Table Of ContentSTRATEGIES IN THE MODERNISATION OF VENDA
BY
MBULUNGENI RONALD MADIBA
submitted in accordance with the requirements of the degree of
DOCTOR OF LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY
in the subject
LINGUISTICS
atthe
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
PROMOTER: PROF AD de V CLUVER
JOINT PROMOTER: PROF A P HENDRIKSE
JUNE 2000
Student number 545-844-7
I declare that STRATEGIES IN THE MODERNISATION OF VENDA is my own work
and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by
means of complete references.
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MBULUNGENI RONALD MADIBA DATE
11
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my deep gratitude to my promoter, Professor August
Cluver for his patience and assiduous help. He has given most generously of his
valuable time and vast knowledge throughout the research period. I sincerely
appreciate his advice and encouragement. His dedication to scholarship and
excellence have been, and always will be, a source of inspiration to me.
I am also indebted to Professor Rusandre Hendrikse, my co-promoter. His
insightful comments and expertise in the field of morphology and linguistics in
general enabled me to add more substance to my work. I also appreciate the
insightful discussion with Britta Zawada on morphology.
My special thanks also go to a number of other people who helped me directly or
indirectly to bring this work to fruition. Among these are: Professors Bernd Heine
and Wilhelm J.G Mohlig of the University of Cologne in Germany, who assisted
me in my research during my visit of six months to the Afrikanistik Institut;
Professor Dick Hayward of the University of London (SOAS), who was my
research adviser during my three months' visit at the Centre of African Studies;
Professor John Harris of the University College ofL ondon for his assistance with
regard to phonology; and Dr Philip Baker, a guest scholar of the Centre of African
Studies (SOAS) for his insight with regard to orthographic reforms of African
languages. The support from colleagues in the Department of African languages
and from the Venda Language Section in particular, is highly appreciated.
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I sincerely thank the DAAD for funding my research visit to the University of
Cologne and the Oppenheimer Fellowship which enabled me to do research at the
University of London (SOAS).
Finally, I would like to thank my wife Livhuwani for putting up with the strain and
my children Mulalo and Rolivhuwa who had to miss the much-needed company
and care of their beloved father.
IV
ABSTRACT
This thesis addresses the problem of the lack of a systematic approach to the
modernisation of the indigenous languages of South Africa, with particular
reference to Venda. Thus, a systematic approach is proposed in this study for the
development of modem terminology in Venda. This approach is based on the
canonical model for language planning. In this model, terminology development
should follow the following four steps: (1) analysis of the terminological needs of
the situation, (2) preparation of a plan and strategies for research, (3)
implementation of terminology in practice by means of suitable policies, and
lastly, (4) evaluation and constant updating of terminology.
Within the canonical model for language planning, different models or
frameworks are proposed. First is the theoretical model, which follows the
pragmatic approach rather than a purist approach and takes into consideration
other extralinguistic factors such as the nature of the special subject field, the
needs of the target users and the socio-cultural context. The pragmatic approach
is divided into two phases, namely the borrowing phase and the indigenisation
phase. In the borrowing phase the borrowed terms are incorporated into the
language with immediate effect and these terms may be replaced by indigenous
terms in the indigenisation phase where less specialised communication is used.
In the indigenisation phase, different language internal term formation strategies
were identified, namely semantic shift, derivation, compounding, paraphrasing,
initialisms, acronyms, clipping and new word manufacture. It was established that
the use of these term formation strategies in Venda requires linguistic expertise,
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technical expertise and cultural expertise. Accordingly, a sociolinguistic approach
is recommended rather than a purely linguistic approach.
Lastly, a model of practical terminology work and a model for cooperation and
coordination are proposed for terminology work in this language. With regard to
the former, various steps that should be followed in terminology work are
outlined. In the latter model various language agencies, such as government
departments, parastatals and non-governmental organisations that may be
involved in the modernisation of this language are identified. A framework in
which these agencies could cooperate and coordinate their terminology work is
proposed.
Key terms
canonical model, compounding, compression strategies, derivation, health care
internationalisms, language modernisation, language planning, loan translation
loanwords, semantic shifts, term formation strategies, terminology.
VI
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 The research problem 2
1.3 The concept 'language modernisation' 9
1.4 The significance of the research 12
1.5 The research methodology 13
1.6 The research organisation 15
CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
2.1 Introduction 17
2.2 Language planning 18
2.2.1 The language-as-a-problem approach to language
planning 21
2.2.1.1 What are language problems? 21
2.2.1.2 Typology of language problems 22
2.2.1.3 Alternative language planning approaches for the
treatment of language problems 27
2.2.2 The language planning processes 32
2.2.2.1 Who does language planning? 32
2.2.2.2 How is language planning done? 35
2.2.2.3 A few concluding remarks on language
planning theory 39
2.3 Planned language modernisation 41
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2.3.1 A holistic approach to language modernisation 43
2.3.2 Language modernisation procedures 48
2.4 Conclusion 59
CHAPTER3: THE MODERNISATION OF VENDA: AN
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
3.1 Introduction 62
3.2 The missionary period 63
3.2.1 The Berlin Missionaries: some background information 63
3.2.2 The contribution of the Berlin Missionaries to the
development of the Venda language 66
3.2.2.1 Standardisation of the Venda language 71
3.2.2.2 Codification of the Venda language 73
3.2.2.2.1 Development of the Venda orthography 75
3.2.2.3 Lexical modernisation 94
3.2.2.4 Concluding remarks 117
3.3 The colonial period 119
3.3.1 The early colonial period 119
3.3.2 The modernisation of the Venda language during the
South African Government (i.e. the Union Government) 123
3.3.3 The role of the National Party Government in the
modernisation of Venda 124
3.4 Conclusion 140
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CHAPTER4: BORROWING
4.1 Introduction 143
4.2 Forms of borrowing 144
4.2.1 Internationalisms 145
4.2.2 Loanwords 151
4.2.2.1 The question of choosing the source language( s) 152
4.2.2.2 Integration of loanwords 158
4.2.2.2.1 Phonological adaptation 162
4.2.2.2.2 Morphological adaptation 177
4.2.2.2.3 Semantic adaptation 188
4.2.3 Loan translations or calques 191
4.2.3.1 Word-for-word translation approach 193
4.2.3.2 Semantico-conceptual equivalence approach 196
4.2.3.3 Concluding remarks on the use of loan translation
198
strategy
4.3 Conclusion 199
CHAPTERS: LANGUAGE INTERNAL TERM
FORMATION STRATEGIES
5.1 Introduction 201
5.2 An overview of term formation strategies 203
5.2.1 Semantic shift 205
5.2.1.1 Semantic extension 205
5.2.1.2 Narrowing of meaning 207
5.2.1.3 Semantic change 208
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5.2.2 Derivation 209
5.2.2.1 Prefixation 210
5.2.2.2 Suffixation 212
5.2.3 Compounding 214
5.2.3.1 The term 'compounding' 214
5.2.3.2 Formal strategies 216
5.2.3.3 Semantic strategies 217
5.2.4 Paraphrases 219
5.2.5 Compression 220
5.2.5.1 Initialisms 220
5.2.5.2 Acronym 221
5.2.5.3 Clipping 221
5.2.6 New word manufacture (coinage) 223
5.2.7 Concluding remarks 223
5.3 Term formation in the health care domain 224
5.3.1 The nature of the health care special language 225
5.3.2 Term formation strategies 228
5.3.2.1 Semantic shift 228
5.3.2.2 Derivation 234
5.3.2.3 Compounding 241
5.3.2.4 Paraphrases 256
5.3.2.5 Compression 258
5.3.2.6 New word manufacture (coinage) 260
5.4. Conclusion 260
