The discourse marker mos in rural varieties of Afrikaans in the Western Cape: A descriptive study of syntactic patterns and pragmatic function

Date
2009-12
Authors
Jantjies, Wesley
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis considers the linguistic item mos as it occurs in the speech of non-standard Cape Afrikaans speakers from the rural areas of the Western Cape, namely Montague, Worcester, Robertson, Touwsrivier, De Doorns, and Beaufort West. The syntactic and pragmatic properties of mos are described, as well as its prevalence in discourse in relation to particular social factors. Properties and functions of adverbs and discourse markers, as discussed by Ponelis (1985), Schiffrin (1987, 2001), and Fraser (1993, 1999, 2001), are applied to mos in terms of its syntactic characterisation as an adverb and as a discourse marker. The pragmatic analysis of mos is based on the analysis of discourse markers, such as you know in English, by Schiffrin (1987, 2001). With regard to the grammatical properties of mos, it was found that mos behaves much like an adverb in terms of syntactic distribution, yet it does not fulfil all the grammatical functions of an adverb, which is why it is being analysed as a discourse marker. The functions of mos as an adverb are restricted; mos does not perform the adverbial function of modifying verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, and prepositional phrases; rather, the entire proposition expressed by the utterance is modified or qualified by the use of mos. Its discourse marker functions follow from this property; discourse markers tend to retain the distributional properties of the syntactic category from which they are derived – in this case, the discourse marker mos is derived from the syntactic category of adverb. The position of mos within the sentence, both medial and final, is grammatically determined and has a grammatical relationship with other constituents in the sentence. This is similar for its function as adverb and as discourse marker. Mos is bound to the sentence structure, yet it may still be removed from the sentence without affecting grammaticality; however, in such an event the intended interpretation may not be as explicit. In analysing the discourse functions of mos, a number of pragmatic functions were identified: (i) mos indicates information as general knowledge and knowledge that should be known; (ii) it presents information as necessary in order for a narrative to be understood; (iii) it functions in the development of meta-knowledge in order to discover knowledge which the hearer has about a particular topic; (iv) it presents information which is to be interpreted as a causal or reason for a particular event or situation; (v) it presents a position or opinion in an argument which is to be regarded as fact; and (vi) it reveals logical relationships between two utterances.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis handel oor die linguistiese item mos soos dit in die spraak van nie-standaard Kaapse Afrikaanse sprekers in die landelike gebiede van die Wes-Kaap, naamlik Montague, Worcester, Robertson, Touwsrivier, De Doorns, en Beaufort-Wes voorkom. Die tesis beskryf die sintaktiese en pragmatiese eienskappe van mos, sowel as die effek van spesifieke sosiale faktore op die voorkoms daarvan in diskoers. Die eienskappe en funksies van bywoorde en diskoersmerkers, soos deur Ponelis (1985), Schiffrin (1987, 2001), en Fraser (1993, 1999, 2001) bespreek, word op mos toegepas in terme van sy sintaktiese karakterisering as bywoord. Die pragmatiese analise van mos is gebasseer op Schiffrin (1987, 2001) se analise van diskoersmerkers, byvoorbeeld you know ("jy weet") in Engels. Wat betref die grammatikale eienskappe van mos is daar gevind dat mos soos ‘n bywoord optree in terme van sintakties verspreiding. Dit vervul egter nie al die grammatikale funksies van ‘n bywoord nie; om daardie rede word dit as ‘n diskoersmerker ontleed. Die funksies van mos as ‘n bywoord is beperk; mos modifiseer nie werkwoorde, byvoeglikenaamwoorde, ander bywoorde, of preposisionele frases nie, maar dit modifiseer wel die algehele proposisie wat uitgedruk word deur die uiting. Die diskoersmerker-funksies volg vanuit hierdie eienskap. Diskoersmerkers is geneig om die sintaktiese gedrag van die sintaktiesie kategorie waarvan hulle afgelei is, te behou; in hierdie geval is die diskoersmerker mos afgelei vanaf die sintaktiese kategorie bywoord. Mos kan in die middel of aan die einde van die sin voorkom en sy posisie word grammatikaal bepaal. Dit is die geval vir beide sy funksie as bywoord en as diskoersmerker. Mos is verbind met die sinstruktuur (anders as ander diskoersmerkers), maar dit kan steeds uit die sin verwyder word sonder om grammatikaliteit te beïnvloed; die bedoelde interpretasie mag in so 'n geval egter minder eksplisiet wees. Met die analise van die diskoersfunksies van mos is ‘n aantal pragmatiese funksies geïdentifiseer: (i) mos dui inligting as algemene kennis aan of as inligting wat reeds bekend behoort te wees aan die gespreks genote; (ii) dit stel inligting as noodsaaklik tot die begrip van narratiewe voor; (iii) dit funksioneer in die ontwikkeling van meta-kennis; (iv) dit merk inligting weer wat as rede vir ‘n spesifieke gebeurtenis of situasie geïnterpreteer kan word; (v) dit dui ‘n posisie of ‘n opinie aan wat as feit aanvaar word in ‘n argument; en (vi) dit lê logiese verhoudings tussen uitings bloot.
Description
Thesis (MA (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
Keywords
Language variation, Dissertations -- Linguistics, Theses -- Linguistics
Citation