INVESTIGATING THE ONOMASTIC PRINCIPLES OF NAMING AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: THE CASE OF THE SEPEDI AND SESOTHO SA LEBOA (NORTHERN SOTHO) LANGUAGE NAMES by RAKGOGO TEBOGO JACOB Student Number: 1798227 A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY: AFRICAN LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS in the School of Literature, Language and Media FACULTY OF HUMANITIES UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG Supervisor: Dr E.B. Zungu July 2019 DECLARATION BY THE RESEARCHER I, Tebogo Jacob Rakgogo, declare that this thesis is my own, unaided work. It is being submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in African Languages and Linguistics at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. It has not been formerly submitted before for any degree of examination at any other University. I further declare that all the sources cited and quoted are indicated and acknowledged by means of a comprehensive list of references. _____________________________ Signature of Candidate ________ Day of ___________________20__________________in______________ T.J. Rakgogo Copyright© University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg i DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to: My wife, Mankale Norah Phaladi and our son, Makhwana Lesego Rakgogo. I also dedicate this thesis to the entire Rakgogo family. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to direct my acknowledgements and sincere gratitude and appreciation to: The God that I serve, for protecting me and shaping my trajectory so I could achieve this dream! I give You all the praise and honour. Thank you for giving me strength and wisdom to undertake this study and bring it to completion within a reasonable time. With You, all things are possible, I thank You most of all. I am indebted to my supervisor, Dr E.B. Zungu, whose professional guidance, encouragement, patience, consistent support and constructive criticism throughout the years, transformed our acquaintance into an enduring academic relationship. The completion of this thesis in two years is a true testimony to the vigour of her constructive and scholarly intervention. To her, I owe an overwhelming personal and scholastic debt. May God continue to bless her abundantly, so that she can extend this kind of support to other researchers. I am also heavily indebted to my wife and son, Mankale Norah (Tshepiso) and Makhwana Lesego respectively, for their consistent support, patience, encouragement and understanding the value of this thesis in my academic profession. The kind of compromises and sacrifices you have made through this journey is surprising. With their support, my academic odyssey became easy to travel. My deepest appreciation also goes to my parents, Modike Joseph Rakgogo and Matshidiso Sarah Rakgogo and to my siblings, Maite, Mokete, Nomakhazi, Nanikie and Thabang Rakgogo. Furthermore, I would like to extend my gratitude to all my nieces; Nancy, Mojezi, Mamela, Moziri, Mahlatse, Bohlale, Kamogelo, Lebogang, Molatelo and all others who are not mentioned here. I am grateful for your love and support. It is my view that I have attempted to set a very good example. My wishes and prayers are that you should all complete at least PhD, if not two different qualifications. My sincere gratitude also goes to my colleagues in the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (ICT First-Year and Foundation Unit) for believing in me and iii providing a conducive environment that could profoundly contribute to the completion of this thesis. I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude and support to my friend (family) and colleague, Ms T.M. Makhura. To my colleagues in the other Faculty (Humanities), Prof I.E.M. Coetzee, Prof M.C. Mashige, Prof C. Mann, Prof L. Van Huyssteen, Dr I.P. Mandende, Dr T. Ditsele and Dr C.G. Smith, thank you for your academic, leadership and general mentorship. I also wish to acknowledge the Tshwane University of Technology for providing a conducive environment for me to be able to focus and concentrate on my study. I also wish to thank the University Development Capacity Grant, funded by the Department of Higher Education (DHET) for financial support and stability. Equally important, is the financial assistance of the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS), in collaboration with the South African Humanities Deans Association (SAHUDA), which is hereby acknowledged. Opinions and conclusions arrived at are those of the author and are not necessarily to be attributed to the NIHSS and SAHUDA. iv PRESENTATIONS ARISING FROM THIS RESEARCH STUDY As part of the completion of the study, the following papers were presented at International Conferences: 2018 (1) The impact of colonialism on the current blatant disregard of the South African Constitution, (1996): The case of Sepedi and Northern Sotho (Sesotho sa Leboa) language names. (Paper read at the International Conference at the Thetha Sizwe International Conference: Intersections, Practices, and Identities – Rethinking Gender in African Languages and Literature, 5-6 April 2018, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa). 2018 (2) The unconscious disregard of the South African Constitution (1996): the use of Sepedi and Northern Sotho (Sesotho sa Leboa) language names in official documentation. (Paper read at the Combined ALASA 19th Interim and SINTU 7 Conference, 9-11 July 2018, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa). 2018 (3) If indeed the language name divided people, it may still unite them: the case of the Northern Sotho language names and the national identity of the first language speakers. (Paper read at the 20th NSSA International Congress in collaboration with Mathivha Centre of African Languages, Arts and Culture at the University of Venda, 18-20 September 2018, Polokwane, South Africa. Journal articles will be published by both the candidate and the study supervisor after the study has been completed. The journal articles will be submitted and published in Department of Higher Education and Training accredited journals. The thesis will further be converted into an Academic Book or a Book Chapter. v ABSTRACT The main focus of the study embraced the investigation the onomastic principles and also the socio-cultural factors to be taken into consideration when naming an official language. The fundamental objective of the study was to consider the two names Sepedi and Sesotho sa Leboa, to decide which one should be used and to determine which name is supported by the investigated onomastic principles of naming a language (official). Research was conducted involving a group of Higher Education students and lecturers; employees at the Sesotho sa Leboa National Lexicography Unit; employees at the Sesotho sa Leboa National Language Body; employees at the Pan South African Language Board; employees at the National Department of Arts and Culture and its sub-departments in Limpopo and Gauteng Provinces; and Traditional Leaders in almost all the District Municipalities that are inhabited by the first language speakers of the language under investigation. The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and the Office of the Public Protector of South Africa were also involved in the study as to obtain a legal and constitutional implementation point of view on the current use of Sepedi and Sesotho sa Leboa as language names in official and policy documentation as one and the same language name while they are not. A mixed-methods research approach, including both quantitative and qualitative methodologies was employed in the study. In this quest, survey questionnaires, interviews, observations and text analysis were mainly considered as methods of data collection. The findings of the study revealed that neither the language names Sepedi nor Sesotho sa Leboa is supported by the onomastic principles of naming a language. An overwhelming majority of the participants in this study opined that the language under onomastic scrutiny should be reconsidered and replaced with a neutral and inclusive name that cannot in any way be associated with the influence of power and politics as well as with ethnic and dialectal status of a particular speech community. In summary, it was found in this study that the language under scrutiny was not properly named in the first place, since both Sepedi and Sesotho sa Leboa were found to have strong ties with colonialism as concomitant part of the Apartheid regime. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i DEDICATION ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii-iv PRESENTATIONS ARISING FROM THIS STUDY v ABSTRACT vi TABLE OF CONTENTS vii-xvii LIST OF FIGURES xviii LIST OF TABLES xix ADDENDA xx LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS xxi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY 1 1.1 Introduction 1-2 1.1.1 A definition of onomastics 2-3 1.2 The language under study (Sepedi) as part of ‘Bantu’ languages 3 1.3 The statistical background of the language under scrutiny 4 1.4 Background and the cause of the problem 4-6 1.5 The research problem of the current study 6-8 1.6 Research questions 9 1.7 Aims and objectives of the research 9-10 1.8 Preliminary literature review 10-11 1.8.1 Naming a language is both a political and an onomastic exercise 12 1.8.2 The importance of naming and names in an African context 12-13 1.9 Research methodology 14 1.9.1 The scientific value of the mixed-methods research approach 14 1.9.2 Population and sampling 15 1.9.3 Sampling technique 15 1.9.4 Sample population of the study 15-16 1.9.5 Methods of data collection 16 vii 1.9.6 Data analysis 16 1.10 Ethical considerations