A Contextual Analysis of Compound Nouns in Shona Lexicography

View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by UWC Theses and Dissertations A CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF COMPOUND NOUNS IN SHONA LEXICOGRAPHY GIFT MHETA A Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics in the Faculty of Arts, University of the Western Cape Supervisor: Professor Felix Banda May, 2011 i A Contextual Analysis of Compound Nouns in Shona Lexicography Gift Mheta Key Terms Context Compound Noun Shona Lexicography Terminology Prototype Word Metaphor Systemic Functional Linguistics Traditional Descriptive Approach Cognitive Grammar Semiotic Remediation Standardisation Socio-Cognitive Dimension Linguistic Dimension ii Abstract A Contextual Analysis of Compound Nouns in Shona Lexicography Gift Mheta PhD, Department of Linguistics, University of the Western Cape This research is in the area of lexicography and investigates the relationship between Shona terminology development and the culture of the language community for which the terminology is intended. It is a contextual analysis of compound nouns found in Shona terminological dictionaries. The study specifically explores how lexicographers together with health, music, language and literature specialists make use of their knowledge about Shona cultural contexts in the creation of compound nouns. Thus, this research foregrounds Shona socio-cultural contexts and meaning generation in terminology development. This study employs a quadruple conceptual framework. The four components of the framework that are utilised are the Traditional Descriptive Approach (TDA), Cognitive Approach (CG), Systemic Functional Approach (SFL), and Semiotic Remediation (SRM). TDA is used in the linguistic categorisation of Shona compound nouns. In addition, it provides the metalanguage with which to describe the constituent parts of Shona compound nouns. As TDA is mainly confined to the linguistic dimension, this research employs CG, SFL, and SRM to explore the cultural and socio-cognitive dimensions of terminology development. iii A multi-faceted methodology was employed in the collection and analysis of data used in this research. The bulk of the data comprise compound nouns collected from three Shona terminological dictionaries, namely; Duramazwi reUrapi neUtano (2004), a dictionary of health and body terms; Duramazwi reMimhanzi (2005), a dictionary of music; and Duramazwi reDudziramutauro noUvaranomwe (2007), a dictionary of linguistic and literary terms. Notably, a substantial amount of Shona cultural information that was used in the analysis of Shona compound nouns was harnessed from the interviews that were carried out with subject experts, students and ordinary speaker-hearers of the Shona language in Zimbabwe. More information on Shona cultural contexts was retrieved from the Shona ALLEX corpus and the present researcher’s own experiences as a linguist, lexicographer and Shona speaker-hearer. The research finds that Shona compound nouns are recreated and repurposed prototype words drawn from different contexts of the Shona culture. Such prototypes can be categorised into two broad categories of Shona compound nouns, namely, traditional conventionalised compound nouns and specialised neologies. Additionally, the thesis identifies two broad patterns. First, prototypes are realised and transformed into compound nouns as metaphors. Second, they undergo the same transformation process as reduplicative forms. In the first pattern, it is shown that prototypes are metaphorical because they are rich in specific details that are transferred to new linguistic, literary, musical and medical terminology. In turn, it is argued that such richness is not found in superordinate categories which cannot play the same role played by prototype words that iv are basic category words. Due to their unique character of enshrining specific cultural details, prototype words are also shown to be the basis of reduplication, which is proven to be a productive term creation strategy. Prototype words are thus presented as epitomes of the totality of the Shona culture; the source of terminology development and standardisation. The major contribution of this study is the alternative perspective to Shona terminology development practice. This research advances the argument that terminology development does not entail creation of completely new terms, but is rather a purposeful transformation of prototype words through the use of metaphor and reduplication. Thus, metaphor and reduplication are identified as agents of semiotic remediation. In other words, one contribution is that the thesis advances the notion of semiotic remediation to account for how prototype words are transformed and repurposed during the process of terminology development. Overall, the research yields a substantial amount of Shona cultural information, which can only be comprehended by the Shona speaker-hearers who are well versed in the cultural contexts from which the Shona compound nouns emanate. It reveals that compound nouns in Shona terminological dictionaries are products of recontextualisation of some aspects of the Shona culture. Hence the need to account for both context of situation and context of culture in terminology development. The study is thus one of the first to use culturally-sensitive Hallidayan linguistic theory, and further argues that the context of culture should be emphasised in terminology development practice to ensure acceptability of terms. v Declaration I declare that A Contextual Analysis of Compound Nouns in Shona Lexicography is my own work, that it has not been submitted before for any degree or examination in any other university, and that the sources I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged as complete references. Name: Gift Mheta Date: May, 2011 Signed:................. vi Acknowledgements I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Felix Banda, the Chairman of the Department of Linguistics at University of the Western Cape, for his excellent guidance, insightful comments and constructive criticism. I will forever cherish his in-depth knowledge of Linguistics that he always demonstrated in our discussions during consultations. Since my thesis uses a Systemic Functional Approach and Semiotic Remediation among other theories, I strongly believe that it could not have taken this shape without Professor Banda’s assistance. In fact, I am grateful to Professor Banda for initiating me into these exciting linguistic theories. I feel greatly indebted to a number of academics who helped shape this research in unique ways. The following researchers took their precious time to read and comment on the earlier versions of the proposal for this thesis: Professor Herbert Chimhundu, Dr Edgar Nhira Mberi, Mr Mukanganwi and Mr Esau Mangoya. For the words of advice on how to pursue Doctoral Studies, I thank you Dr Francis Matambirofa, Dr Emmanuel Chabata and Dr Langa Khumalo. Dr Zannie Bock, Professor Dyers, and Professor Stroud, thank you for the encouragement. My fellow PhD candidates Thoko, Lynn, Amina, Mai, Dion, Dinis, Fiona, Jane, John, Quinton and Kelvin, I salute you for your never say die spirit and fruitful ideas. Many thanks go to the various Institutions and informants who supported this research in different but complementary ways. The institutions I wish to thank include the University of Oslo (UiO), University of the Western Cape (UWC), University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and Great Zimbabwe University (GZU). I am indebted to UiO for generously funding my Doctoral thesis through the Cross-border Languages Project (CROBOL), a collaborative venture that includes UiO, UZ, GZU and Eduardo Mondlane University (EMU). At UiO, I am particulary thankful to Professor Christian-Emil Ore for facilating all the financial support and Dr Oddrun Grønvik for giving me ideas on how to vii formulate a viable proposal at the nascent stage of this research. At UWC, I thank the Department of Linguistics for being a vibrant department that it is. On the side of non-academic staff, I thank Mrs Avril Grovers for facilitating many administrative matters pertaining to my PhD. At UZ, special thanks go to the Chairman of the Department of African Languages and Literature, Dr Muwati and the Director of the African Languages Research Institute (ALRI), Dr Matambirofa. At GZU, I feel greatly indebted to the Dean of Arts, Dr Makaudze, and the Acting Chairman of African Languages and Literature Mr Ndlovu. To Mr Gondo, I say your magnanimity will never be forgotten. You were selfless and gave me an office to use when I needed it most. To the students and lecturers at these institutions, I say thank you very much for availing yourselves for the interviews. I cannot mention every one by name, but I am eternally grateful for all the support. Medical practitioners are always difficult to access due to their very busy schedules, but there were some who created time for this research. In this respect I wish to thank Dr. Madzimbamuto for the invaluable medical information that he provided. I am also greatly indebted to Dr. Masara who was a fountain of some of the medical knowledge that I utilised in this research. To Justice Chikomwe I say, you are one in a million. Your technical assistance will for ever be cherished. I admire your selfless dedication to duty. Without your technical support, this thesis would not have been a success. I got many ideas from the above-mentioned academics and managed to incorporate

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