Ririma ra tinovhele ta nhungu ta xiTsonga : Language of eight xiTsonga novels

Abstract

Dyondzo Ieyi ya ririmi ra tinovhele ta nhungu ta Xitsonga a yi susumetiwile hi mhaka ya ku va mutsari wa novhele taiiihi mutshila, a trrliisaka ririmi tanihi xitirho xa yena, hilaha swi kombisiwakahakona hi Lodge (1979), Leech na Short (1987) na Kahari (1986). Ririmi leri ri tumbuluxa xitsariwa, h.I. Ieswi nga tsariwa swi hlayekaka, ni nchumu wo tianakanyela lowu vuriwaka novhele. Xikongomelonkulu xa dyondzo leyi a ku ri ku von a ndlela leyi ririmi ra vatsari lava matsalwa ya vona lama xopaxopiwaka, ri tirhaka ha yona. Dyondzo leyi a yi ri ni xikongomelontsongo Iexi xi nga ku hluvukisa ririmi ra Xitsonga, ni ku pfuneta ku tlakusa xiyimo xa ririmi leri ni ra tindzimi tin Vana ta Xintima hi ku kombisa leswaku tindzimi leti ta swi kota ku tirha eka tindhawu ta xiyimo xa le henhla tanihi dyondzo yo fana ni leyi. Dyondzo leyi yl avanyisiwile hi tindzima ta ntlhanu. Ndzima yo sungula yi hlamusela xikongomelo xa dyondzo, yi tlhela yi vumba nseketelo wo ajigarhela mayelana ni timhaka ta matsalwa. Ndzima ya vumbirhi yi xopaxopa ririmi eka paluxeni ka nkongomelo, kasi ndzima ya vunharhu ni ya vurnune hi ku landzelelana ti paluxa ririmi eka vumunhuhati ni le ku paluxeni ka mbangu. Ndzima yo hetelela i yo katsakanya ntirho ni ku nyika swibumabumelo. Ririmi ri ni matimba yo hambana eku tirheni ka rona, ya nga "melopoeia", h.3. ku endla vuyimbeleri, "phanopoeia", ku endla xifaniso xo vitanisa, ni "logopoeia", ku endla rito ra leu va ni ngulumelo. Matirhele lawa ya ririmi ya fambelana ni vuyimeri bya minpfiamawulo ya ririmi ni swiyimeri swa yona swo tsariwa. Nkoka wa riencisi wu paluxiwile eka dyondzo leyi. Leswi swi endlile leswaku ku seketeriwa Kock (1981) loko a vula leswaku riencisi ri fanele ku nghena eka nongoloko wa matheme ya vutsari tanihi xigaririmi xo karhi, xi ri xiave xa tindzimi ta Xintima ku engetela swin'wana eka rhetoriki. Nxopaxopo wa ririmi ra tinovhele ta dyondzo leyi wu paluxile nkucetelano wa tindzinii ta Xintima ni ta Xilungu laha Afrika-Dzonga. Xiyimo xa tidyondzo ta tindzimi ta Xintima ni matsalwa ya kona swi kombisiwile swi ri leswi nga wisiki mbiln kutani ku bumabumeriwa ku va mfumo wu fanele Icu nghenelela.

This study of the language of eight Xitsonga novels was motivated by the fact that the novelist as an artist uses language as his medium as indicated by Lodge (1979), Leech and Short (1987), and Kahari (1986). This language produces the text and the imaginative object called the novel. The main aim of this study was to determine how the language of the authors whose works are being studied here, functions. This study had a secondary aim which was the development of the Xitsonga language and to contribute to the raising of the status of this language and other African languages by demonstrating that these languages can be used in high domains such as a study of this nature. The study is divided into five chapters. Chapter one indicates the aim of the sludy, and also provides a theoretical basis by discussing matters pertaining to literature in general. Chapter two analyses language in the expression of theme, while chapters three and four respectively deal with the language of characterization and of the expression of milieu. The last chapter is the general conclusion of the study, and recommendations. Language is charged in different ways in its functioning, viz "melopoeia", the making of music, "phanopoeia", the making of bright image and "logopoeia", the making of the resonant word. This kind of language function is associated with the symbolism of language sounds, and the corresponding symbolism of their written forms. The significance of the ideophone was demonstrated in this study. This made it possible to support fCock (1981) when she says that the ideophone should be included in a glossary of literary terms as a figure for speech, as a contribution by African langauges to rhetoric. The linguistic analysis of the novels of this study also revealed the mutual influence of different languages, African and European, in South Africa. The state of African language studies and African literature is indicated as a matter of concern in this study and government intervention is recommended.