African language varieties at Baragwanath hospital : a sociolinguistic analysis.

The initial purpose of this study was to describe and analyse the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital. This was seen as a microcosm of the language situation in urban South Africa. As such, this study set out to identify problems and offer suggestions in resolving the difficulties experienced in communication in this hospital as well as in other medical institutions in the rest of the country. Before attempting such an investigation, a sound theoretical framework had to be established. In order to gain familiarity with the research field, concepts on sociolinguistics had to be researched and described. In order to apply particular concepts to the situation under investigation, the concepts had to be defined and interpreted first. This study has made a contribution to the theoretical debate regarding various sociolinguistic concepts, in that it has shown how these concepts apply to the South African situation. The next step in the research process involved making a decision about which method would be most appropriate for collecting data. Therefore, various approaches were investigated in order to find the appropriate one. The techniques of data collection and the recruitment of respondents had to be refined before the main data collection process could begin. Then began the journey of discovery. The detailed description of the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital presented in chapter 3 forms the crux of this study. This is the first time that such a comprehensive, qualitative description of the entire language situation in this hospital has been done. An appropriate method for data analysis had to be devised. This entailed various levels of analysis and interpretation. A description of the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital would have been incomplete without presenting a few of the various scenarios that took place in this hospital. Many important conclusions were reached during the course of the research. The most important of these were: 1. A huge communication problem exists at Baragwanath Hospital. 2. Either interpreters will have to be hired to overcome this problem; or nurses will have to be paid more for their interpreting services.African LanguagesD. Litt. et Phil

Semantic Annotation and Search: Bridging the Gap between Text, Knowledge and Language

In recent years, the ever-increasing quantities of entities in large knowledge bases on the Web, such as DBpedia, Freebase and YAGO, pose new challenges but at the same time open up new opportunities for intelligent information access. These knowledge bases (KBs) have become valuable resources in many research areas, such as natural language processing (NLP) and information retrieval (IR). Recently, almost every major commercial Web search engine has incorporated entities into their search process, including Google’s Knowledge Graph, Yahoo!’s Web of Objects and Microsoft’s Satori Graph/Bing Snapshots. The goal is to bridge the semantic gap between natural language text and formalized knowledge. Within the context of globalization, multilingual and cross-lingual access to information has emerged as an issue of major interest. Nowadays, more and more people from different countries are connecting to the Internet, in particular the Web, and many users can understand more than one language. While the diversity of languages on the Web has been growing, for most people there is still very little content in their native language. As a consequence of the ability to understand more than one language, users are also interested in Web content in other languages than their mother tongue. There is an impending need for technologies that can help in overcoming the language barrier for multilingual and cross-lingual information access. In this thesis, we face the overall research question of how to allow for semantic-aware and cross-lingual processing of Web documents and user queries by leveraging knowledge bases. With the goal of addressing this complex problem, we provide the following solutions: (1) semantic annotation for addressing the semantic gap between Web documents and knowledge; (2) semantic search for coping with the semantic gap between keyword queries and knowledge; (3) the exploitation of cross-lingual semantics for overcoming the language barrier between natural language expressions (i.e., keyword queries and Web documents) and knowledge for enabling cross-lingual semantic annotation and search. We evaluated these solutions and the results showed advances beyond the state-of-the-art. In addition, we implemented a framework of cross-lingual semantic annotation and search, which has been widely used for cross-lingual processing of media content in the context of our research projects

The forms, functions and techniques of Xhosa humour

Bibliography: pages 259-274.In this thesis I examine the way in which Xhosa speakers create humour, what forms (e.g. satire, irony, punning, parody) they favour in both oral and textual literature, and the genres in which these forms are delivered and executed. The functions of Xhosa humour, both during and after apartheid, are examined, as is its role in challenging, contesting and reaffirming traditional notions of society and culture. The particular techniques Xhosa comedians and comic writers use in order to elicit humour are explored with specific reference to the way in which the phonological complexity of this language is exploited for humorous effect. Oral literature sources include collections of praise poems, folktales and proverbs, while anecdotal humour is drawn from recent interviews conducted with domestic workers. My analysis of humour in literary texts initially focuses on the classic works of G.B. Sinxo and S.M. Burns-Ncamashe, and then goes on to refer to contemporary works such as those of P.T. Mtuze. The study on the techniques of Xhosa humour uses as its theoretical base Walter Nash's The language of humour (1985), while that on the functions of Xhosa humour owes much to the work of sociologists such as Michael Mulkay and Chris Powell and George E.C. Paton. The study reveals the fact that Xhosa oral humour is personal and playful - at times obscene - but can also be critical. In texts it explores the comedy of characters as well as the irony of socio-political realities. In both oral and textual discourses the phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics of Xhosa are exploited to create a humour which is richly patterned and finely crafted. In South Africa humour often served to liberate people from the oppressive atmosphere of apartheid. At the same time humour has always had a stabilizing role in Xhosa cultural life, providing a means of controlling deviants and misfits

The cultural and linguistic appropriateness of the individual scale for Zulu-speaking pupils : a Bakhtinian analysis.

Master of Social Science in Educational Psychology. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2016.The context of psychological practices in South Africa is changing, particularly the assessment practices. A change in ways of understanding intellectual functioning has transpired within culturally and linguistically diverse contexts, initiating an evaluation of intelligence measures. South African policies and laws relevant to the practice of psychologists have been passed with an aim to ensure equitable and fair assessment practices for all children. Evaluating psychological tests is of significant importance as psychologists are ethically bound to periodically examine the contextual relevance of the assessment tools they use. This study was undertaken to qualitatively evaluate the cultural and linguistic appropriateness of the Individual Scale for Zulu-Speaking Pupils (ISZSP). The study adopted a triangulated descriptive-interpretive qualitative research design within a social constructionist paradigm. Bakhtinian dialogism was employed as a theoretical and methodological framework for this study, focusing on the relational and dialogic nature of human existence. Twenty-two isiZulu-speaking participants were recruited within the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Ten participants were practicing psychologists who have used the ISZSP in their practice; and 12 participants were isiZulu-speaking learners within the age range of 9 years to 19 years, 11 months. The data were collected in the form of expert review reports written by psychologists and in the form of audio-visual recordings of learners being assessed using the ISZSP. Contextualized content analysis and conversation analysis were employed to analyse data, applying the principles of Bakhtinian dialogism. The findings reveal that psychological assessment is dialogic in nature, however, the conventional static approach to assessment prevents the process to take this form. The study argues the ISZSP needs to be revised in a manner that permits the social negotiation and co-construction of knowledge during the assessment process, as human existence and all human functioning is dialogical. The findings indicate that the ISZSP presents with numerous challenges because it does not accommodate social and regional variations of isiZulu. These challenges seem to stem mainly from the archaic nature of the language of the ISZSP. To remedy this, psychologists have resorted to dynamic assessment and bilingual administration of the ISZSP. The psychologists seem to shy away from their ethical obligation to evaluate the ISZSP and to document mechanisms that have been instrumental in addressing these challenges. These findings have implications for theory, policy and practice that call for a large-scale revision of the ISZSP, constructing it as a tool that would be culturally and linguistically appropriate for the population it was intended for

Investigating politeness among IsiZulu mother tongue and non-mother tongue speakers in higher education open distance learning environment

This study aims to explore politeness shown by lecturers during tuition and student support conversations with the objective of promoting polite interactions between IsiZulu mother tongue and non-mother tongue speakers in higher education in South Africa. In particular, the study investigates the way in which politeness in email communication influences learning outcomes within an ODL environment, using quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, a questionnaire as well as interviews to collect data from a cross-section of students from an Open Distance Learning (ODL) institution. All the results drawn from the data sources, namely the questionnaires and interviews, were enumerated according to the data collection tools used. Version 12 of SPSS and Nvivo were used to analyse the quantitative data. The analysis is also based on the politeness strategies of Brown and Levinson (1978) as well as a conceptual framework that links all the variables. Based on the results, the research hypotheses are accepted, thus indicating that politeness in email communication influences learning outcomes within an ODL environment. In particular, the results show that, overall, lecturers who employ politeness contribute positively to student compliance. Accordingly, the study recommends that ODL should recognise both the role of language in communication as well as the power and influence of politeness in communication.African LanguagesD. Litt. et Phil

The feasibility of Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry in the Limpopo and Gauteng provinces

The main objectives of this study are to investigate the feasibility of using Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry and to determine the extent to which the environment favours the use of Northern Sotho as a language of marketing, advertising, business and acquiring entrepreneurial skills. The investigation is characterised by a two-pronged approach to data collection: a questionnaire survey and focus group interviews. A wealth of data was produced by these means. The data from the first phase were captured and decoded in categories set out in frequency tables. The categories were reduced to thematic constructs. Data from the second phase were captured and encoded in transcripts that were later decoded and reduced to themes, categories and sub-categories. The identified themes are consolidated as follows: · The exclusive hegemonic use of English or Afrikaans as a communication barrier to non-native speakers of these languages in commerce and industry · Socio-economic background of respondents · Existence of language policies for workers in commerce and industry · Dispositions of mother-tongue speakers of Northern Sotho and other languages towards the prospective development and use of Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry · Feasibility of developing Northern Sotho lexicography and terminology for the purposes of commerce and industry. The question here is: How does one determine feasibility? Before this issue could be addressed another important and sensitive matter had to be considered: to determine whether native speakers of Northern Sotho and the other South African languages are favourably disposed towards the prospective development and use of Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry. A negligible percentage of respondents expressed negative sentiments in this regard (cf. outcomes of focus group interviews). A distinct majority (64,7%) of respondents who filled in questionnaires was not favourably disposed but a significant minority (35,3%) was positive. However, it should be noted that the questionnaire was not designed to reveal explicit allegiances; hence responses in this regard are somewhat open to interpretation. The first step towards determining the feasibility of developing and using Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry was to determine the current situation in this regard. English and Afrikaans were naturally found to be dominant in commerce and industry while Northern Sotho was used among friends and colleagues in informal situations. Only 3% of the respondents to the questionnaire survey indicated that they used Northern Sotho for transactional purposes in commercial and industrial settings, while 46,8% reported using a smattering of Northern Sotho in a variety of situations. The second step was to determine the effects that could be expected on the current hegemonic use of English or Afrikaans as languages of commerce and industry. Most respondents reported that a lack of proficiency in English prevented them from performing well in their jobs in commerce and industry and some reported that it had been a significant impediment to their efforts to secure employment. In most instances they had no option but to use English to interact with potential employers because it was the only language in common use in commercial and industrial settings. The third step was to determine whether the respondents were proficient in Northern Sotho. It transpired that 68% of them had no command of the language while some reported that they were still learning it. This could be the contingent of 17,8% referred to above since 50,2% reported that they never use Northern Sotho for purposes relating to commerce and industry. The fourth step was to look for a model of language acquisition that would suit the communication needs of anyone who wished to acquire a command of Northern Sotho for use in commerce and industry. Models have been discussed and one has been recommended. The researcher also conducted a survey to establish the extent to which language policy documents exist in commerce and industry. The results of the questionnaire survey revealed that 42 of the 201 respondents are familiar with the language policy or language practice of the company at their place of work. This was in contrast to all the respondents (in the focus group interviews) who seemed to be unaware of the existence of such policies at their places of work. The need to develop and extend targeted/dedicated lexicographic and terminological resources for the use of Northern Sotho in commerce and industry was also identified.Prof. L. C. Posthumu

Umoya wamagama (The spirit of the word)

This thesis entitled Umoya Wamagama endeavors to establish the nature of the relationship between IsiZulu and Haitian Kreyòl. As a member of the Nguni group, IsiZulu is spoken by Africans. On the other side, Kreyòl is spoken by African descendants of Haiti, the world's first Black independent Republic. Viewed from a multidisciplinary perspective, these two languages exhibit a significant relationship, hence this important observation: IsiZulu- Haitian Krèyol: So Close, Yet So Far! In other words, they are far from a linguistic point of view but close from a psycho-theological perspective. * So Far: Comparative linguistics shows that Kreyòl is genetically related to French and Latin. * So Close: Born in Haiti during the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, Kreyòl keeps alive the spirit of the African ancestors and still contains linguistic roots of ancestral languages. Vital and vibrant is this historical relatedness linking the two languages. While Haitian Kreyòl is genetically related to French and Latin, it shares with IsiZulu an ancestral psychodynamic and theological paradigms deeply rooted in Ubuntu. Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. These words crystallize the essence of Ubuntu. Its psychological and theological study transcends the literal language. In that regard Umoya Wamagama refers to both literal and figurative linguistic expressions. The emphasis however is more on the words which connote additional layers of meaning rather than those which simply denote their meanings. The method used in this thesis is comparative, descriptive, investigative, analytic and exegetic when necessary. Providing evidence of linguistic relationships, the comparative and analytic approach then embraces the semantic field of IsiZulu-Kreyòl as a significant psycholexicology where explanations puts an emphasis on the meaning and the spirit of the words. Siye ngomoya wamagama. Hence, the core question of addressing the psychological and theological dimensions of this research which is based on a multidisciplinary approach. After 500 years, in the wake of European colonial expansion, the Spirit of the African slaves is still alive in the psyche and the language of the Haitian people. As we said above: Yize isiKreyòl saseHaiti sifuze nesiFulentshi nesiLatini, sabelana nesiZulu ngokwemisuka nangokwezimiso zezinkolelo okunezimpande ezijulile emfundisweni yobuntu. IsiZulu and Kreyòl are related through an ancestral psychodynamic and theological paradigms rooted in Ubuntu.African LanguagesD. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages

The impact of industrial agrarian policies on soils: experiences of small-scale farmers in the rural Eastern Cape

After the end of legislated apartheid, the South African government changed old policies that had been driven by segregation against the black majority. Black small-scale farmers in rural areas were encouraged to join commercial agriculture to capitalise on state subsidies and support. Municipalities including Buffalo City Metropolitan, Great Kei, Amathole and others in the Eastern Cape, in collaboration with the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture and agro industry, introduced programmes such as the Massive Food Production Programme and the current Cropping Project to support rural farmers and to reduce poverty in the province. The initiatives included the introduction of genetically modified maize seeds, chemical fertilisers, chemical herbicides, and pesticides, as well as herbicide-resistant and pest-resistant crops. However, joining state-funded initiatives meant farmers had to give up the farming practices and knowledge systems that had sustained them for years, and they lost the kinship they had built with the local soil and its organisms. By kinship I am referring to a symbiotic relationship that does not separate nature from society, a relationship that is mutualistic and in which there is no mastery of one party over the other. Working with rural Eastern Cape small-scale farmers who participated in these programmes, this study employs a multidisciplinary approach to understand the changing agricultural landscape in rural South Africa, focusing on the consequences of state-funded programmes on local soil knowledge in the context of current Eastern Cape industrial agrarian policies. Navigating from small-scale farmers' voices, remote sensing technology, history, African environmentalism, soil science and the human psyche, the study examines what happens when corporations and the government encroach on traditional and small-scale agriculture. This integrative research methodology of the Environmental Humanities, framed from the Global South, compels us to reconceptualise our relationship with nature. The study argues that while agro-industrial technologies can be used with existing local practices to assist farmers, they should never be introduced as a replacement for existing local knowledge of soil fertility. Moreover, where policies focus on the financialisation of the agrarian economy, such policies risk benefitting agrobusinesses instead of poor, small-scale farmers. If policies intended to stimulate rural development are to be effective, the needs of rural small-scale farmers must be taken into consideration when such policies are initiated