Semantic changes accompanying loan-words in the Northern Sotho lexicon
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Authors
Mojela, Victor Maropeng
Issue Date
1991-08
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
The loan-word may either have a restricted meaning or meaning extension when
adopted in the vocabulary of Northern Sotho. Sometimes the loan lexical
items undergo radical changes in meaning when compared with their
counterparts in their source language.
In chapter one, the basic concepts of semantics. such as metaphor
hyponymy, hornonyrny,polysemy.sense, referent and reference, are
defined. Meaning restriction is discussed in detail in chapter two.
This restriction is found where the lexical item has lost one or more
of its meanings when adopted in the vocabulary of Northern Sotho,
e.g.: ter8mS from Afrikaans drorn 'drum'. Chapter three deals
with meaning extension of loan words. In this case the meaning
of the Northern Sotho loan-word is more general than its counterpart
in the language of origin, e.g: namon'eiti 'lemonade' for all types of
cooldrinks. Radical meaning shift is discussed in chapter four. This
inludes those loan-words whose referents are completely different from those
of their counterparts in a foreign language, as well as those which have
changed from one word category to another. Chapter five deals with the
summary and conclusion.