The transliteration principle: is this the best procedure in African language lexicography and terminology?

The creation of target language equivalents in bilingual dictionaries have always been a challenge to both lexicographers and terminologists. Lexicographers, terminologists, subject specialists and linguists face a challenging task of supplying term equivalents for foreign international languages. The lack of a sufficient technical vocabulary in the African languages poses challenges to lexicographers and terminologists when supplying technical equivalents. They often regard transliteration as the quickest lexicographical and terminological procedure without taking the practical demands of users into account. This impedes the optimal retrieval of semantic information by the target users of dictionaries. This article discusses possible reasons why transliteration should not be regarded as the first but the last resort in lexicography and terminology. It proposes different lexicographical and terminological procedures lexicographers and terminologists can use to supply accurate and appropriate translation equivalents without making excessive use of transliteration. In this way a scientific language will develop which could assist users to communicate successfully in the mother tongue. Keywords: terms, term equivalents, terminologists, subject specialists, linguists, international languages, international scientific languages, underdeveloped languages, transliteration, terminological principle, translation equivalents, semantic information, borrowing, target language

The lexicographic treatment of sublexical and multilexical items in a northern Sotho monolingual dictionary: a challenge for lexicographers

Dictionaries have in the past used a word-based approach in which sublexical and multilexical items were not regarded as lemmata. Metalexicography as the theoretical component of lexicography requires that sublexical and multilexical items be lemmatized and treated as inde-pendent lemmata in the macrostructure of dictionaries. One of the greater challenges for compiling a better and user-oriented Northern Sotho monolingual dictionary is to treat sublexical and multi-lexical items as macrostructural elements. Treating these items, the lexicographer faces quite a number of challenges. This article proposes possible ways in which sublexical and multilexical elements could be successfully treated in a Northern Sotho monolingual dictionary. Taking stock of these challenges, the writer comes with suggestions that would assist lexicographers in the compi-lation of a user-friendly, lexicon-based monolingual dictionary that would lead users to successful information retrieval. Keywords: sublexical items, multilexical items, affixes, prefixal mor-phemes, suffixal morphemes, integrated microstructure, word-based approach, lemmatization, collocations, compounds, complexes, group prepositions, fixed expressions, morphemes, metalexicographical aspects, word-formation processes, word-internal function, user-oriented mono-lingual dictionary, grammar, homonymous lemma, polysemous lemma, decoding, encoding, semantic comment, semantic transparenc

Capturing Cultural Glossaries: Case-study I *

This article is a presentation of a brief cultural glossary of Northern Sotho cooking terms. The glossary is mainly composed of names for utensils and ingredients, and action words for the processes involved in the preparation of cultural dishes. It also contains names of dishes tied to some idiomatic expressions in a way eliciting cultural experiences that can lead to an under-standing of indigenous knowledge systems. The article seeks to explore ways of capturing cultural glossaries to feed into the national dictionary corpora by using a case-study approach to investigate the processes that led to the generation of this specific school-based project. A number of issues that surfaced in this project, can possibly serve as models for the collection of authentic glossaries that can support dictionary making in African languages. Keywords: cultural glossary, indigenous knowledge systems, cultural terminology, corpus, authentic glossary, contextualisation, margin-alized languages, outcomes-based education, performance indicator, assessment criteria, range statement, traditional dishes, language val-orisation, simultaneous feedback, communicative approach, structural approach, metonym

Capturing cultural glossaries: case-study II

This case-study attempts to present a brief glossary of Northern Sotho medical terms. It is a follow-up of a similar case-study (Madiba, Mphahlele and Kganyago 2003), which was an attempt to capture and present Northern Sotho cooking terms. Case-study I consists of the names for utensils, ingredients and the processes involved in the preparation of cultural dishes. With both these case-studies, the intention has been to use the opportunities availing themselves for the pres-ervation and valorisation of Northern Sotho, including the extension of its corpora to support national dictionary-making processes. The case-study methodology has been very useful for the purposes of this project and the context within which it was undertaken. It aims to provide a model for the collection and presentation of authentic Northern Sotho terminology which otherwise would hardly have been accessible. Keywords: cultural glossary, indigenous knowledge systems, corpus, outcomes-based education, assessment criteria, traditional medical terms, communicative approach, structural approach, metonymy, hands-on activities, task-based learnin

2-Aryl-6,8-dibromo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones as substrates for the synthesis of 2,6,8-triarylquinazolin-4-ones

Direct bromination of 2-aminobenzamide was achieved using N-bromosuccinimide in chloroform-carbon tetrachloride mixture at room temperature for 3 h to afford 2-amino-3,5-dibromobenzamide in high yield and purity. 2-Amino-3,5-dibromobenzamide was, in turn, condensed with benzaldehyde derivatives in the presence of boric acid to afford novel 2-aryl-6,8-dibromo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones. Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of the latter with arylboronic acids yielded the corresponding 2,6,8-triaryl-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones. These triarylquinazolin-4(1H)-ones were dehydrogenated using iodine (2 equiv.) in ethanol under reflux to yield the potentially tautomeric 2,6,8-triarylquinazolin-4(3H)-ones. KEY WORDS: 2-Amino-3,5-dibromobenzamide, 2-Aryl-6,8-dibromo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones, Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, 2,6,8-Triaryl-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones, 2,6,8-Triarylquinazolin-4(3H)-ones Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2014, 28(1), 81-90.   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v28i1.1

Using microscience kits to address a student-teacher misconception in electric circuits: At the interface between chemistry and electricity

A test of education students’ understanding of electric circuits, written before their lectures on the topic began, led to practical work with micro-scale circuit apparatus that was designed to further probe and challenge the students’ misconceptions. Response data from one of the lab pracs revealed one very common misconception, that the current through a component was the cause of the potential difference across it. A practical activity based upon the Volta pile was designed to show that current is not the cause of voltage, and that voltage is to be traced to the chemical reaction inside the cells. While some aspects of the activity were successful in a workshop at 10th ISMC, others were not. Our reflections on the outcome lead us to the conclusion that it is necessary to engage with the chemical events inside the cell, in order to understand how it works. Systems-thinking may be the way forward

Pre-service teachers’ misconceptions about current and potential difference in electric circuits – using microscience kits in a POE activity

Third year BEd students in a Physical Sciences content course answered a questionnaire about basic concepts of electric circuits, prior to attending lectures and practicals on the subject. Several well-known misconceptions were found to be prevalent. This led us to design a PredictObserve-Explain (POE) practical activity, using microscience kits. The results from this activity confirmed the prevalence of misconceptions, but also the reluctance of the student-teachers to change them. Our discussion of one important misconception, namely the confusion between current and potential difference, suggests that treating the cell as simply a store of energy and a source of energy without explanation may be the cause of the confusion. A chemist’s approach to this part of physics could avoid the misconception

Transferrable capacity development lessons in support of municipal transport service delivery: case study of bojanala platinum district municipality

Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, in the North West Province is endowed with the extractive economy characterised with the mobile community, labour influx, unemployment and underdeveloped road infrastructure. The District facilitates service delivery through among others, the Integrated Public Transport Network and the District Integrated Transport Plan. The problems of inadequate budget impact on the performance, acquisition and retention of skilled employees for strategic and operational transport policies and infrastructure development. The purpose of this study was to examine challenges related to the use of capacity development of structures and policies in relation to service delivery, and explore how to overcome them in the improvement of rural transportation. The study examines structures and policies at the intersection of the theoretical perspectives of skills development, performance improvement and collaborative participation. The research approach is a qualitative naturalistic enquiry and also employs questionnaires for confirmatory purpose and documentary analysis. The study concludes that there is lack of administrative-political synergy, inadequate socio-economic resilience, and limited dissemination of knowledge. Against these conclusions the study recommends formation of responsive and efficient structures, creation and implementation of knowledge sharing strategies, and introduction of a transformative policy instrument to empower senior management.Papers presented at the 40th International Southern African Transport Conference on 04 -08 July 202

Synthesis and Evaluation of N-(3-Trifluoroacetylindol- 7-yl) Acetamides for Potential In Vitro Antiplasmodial Properties

A series of novel N-((2,5-diaryl-3-trifluoroacetyl)-1H-indol-7-yl)acetamides has been prepared via a successive and one-pot reaction sequence involving initial trifluoroacetic acid-mediated Beckmann rearrangement of the oximes derived from the 1-(2,5-diaryl-1H-indol-7-yl)ethanones, followed by trifluoroacetylation of the incipient N-(2,5-diaryl-1H-indol-7-yl)-acetamides with trifluoroacetic anhydride. The prepared compounds were evaluated for potential in vitro antiplasmodial properties. Preliminary results from antiplasmodial activity against the chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 strain of Plasmodium falciparum revealed that a combination of 2-(4-flurophenyl)- and 5-(4-fluorophenyl) or 2-(4-flurophenyl)- and 4-fluorostyryl groups in compounds 3(a,f) and 4(a,g), for example, is required for biological activity for both series of compounds. Their possible mode of action against the plasmodial parasite is explained theoretically through molecular docking of the most active compounds against the parasite lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH). These compounds were docked at the entrance of NAD+ in pLDH presumably hindering entry of lactate to cause the observed inhibition effect of pLDH. The four compounds were found to exhibit low toxicity against monkey kidney Vero cells at the highest concentrations tested