Abstract:
Abstract
The dissertation builds on and contributes to work in the field of African languages.
Although several studies have examined the grammatical features of pronouns in Zulu
and Swati, there has not been a strong focus on the relationship between the syntax
and the discourse pragmatic functions of the absolute pronouns in many of the trusted
grammars in Bantu languages. This has led to the uncertainty around the function(s)
of the so-called absolute pronouns in Bantu languages. The purpose of the
dissertation is to investigate the discourse pragmatic functions (emphasis and
contrast) of the pronouns in Zulu and Swati. The pronouns are analysed as they
appear in electronic text corpora, to identify possible differences between the two
languages. The data for this qualitative, literature-based, and corpus-based study is
collected through electronic text corpora. This data is used for the empirical analysis
of real-life examples of absolute pronouns in Zulu and Swati. The dissertation draws
strongly on the work of Wilkes (1976), Doke (1968), and Louwrens (1994) who are the
major contributors towards the study of the pronouns in Bantu languages. From
findings obtained, pronominalization is a much more prominent discourse function
than emphasis and/ or contrast. Also, the absolute pronouns of Zulu and Swati are
comparable in terms of their syntax, function, and usage.
Keywords:
Bantu languages, syntax, discourse pragmatic factors, pronominalization, absolute
pronouns, electronic text corpora, corpus linguistics, contrast, emphasis
