FINAL L P Ntinda's Thesis JUNE 2020.Pdf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FACULTY OF HUMAN SCIENCE Department of Communication A functional stylistics interpretation of Amathila’s Making a Difference and Ekandjo’s The Jungle Fighter By LOISE PANDULENI NTINDA STUDENT NUMBER: 212114018 THESIS PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ENGLISH AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS AT THE NAMIBIA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Supervisor: Prof Haileleul Zeleke Woldemariam Co-Supervisor: Dr Niklaas Frederick 21 February 2020 0 Declaration I Loise Panduleni Ntinda hereby declare that the work contained in the thesis entitled A functional stylistics interpretation of Amathila’s Making a Difference and Ekandjo’s The Jungle Fighter is my own original work and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any university or other higher education institution for the award of a degree. Signature: ……………………………….. Date: 21 February 2020 1 Abstract The study explored the meaning conveyed by the use of different metafunctions of language in Amathila’s Making a Difference and Ekandjo’s The Jungle Fighter. The study, through the Systemic Functional Linguistic (SFL) theory, describes the different functions of the three metafunctions of language as used in the two selected autobiographies. The study investigated how the authors of the selected autobiographies implement the ideational functions of language in line with modification, apposition and coordination. It explored the use of interpersonal functions of language in line with mood, modality and person. It has also examined how coherence is built by making use of the textual function of language in the two autobiographies. The study identified the use of specified elements of different metafunctions from the two texts and examines how these elements give multiple meanings on the basis of the readers’ judgments and interpretations. The study is a qualitative research because the researcher was interested in understanding the meaning that the authors constructed. The analysis of the two texts was done by using a content analysis method. The study found that both Amathila and Ekandjo make use of the specified elements of the three metafunctions of language to express their intents through their stories. It revealed that ideational elements are mainly used to provide extra information and to create connections in these stories. The authors use interpersonal elements to express their own view point of things and they use textual elements to create logic and build coherence in the autobiographies. The study concluded that to understand written stories, meaning should be explored and basically understood to the full examination of the different elements of the three metafunctions used by authors. The study recommends that the implementation of the three metafunctions of language in Namibian texts should be widely explored. Key words: Metafunctions of language, ideational functions, interpersonal functions, textual functions, Systemic Functional Linguistic, interpretation, autobiographies and functional stylistics i Acknowledgements First and foremost, thanks to the Almighty God for his shower of blessings throughout my research work. It is by the grace of the Lord that I completed this thesis. I cannot express enough thanks to Prof Haileleul Zeleke Woldemariam and my co-supervisor Dr Niklaas Fredericks of the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) for your continuous support. This research could not have been possible without your guidance and support. I should also thank Dr Nelson Mlambo of the University of Namibia (UNAM) who language edited my thesis. God bless you. I am extremely grateful to my loving and caring husband, Samuel Panduleni for his words of encouragement and for the financial support. It was a great relief to know that you were always available to take care of our children during the time I was busy with my research work. You have immensely contributed to the successes of this study. Thank you very much. I also express thanks to my son, Thank-You and to my daughters, Vistorina, Josophina and Loise for your patience, understanding and support during the time of my study. God bless you all. I should also thank my classmates Ndapunikwa David, Jona Shaumana, Kaarina Emvula, Lizelotte Siririka, Selma Nangula, Ana Lourdes, Mercy Minsozi, Fallon Strauss, Frieda Mukufa and Festus Uugwanga for the good collegiality. Your words of encouragements built my confidence. You make me proud. I would like to give special thanks to my principal, Mr Stepheson Nakaziko. You always take it positively to recommend for approvals of my leaves of absences I had to take during the time of my study. Many thanks to my colleagues in languages department and the entire Eheke SS staff members for your support here and there. God be with you all. ii Authentication of the thesis I certify that this candidate has successfully completed all the research work for this degree and that: the thesis conforms to NUST postgraduate rules as stipulated in the Year Book 2019 and submission of thesis for higher degrees; the thesis includes a certificate indicating the extent to which the research has been conducted by the candidate; the thesis is properly presented and is prima facie worthy of submission; instances of inadequate presentations were pointed out to candidate for corrections before the thesis was bound; the candidate has completed an approved program of study and research as required; an abstract of not more than 300 words has been included in the thesis; both hard bound and soft copies of the thesis have been submitted to NUST library’s open access digital archive. Name of supervisor: Prof Haileleul Zeleke Woldemariam Signature: ……………………………………………….. Date: ……………………………………………………….. Name of co-supervisor: Dr Niklaas Frederick Signature: ………………………………………………….. Date: …………………………………………………………. iii Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my father, the late Simon Ntinda and to my mother Elli Ntinda for the role they played in my life. It is also dedicated to my loving husband and my beautiful children, for they remain pillars of my strength in life. iv Retention and use of thesis I Loise Panduleni Ntinda being a candidate for the degree of Master of English and Applied Linguistics accept the requirements of the Namibia University of Science and Technology relating to the retention and use of theses deposited in the Library and Information Services. In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my thesis deposited in the Library and Information Services will be accessible for purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the Librarian for the care, loan or reproduction of theses. Signature: …………………………………….. Date: 21 February 2020 v Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................................. i Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................... ii Authentication of the thesis ............................................................................................................. iii Dedication ........................................................................................................................................ iv Retention and use of thesis ............................................................................................................... v CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1.0. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background of the study .................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the problem .................................................................................................. 4 1.3 Research questions ............................................................................................................ 5 1.4 Significance of the study..................................................................................................... 6 1.5 Delimitation of study .......................................................................................................... 6 1.6 Limitation of the study ....................................................................................................... 7 1.7 Definition of technical terms .............................................................................................. 8 CHAPTER TWO ................................................................................................................................ 10 2.0. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 10 2.1. Literature review .................................................................................................................. 10 2.2. Theoretical frame work ......................................................................................................... 48 2.3. Summary .............................................................................................................................