leksikale semantiek ontwikkel deur Pustejovsky (1995). Die studie ondersoek die polisemie van die onderskeie bewegingswerkwoorde in sinne met verskillende onderwerp tipes in Xitsonga. Die bewegingswerkswoorde wat ondersoek word is: -Y.ê_ (gaan), -ta (kom), -famba (weggaan), -baleka (hardloop), -kasa (kruip), -khandziya (klim) and -gonya (daai) .. Hierdie werkwoorde verskyn sintakties in voorbeelde soos hier onder geillustreer: Die subjek NP is [mens] Sipho u ya ekaya hi milenge. Sipho gaan huis toe per voet. Die subjek NP is [nie-lewend] Tafuia ri tile exikolweni hi movha. Die tafel gaan na die skool per motor, d.i. die tafel word per motor afgelewer by die skool. Die subjek NP is [weer naamwoord]: Mpfula yi fambile etikweni. Die reën het weggegaan (gestop) in die land Nkwangulatilo wu khandziya entshaveni. Die reënboog klim teen die berg op. Moya wo kasa. Die wind kruip, d.i. waai stadig Die subjek NP is [konkrete naamwoord]: Vuswa byi fambile emasin'wini. Kos het gegaan (is geneem) na die land Mugayo wu gonyile emakete. Mieliemeel het gestyg in die mark Die subjek NP is [abstrakte naamwoord]:Rivengo ri fambile eka vanhu. Haat het geëindig by mense Die subjek NP is [natural phenomenon] Dyambu ri balekile emapapeni. Die son het weggehardloop uit die lug, d.i. dit is baie warm. Die studie ondersoek die geselekteerde bewegingswerkwoorde en stel vas wat die spesifieke eienskappe is van seleksiebeperkings, toekenning van argumente en die gebeurtenis struktuur van sinne met die bewegingswerkwoorde. Laastens word die leksikale konseptueie paradigma ondersoek ten einde die verskillende betekenisonderskeidings van die bewegingswerkwoorde vas te stel.

Thesis (DLitt)--Stellenbosch University, 2004.<br>Full text to be digitised and attached to bibliographic record.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the morpho-syntactic and semantic properties, specifically tense and aspectual properties, of deficient verbs in Xitsonga. Various properties of deficient verbs have given rise to a distinction in verbal categories. Among these a range of features are explored in the study with the aim of establishing whether they playa significant role in relevant linguistic questions: The research on the deficient verb involves questions from three theoretical areas, namely Syntax, Morphology and Semantics. Deficient verbs in Xitsonga and related African languages are generally subcategorized for a clausal complement as illustrated in the following example: [a-hi-hamba [hi-rima laha]] [We-did-usually [plough here]] In the above sentence the deficient verb is hamba and it is followed by a compulsory clause as complement. The main properties of deficient verbs explored in this study relate to the following phenomena: • The deficient verb determines the selection of the mood in Inflection of the clausal complement. • The clausal complement of a deficient verb must have compulsory agreement of its subject with the subject of the matrix clause. • The deficient verbs lack the property which is characteristic of the autonomous verbs i.e. that they may be extended by derivative affixes such as the applicative or causative. • Deficient verbs have distinctive semantic features which are related to two inflectional categories, i.e. aspect and tense. This study concludes that the deficient verbs may express several meanings, including meanings related to duration, habitual, frequentative, progressive, obligative, manner, continuative, concessive and completive.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die sintaktiese en semantiese, in die besonder die tydvorm- en aspek-eienskappe van hulpwerkwoorde in Xitsonga. 'n Verskeidenheid kenmerke van hulpwerkwoorde het daartoe aanleiding gegee dat 'n onderskeid getref word ten opsigte van werkwoordkategorieë. Hieronder word 'n verskeidenheid kenmerke ondersoek ten einde vas te stelof dit 'n beduidende rol speel in relevante linguistiese vrae. Die navorsing van hierdie studie behels vrae vanuit drie teoretiese velde, naamlik die morfologie, sintaksis, en semantiek. Hulpwerkwoorde in Xitsonga en verwante Afrikatale word gesubkategoriseer vir 'n sinskomplement, soos geïllustreer in die volgende voorbeeld: [A-hi-hamba [hi-rima laha]] [Ons het gewoonlik [ons ploeg hier]], d.i. ons het gewoonlik hier geploeg In die bogenoemde sin is hamba die hulpwerkwoord en dit word gevolg deur 'n verpligte sinskomplement. Die sentrale kenmerke van hulpwerkwoorde wat in hierdie studie ondersoek word hou verband met die volgende verskynsels: • Die hulpwerkwoord bepaal die seleksie van modus in die Infleksie van die sinskomplement. • Die sinskomplement van 'n hulpwerkwoord moet verpligte kongruensie toon van die subjek daarvan met die subjek van die matriksin. • Die hulpwerkwoord kort die eienskap wat kenmerkend is van outonome werkwoorde, naamlik, dat hulle afleidingsuffikse kan neem, soos die applikatief -el- en die kousatief -is. • Hulpwerkwoorde het onderskeidende semantiese kenmerke wat verband hou met twee infleksie kategorieë, nl. aspek en tydvorm. Die studie kon tot die gevolgtrekking dat hulpwerkwoorde 'n verskeidenheid betekennis kan uitdruk, insluitende betekenisse wat verband hou met tydsduur, habitueel, frekwentatief, progressief, verpligting, wyse, voortdurendheid, toegewing en kompletief.

Thesis (M.A. (Translation studies and Lingustics)) --University of Limpopo, 2015<br>The aim of this study is to investigate ambiguity in Xitsonga. There are many kinds of ambiguity, but the study mainly focuses on lexical and structural ambiguity. Lexical ambiguity occurs at word level and is caused by homonyms (homophones and homographs) and polysemes. Structural ambiguity occurs at sentence level. This kind of ambiguity manifests in the structure of the sentence itself. Data were collected through self-observation as a native Xitsonga speaker. Words and sentences with multiple meanings in Xitsonga were listed and tree diagrams were used to illustrate and disambiguate ambiguity. The study reveals that, like other languages, Xitsonga has words and sentences with double or many meanings. KEYWORDS AMBIGUITY, LEXICAL AMBIGUITY, STRUCTURAL AMBIGUITY, HOMONYM, HOMOPHONES, HOMOGRAPHS, POLYSEMES.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The break and bend verbs in Xitsonga forms part of the larger verb class of verbs of change of state. Such verbs show two events, i.e. a process and a transition. These verbs have been investigated in Xitsonga with regard to the following properties: the syntactic categories within which they may appear, the levels of representation within lexical semantics and their semantic features. The break verbs in Xitsonga appear in three syntactic categories, i.e. transitive verbs, verbal roots with transitive and intransitive suffixes and ideophones, which may appear as derived verbs with transitive and intransitive suffixes. The bend verbs appear only as transitive or intransitive verbs, but they may have a shadow argument with the phrase [hi NP] which gives rise to instrument-subject alternation. Most of the bend verbs may also appear in structures with inalienable possession. The break verbs have five semantic features: break, split and crack, smash and crush, demolish, tear. The bend verbs have six semantic features: bend, bend or fold, bend or twist, be crooked, lean over, kneel. The break verbs, which may also appear, as ideophones are clear examples of ergative verbs in Xitsonga. Such verbs denote a change of state and they occur as both transitive and intransitive verbs.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die breek- en buigwerkwoorde in Xitsonga vorm deel van die groter klas van werkwoorde, bekend as verandering-van-toestand ('change-of-state') werkwoorde. Hierdie soort werkwoorde vertoon twee tipes gebeure ('events'), naamlik proses en oorgang ('transition'). Hierdie werkwoorde word vir Xitsonga ondersoek met betrekking tot die volgende eienskappe: die sintaktiese kategorieë waarin hulle mag verskyn, die vlakke van representasie in die leksikale semantiek, en die semantiese kenmerke van hierdie werkwoorde. Breekwerkwoorde in Xitsonga verskyn in drie sintaktiese kategorieë, naamlik transitiewe werkwoorde, werkwoordstamme met transitiewe en intransitiewe suffikse, en ideofone, wat as afgeleide werkwoorde met transitiewe en intransitiewe suffikse mag verskyn. Die buigwerkwoorde mag slegs as transitiewe of intransitiewe werkwoorde verskyn, maar hulle mag 'n skadu-argument neem met die frase [hi NP], wat die instrument-subjek alternasie kan realiseer. Die meeste buigwerkwoorde kan ook in strukture verskyn wat onvervreembare besit illustreer. Die breekwerkwoorde het vyf semantiese kenmerke: breek, kloof, kraak, slaan en druk, verwoes en skeur. Die buigwerkwoorde het ses semantiese kenmerke: buig, vou, draai, gebuig wees, oorleen en kniel. Die breekwerkwoorde, kan ook as ergatiewe werkwoorde verskyn in Xitsonga. Sulke werkwoorde dui verandering-van-toestand aan, en hulle mag as beide transitiewe en intransitiewe werkwoorde verskyn.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Educational Psychology)) --University of Limpopo, 2012<br>This research project was an endeavor to investigate the effects of the languages of instruction (English and Shona), to teach Tsonga (Shangani) speaking children in Chiredzi district of Zimbabwe. Because of the nature of the study, a mixed method design was used where both qualitative and quantitative methods were adopted to study the performance of the Tsonga (Shangani) minority language speaking learners in five purposively sampled schools. 222 learners participated in the study. The main aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the language instruction in teaching Tsonga (Shangani) speaking Grade Seven children in Environmental Science. In fact, the researcher was interested in finding out whether teaching learners in a foreign language was a bridge or barrier to learning. In this case, the research did not only look at the effect of using English for instructional purposes, but also investigated how other major or dominant indigenous languages which are used for instructional purposes affect the performance of minority language speaking children in Chiredzi district of Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected using lesson observation, document analysis, the questionnaire and a knowledge test. In this case, fifteen lessons were observed. Fifteen Tsonga (Shangani) speaking Grade Seven learners per school were purposively selected and taught in Tsonga (Shangani) only and the other fifteen Shona speaking Grade Seven children per school were also purposively selected and taught the same topic in Shona, and a third group of fifteen Grade Seven learners per school, were randomly selected and taught in English only. A knowledge test was given to each group thereafter. Children from each language condition were allowed to answer questions in their home languages, except for the third group which was taught in English. This group answered the questions in English with the restricted use of Shona. Each of the test results from the knowledge tests were analysed using a One Way Anova of Variance (ANOVA) and conclusions drawn. The results from other data collection instruments were analysed using qualitative methods like narrative discussions of data. A sample of five learners per school had their exercise books analysed. Data were presented in tables. The results from the knowledge tests given showed a significant difference in the mean marks obtained from the three groups (the Shangani, Shona and English group). The result showed that language has a significant influence on the performance of learners since the p – value was 0.000. This implies that the performance of learners between the three groups is significantly different. On the basis of these observations, the Null hypothesis was rejected. The same picture was also shown in document analysis and in the questionnaires. Consequently,conclusions were drawn and recommendations made.

Thesis (M.A. (Translation studies and linguistics)) --University of Limpopo, 2010.<br>This dissertation endeavours to examine the causes of the marginalisation of Xitsonga in South Africa. The study has identified several factors that play a role in the marginalisation of Xitsonga. Some of these factors are inadequate promotion of Xitsonga by State Institutions and the negative attitude that Xitsonga speakers have against their language. In spite of these unfavourable conditions, the study has shown that several measures can be undertaken in order to strengthen Xitsonga as a language. Some of these measures are that Xitsonga must be offered as a subject at school and at tertiary level. Books and newspapers must be written in Xitsonga, to mention but a few. Lastly, the study highlights the fact that the existence of Xitsonga will be determined by its speakers. If they are willing to promote and support it there is no doubt that Xitsonga will exist for a long time to come.