STRATEGIES 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. ·--~~---············· ../~ /Po/..~<?P .... 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 ofLondon 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. lll 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, v 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 vu 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 Vlll 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 strategy 198 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 lX 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 x CHAPTER6: TOWARDS A MODEL FOR TERMINOLOGY MODERNISATION IN VENDA 6.1 Introduction 266 6.2 A theoretical model 267 6.2.1 A puristic approach 267 6.2.2 A pragmatic approach 274 6.2.2.1 Phase I: The borrowing phase 276 6.2.2.2 Phase II: The indigenisation phase 280 6.2.2.3 Concluding remarks on the proposed theoretical model 300 6.3 A model for practical terminology work 303 6.3.1 General aspects of practical terminology work 303 6.3.2 Practical steps for the systematic elaboration of terminologies 304 6.4 Models for cooperation and coordination 308 6.4.1 Organizational framework 309 6.4.2 A proposed model for cooperation and coordination 313 6.5 Conclusion 317 CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION 7.1 Introduction 320 7.2 Language planning theory 320 7.3 Term formation strategies 322 7.4 Proposed models for the modernisation of Venda 327 7.4.1 A theoretical model 327 7.4.2 A model of practical terminology work 329 X1 7.4.3 A model for cooperation and coordination of terminology work 330 7.