Dr TM Sengani: Unisa African Languages Dr AC Tshivhase: Unisa Curriculum and Learning Development

1. Tshivenda kin-terms/naming and the building of peace and identity in families and communities Dr TM Sengani: Unisa African Languages Dr AC Tshivhase: Unisa Curriculum and Learning Development

2. Presentation plan • Introduction • Ethnography of communication • Conceptual and theoretical framework • Grammaticalization of kinterms • Ethnography of Communication in relation to particular speech community • Outstanding roles of kins • Discussions and conclusion

3. Introduction • Setting of African families-identity • Kin terms and its role • Children’s upbringing-whole relationship • Loosened family ties due to modernity • Thesis/argument: building of authority , responsibility done in the context of cultural traditions • Use of kin terms valuable for building peace and identity in families and communities • Kin terms and identity, status and functional role with values

4. Ethnography and communication • Ethnography of communication -Ethnography of speaking approach - relevant in the understanding of language use within its context has been propounded Dell Hymes in the 60’s. Link between Anthropology and Linguistics - relationship between language and culture. • Ethnography approach and study of communicative activity- framework for collection and analysis of descriptive data-social meaning is conveyed, constructive and negotiated • The generalization focuses on what speaker need to know in order to communicate appropriately and make sense of what has been communicated within a particular speech community. • Consider what they say to who when and in what manner, they need also to learn to know who they speak to in terms of their status and roles. This then calls for their cultural and linguistic knowledge. •  Speech community and kin-terms •  Use of language within speech communities -cultural knowledge is learned and shared. • What has been noted however has been that various kin-terms have always identified people, their roles and status within communities including Vhavenda.

5. Conceptual and theoretical grammaticalization • Definition- attributing grammatical character to autonomous word-Meillet • Morphology of words • Origins of study of grammar, history of words- Hopper

6. Framework components • De-categorisation • Persistence • Specialisation • Morphology • Syntax • Pragmatics

7. Grammatisation of kin terms- ethnography of communication in relation to particular speech community • Kin terms in Venda: few examples • Kin terms Meaning Implication for traditions Current status • Khotsimunene • Mmane • Makhadzi • Muduhulu • Mmemuhulu • Vhomakhulu • Mukwasha • Mudi • Mazwale • Mulungu

8. Outstanding roles of kins • Mulungu/leader of a community or king/Thovhele or khosi • Mulungu/ senior member in the family---khotsi/father…malume/uncle, mazwale/father-in-law. • Khotsimunene/ father’s younger brother and mmane/mother’s younger sister..biological or in terms of marriage…the confidante of all the children in the family. • Makhadzi/ chairperson in a family be it royal or not. Note that every woman is a makhadzi or chairperson at the family at her home.. • Mufumakadzi/ wife and mother, one who could be makhadzi mmemuhulu or mmane, mazwale/ daughter-in-law. The cornerstone and pillar of the family.

9. Discussions and conclusions • The analysis of kin-terms in context of languages yields many results. The deep analyses of kin-terms show the connection between historical representation which make sense of the use of language in context. Thus, in the contemporary reality we see the shift of use of kin-terms in personal or community as no longer relevant and connected to the very nature of tradition and authority. The use of kin-terms in tradition context depended on what people saw historical as textual interpretation relevant to the lifestyle. The passing of traditional handlings of lifestyle were driven by displayed authority in families and communities. Thus, there was a need to demonstrate that realities of kin-terms were imperative in the development of communities and family structures.

10. Discussion and conclusion ctd • The thesis confirms that the use of kin-terms is valuable in building peace and identity in the family structure and in the communities. And to this end various kin-terms have been presented which links kin-terms with authority. • With ties in families loosened, relationships out of the rails, there is a need to have a relook at how the wise people of old dealt with traditions. In the first place kin-terms were not just titles of identity, they had status and had functional values. These members in the family or community had their duties set for them and each knew what to do, how do deal with issues and when to contact others.

11. Levels of engagement with kin-terms, tradition Practical C o n c e p t u a l P e r c e p t u a l A f f e c t i v e

12. Emerging findings: traditions and kin-terms • Through awareness, talking, conversations, consciousness raising, families/communities come to see the relationship between kin-terms and ther everyday lives • Grammar – in context and out of context • Kin-terms – in context and out of context • Grammar and identity-helping to make sense of family and community meaning • Engagement with kin-terms and traditions oneself, others, family, community.

13. Work in progress • Complete the work and finalise as a chapter • Comments and input to assist • Thanks you