The verbal and nominal morpho-syntax of Tjwao : a grammaticalisation approach
Date
2021-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The present study examines nominal and verbal morphosyntax in Tjwao – a moribund and
highly under-researched Khoe-Kwadi language spoken by seven individuals in Tsholotsho
District and some parts of Plumtree District in western Zimbabwe, near the Botswana border.
The study employed the qualitative research approach characterised by the collection of main
evidence by means of interviews, elicitation, focus group discussions and participant
observation. Additional evidence was drawn from the small Tjwao corpus previously collected
by Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages (USA) in collaboration with the
African Languages Research Institute (University of Zimbabwe). The collected synchronic
evidence on Tjwao phonetics and phonology, nominal morphosyntax and the verbal system is
described following the Basic Linguistic Theory approach. Drawing on Grammaticalisation
Theory, the author describes the development of different functional categories and show that
grammatical morphemes in Tjwao have historically developed from lexical sources. To render
further support to findings made in Tjwao, the study draws on additional evidence from other
languages of the Kalahari Khoe branch, that is, the closely related Tshwa dialects, Cirecire,
Gǁabak’e, Hiechware and Kua, as well as languages from other clusters like Danisi (Shua),
Ts’ixa, Khwe, ǁAni, Kua-Gǁana, Gǀui and Naro. In addition, this work considers data from
unrelated language families worldwide. The findings of the study suggest that Tjwao conforms
to the grammaticalisation tendencies exhibited by both related Kalahari Khoe languages and
also observed on a cross-linguistic scale.
AFRIKAANS ABSTRACT: Geen opsomming beskikbaar
IsiZULU ABSTRACT: Ucwaningo lwamanje luhlola ukwakheka kwamagama nemisho ngokwezingcezu olimini lwesiTjwao – ulimi lwesiKhoe-Kwadi olufayo nokungakacwaningwa kakhulu ngalo olukhulunywa ngabantu abayisikhombisa esifundeni saseTsholotsho nakwezinye izingxenye zesifunda sasePlumtree entshonalanga neZimbabwe, eduze komngcele waseBotswana. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise indlela yokucwaninga eqoqa ulwazi olungamaqiniso ngokuhlanganisa ubufakazi obuqavile kusetshenziswa izingxoxompendulwano, ukunxenxa, ukuxoxisana namaqoqo kanye nokubheka ukwenza kwababambiqhaza. Obunye ubufakazi buqoqwe emibhalweni emibalwa yesiTjwao eyayiqoqwe kudala yisikhungo iLiving Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages (sase-USA) ngokubambisana nesikhungo se-African Languages Research Institute (seNyuvesi yaseZimbabwe). Ubufakazi obuqoqiwe obuphathelene nokubhaleka kanye nemisindo yesiTjwao, ukwakheka kwamagama nemisho ngokwezingcezu kuchazwa ngokulandela indlela yoMbono Wenjulalwazi Emaqondana Nokuyizisekelo Kwezolimi. Ngokucaphuna kuMbono Wenjulalwazi Yezokuqonda Kolimi, umbhali uchaza ukushintsha kwezigaba ezahlukahlukene zokusetshenziswa aphinde akhombise ukuthi izakhi zolimi oluqondile lwesiTjwao zisungulwe emithonjweni yamagama atholakala olimini ngokomlando. Ukusekela kabanzi lokho okutholakele maqondana nesiTjwao, lolu cwaningo lusebenzise obunye ubufakazi obuvela kwezinye izilimi zegatsha lwesiKhoe SaseKalahari, okusho izilimi zezigodi ezihlobene kakhulu nesiTshwa, isiCirecire, isiGǁabak'e, isiHiechware nesiKua, kanye nezilimi ezivela kwamanye amaqoqo afana nesiDanisi (isiShua), isiTs'ixa, isiKhwe, isi-ǁAni, isiKua-Gǁana, isiGǀui nesiNaro. Phezu kwalokho, lo msebenzi ubheka nemininingo evela ezinhlotsheni zezilimi ezingahlobene zomhlaba wonke. Okutholakale ocwaningweni kuphakamisa ukuthi isiTjwao sihambisana nezinqubo zokuqondiswa kolimi ezibonakala ezilimini ezihlobene nesiKhoe SaseKalahari kanti futhi ziyabonakala nasezinhlobeni zezilimi ezahlukahlukene.
AFRIKAANS ABSTRACT: Geen opsomming beskikbaar
IsiZULU ABSTRACT: Ucwaningo lwamanje luhlola ukwakheka kwamagama nemisho ngokwezingcezu olimini lwesiTjwao – ulimi lwesiKhoe-Kwadi olufayo nokungakacwaningwa kakhulu ngalo olukhulunywa ngabantu abayisikhombisa esifundeni saseTsholotsho nakwezinye izingxenye zesifunda sasePlumtree entshonalanga neZimbabwe, eduze komngcele waseBotswana. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise indlela yokucwaninga eqoqa ulwazi olungamaqiniso ngokuhlanganisa ubufakazi obuqavile kusetshenziswa izingxoxompendulwano, ukunxenxa, ukuxoxisana namaqoqo kanye nokubheka ukwenza kwababambiqhaza. Obunye ubufakazi buqoqwe emibhalweni emibalwa yesiTjwao eyayiqoqwe kudala yisikhungo iLiving Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages (sase-USA) ngokubambisana nesikhungo se-African Languages Research Institute (seNyuvesi yaseZimbabwe). Ubufakazi obuqoqiwe obuphathelene nokubhaleka kanye nemisindo yesiTjwao, ukwakheka kwamagama nemisho ngokwezingcezu kuchazwa ngokulandela indlela yoMbono Wenjulalwazi Emaqondana Nokuyizisekelo Kwezolimi. Ngokucaphuna kuMbono Wenjulalwazi Yezokuqonda Kolimi, umbhali uchaza ukushintsha kwezigaba ezahlukahlukene zokusetshenziswa aphinde akhombise ukuthi izakhi zolimi oluqondile lwesiTjwao zisungulwe emithonjweni yamagama atholakala olimini ngokomlando. Ukusekela kabanzi lokho okutholakele maqondana nesiTjwao, lolu cwaningo lusebenzise obunye ubufakazi obuvela kwezinye izilimi zegatsha lwesiKhoe SaseKalahari, okusho izilimi zezigodi ezihlobene kakhulu nesiTshwa, isiCirecire, isiGǁabak'e, isiHiechware nesiKua, kanye nezilimi ezivela kwamanye amaqoqo afana nesiDanisi (isiShua), isiTs'ixa, isiKhwe, isi-ǁAni, isiKua-Gǁana, isiGǀui nesiNaro. Phezu kwalokho, lo msebenzi ubheka nemininingo evela ezinhlotsheni zezilimi ezingahlobene zomhlaba wonke. Okutholakale ocwaningweni kuphakamisa ukuthi isiTjwao sihambisana nezinqubo zokuqondiswa kolimi ezibonakala ezilimini ezihlobene nesiKhoe SaseKalahari kanti futhi ziyabonakala nasezinhlobeni zezilimi ezahlukahlukene.
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
Keywords
Grammar, Comparative and general -- Morphosyntax, Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages, Grammar, Comparative and general -- Grammaticalization, Kalahari Khoe languages, Khoe-Kwadi language, Tjwao language, UCTD