Masters Degrees (General Linguistics)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (General Linguistics) by browse.metadata.advisor "Dlali, M."

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    Isenzo sentetho yokukhalaza kwimeko yekhaya
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002-12) Mbambo, Asandiswa Nondwe; Du Plessis, J. A.; Dlali, M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims at exploring speech acts. Actions via utterances are generally called speech acts. They are commonly given specific labels such as apology, compliment, - request, promise or warning etc. The usefulness of speech acts illustrates kinds of things we can do with words and identifying some of the conventional utterance forms we use to perform specific actions. This study examines speech act of complaints in a domestic context. According to Trosborg (1995) there are two different types of complaints. The direct complaint is when complainer diretly accuse the complainee of having committed the offence. The indirect complaint is when the complainer ask the hearer a question about the situation that she/he is in someway connected with the offence. This study illustrates how Xhosa people complain in a domestic context. Quationaires were distributed to the people of Kayamandi Township in Stellenbosch, Emgwali Location in Stutterheim and Kwalini Location in King William's Town. The focus was on Mothers and Fathers, Daughters and Sons, Brothers and Sisters. The family members complain to each other on different levels and according to their status. Trosborg (1995) has identified eight complaint strategies. The hint, annoyance, ill consequences, direct accusation, indirect accusation, modified blame, explicit condemnation of the accused's action and explicit condemnation of the accused as a person. The mother complains to the daughter more than when she is complaining to the son and the father. The father complains to the son more than when he complains to the daughter. The son and the daughter complain almost equaly to their parents. The daughter complains equaly as her sister. These members have some ways of responding to the complaints. Boxer (1991) has identified six types of responses to the indirect complaints. The question, the joke, contradiction, commisseration, lecture and advice. The father has used more strategies when responding to the mother. The mother has responded to the daughter more than when responding to the father and the son. the son and the daughter has responded almost equaly to their parents. The brother and the sister responded equaly to their parents. The examination of speech acts will help us understand how actions are carried out and interpreted wthin speech events and how more get communicated than is said. It has been established that speech acts of complaint in Xhosa playa crucial sociocultural role in our communities. This is being proved by the manner in which females and male have used the strategies in this data.