Translation Studies Department

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COGNITIVE STYLES OF AFRICAN THEOLOGY STUDENTS AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THOSE STYLES FOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC INSTRUCTION
(1984-12-30) BOWEN, NACE DOROTHY
Discourse Connectivity and Constraints on Relevance in Sissala
(1988-11-30) Blass, Regina
Conceptualization and Translation:
(2009-05-10) Mbua, Abigael
READING AND TRANSLATING GENESIS 28:10-35:15 AS A VOTIVE NARRATIVE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE DINAH STORY
(2010-03-30) Lechebo, Hankore Daniel
Translating the Metaphorical Uses of Φῶς ‘light’ in Lugbarati: A Relevance Theory Perspective
(2013-07-16) Alo, Andy Anguandia
This dissertation analyzes the metaphorical use of אוֹר /φῶς in the biblical texts of Isaiah (8:23-9.1) and Matthew (4:12-17) with the aim of evaluating its translation in Lugbarati (a Nilo-Saharan Language of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC]). The theoretical perspective used is Relevance Theory developed by Sperber and Wilson. Quantitative method is used for treating the translation data. The threefold conclusion reached goes as follows: (a) The biblical metaphorical use of אוֹר /φῶς in Isaiah and Matthew is the expression of justice and peace in the existence of the people of God. The overarching concept is restoration from bondage of evil in its abstract or spiritual state, as well as in its materialization in socio-political settings; (b) The translation of this metaphor in Lugbarati requires a consideration of the distinction between ‘literal’ versus ‘metaphorical’ use of the linguistic expression. The metaphorical use of אוֹר and φῶς is best translated in Lugbarati by the expression dìzà which is the one used by a significant percentage of mother-tongue speakers in the translation survey. Illustrations in Swahili and Lingala, other languages, do attest such variation of expressions for translating the literal sense versus the metaphorical one. (c) RT remains a valid tool for analyzing metaphors. However, the RT account of metaphor developed by Wilson needs further development. My quantitative research has proved that the linguistic representation of a broadened concept can be linguistically represented by another expression. Thus, the broadened concept LIGHT* in Lugbarati is linguistically represented by dìzà, while the non-broadened LIGHT in Lugbarati is linguistically represented by àci. The Lugbarati speakers have the tendency to select one of the synonyms of the expression ‘light’ for metaphorical use, and the other(s) is (are) reserved for literal use(s). This is a new avenue of research that focuses on the linguistic representation of a concept (literal) and its broadened (metaphorical) form. This matters for translation because every language displays peculiarity in its conceptualization of realities, and metaphorical linguistic representations that are created from them.
Reading and translating genesis 28:10-35:15 as a votive narrative with special reference to the Dinah story
(2013-07-16) Lechebo, Daniel Hankore
Many critical readers of the Jacob story wonder: “What is the relevance of Genesis 34 to the Jacob narrative?” Besides, my close examination of different biblical interpretations and translations of the Jacob story of Gen 28:10-35:15 in general and the Dinah story of chapter 34 in particular demonstrates that the episodes of this narrative unit (Gen 28:10-35:15) are treated as if they were isolated episodes, which has resulted in misunderstanding and mistranslating of the story. Consequently, the readers of the Dinah story have difficulty to see its relevance to the Jacob story. In this dissertation, I will attempt to address this problem and show how reading Genesis 28:10-35:15 as a votive narrative in the light of the Hadiyya culture and Relevance Theory will help us to explain the relevance of the Dinah episode to Jacob story. I wish to show that Gen 28:10-35:15 is a coherent narrative unit and each episode of the story, including the Dinah story, is a componential part of the building blocks of the discourse structure of Jacob’s votive narrative. I will demonstrate how the coherence of the narrative is developed and explain the communicative intention of the story in depth. I also wish to suggest, in brief, how to translate it in order to convey the same message to secondary audiences. Thus, resolving this problem will crucially help the readers and translators of the story to draw the intended communicative intention and translate it. I also intend to show that a correct understanding of the Hebrew concept נדר ‘vow’ in the context of the ancient Israelite’s social institution is fundamental for the reading and translating of Genesis 28:10-35:15. This same institutional framework of the vow will assist us to explain the relevance of Genesis 34 to the Jacob story.
Nominalization in Chichewa
(2014-05-07) Matanda, Ezra
The objective of this work was to describe Nominalization in Chichewa, an African language in the Bantu family, using methods of descriptive linguistics. The study is organized into four main chapters, the fifth chapter being he conclusion. Chapter one deals with overall information about Chichewa and the methodology use in this work. The second chapter has to do with the Action Nominalization processes. The third chapter has to do with participant nominalization, and the fourth chapter provides analysis of how nominalization interacts with other components (Tense, Aspect, and Mood) of the sentence. The findings reveal that Chichewa makes use of quite a number of nominalization processes that occur even in the discourse. The evidence is given by the Chichewa text in the appendix.
The Valence adjusting operations in Lugwere
(2014-05-07) Mubbala, Samuel
The object of this paper is to make a brief investigation of valence adjusting operations in the Lugwere language. The paper examines those operations which increase and those which decrease valence in the clause in Lugwere. In conclusion to the investigation, observations of immediate linguistic value are made and further research proposed.
Serial Verb Constructions In Yoruba
(2014-05-07) Mbamalu, Abiola
Relative clause in Kinyarwanda
(2014-05-07) Nyiramahoro, Clene
The complement clauses of verbs of speech and cognition in Kikuyu
(2014-05-08) Muchesia, Mary Wambui Kamau
This study discusses complement clauses of verbs of speech and cognition in Kikuyu. The aim is to look at what types of complement clauses these verbs can take. I have achieved this by looking at some Kikuyu data, which I have collected from my knowledge of the language as a native speaker and by using a narrative text taken from a Kikuyu first lessons book. It will be shown that Kikuyu verbs of speech and cognition operate like other Complement-Taking Predicates (CTP), as they allow complementizers [but... there are some differences, e.g. it is not possible for the subject of the embedded clause to be marked as an Object Concord marker in the main verb if that verb is a verb of cognition]. However, this research is not exhaustive and more work remains to be done on the subj ect.
The relative clause in Kiembu
(2014-05-08) Barnard, Helga
The present paper attempts to give a basic description of the formation of relative clauses in Kiembu, a Bantu language of Kenya. As an SVO language, Kiembu employs postnominal relative clauses. The language uses three different relative clause strategies: the relative pronoun, the gap and the resumptive pronoun strategy. The correlations between the relativizable positions and the different strategies used follow the universal, expected tendencies. Kiembu fully supports the Keenan and Comrie Noun Phrase Accessibility Hierarchy. Unlike several other Bantu languages, Kiembu does not employ applicatives on the verb to promote obliques into a higher (subject or object) position to enable relativization. The language also has a type of relative clause, which does not have an overt head. Some of these may be interpreted as null headed, and others as headless relative clauses.
Tense Aspect and Mood in Mayogo.
(2014-05-09) Sebu, Mapuma Gilbert
This study is an investigation of tense, aspect and mood in Mayogo. Its purpose is mainly to describe my understanding of the form, tense, aspect and mood (TAM) and to see their function in discourse in order to help the work of Bible translation and literacy, and to make available data for those w-HIingto learn Mayogo. Using linguistic theories and principles, it has been observed that grammatical tone, prefixes on the verb stem, auxiliaries and temporal adverbials can be used to mark tense, aspect and mood in Mayogo.
The use of particle Ne in the Dinka language
(2014-05-09) Liol, Ramadan Chan
The Particle No in Zarma : A relevance Theory Perspective
(2014-05-12) Grigson, Jetta Elizabeth
This paper examines the role of the particle no in Zarma discourse. What is theoretically interesting about this particle is that one might see it as having two differing or contrasting functions. It seems to function both as a "focus marker" and as a "discourse topic marker". In this thesis, however, I would like to argue for a more economical analysis that takes into consideration both functions of the particle. Using Sperber and Wilson's Relevance Theory (RT) as the theoretical basis for this thesis, I will argue that this particle serves as a marker of syntactic scope, containing within its scope either a particular constituent of a clause or an entire clause. The information contained within the syntactic scope of the particle should be seen to contribute directly or indirectly to relevance for the hearer. Thus, the particle seems to have a basic watch this!' function. The speaker is signaling to the hearer that the information within the syntactic scope of the particle is essential for comprehension and relevance. In RT terms, as the indicator of focal scope, the information within the scope of the particle has the potential of creating cognitive effects in the listener, adding to his conceptual knowledge of the world. As an indicator of the scope of the discourse topic, it has potential of establishing a new context for the listener. Although I will not analyze the particle as a focus and/or topic marker, the syntactic scope that the particle indicates is, however, to be analyzed as either focus or discourse topic. I will, therefore, deal with focus and discourse topic as such. After having introduced the language background, the research methods and orthography, I will review the literature on focus and discourse topic. This thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter I incorporates the introduction, including language background, purpose of study, and research methods. Chapter II reviews the linguistic literature on the issues oi focus and discourse topic. Chapter III investigates the grammatical distribution of the particle no. Chapter IV introduces RT. Chapter V examines how the particle no is used in discourse, applying RT.
Alienable and Inalienable Possession in Dholuo
(2014-05-12) Lang, Emese
In his book A Grammar of Kenya Luo (Dholuo) (1993) Tucker explores the different types of genitives he found in the language. He attempts to differentiate between alienable and inalienable genitive constructions, basing his argument on the different forms of genitive head noun in Luo. However, after thorough investigation, it can be said that Luo does not have the semantic distinction of alienable and inalienable genitives. It does have two different forms of genitive construction but these have no difference semantically. The difference between Tucker's findings and those in this document may be due to recent language change, but this would need further investigation.
Nominalization Structure in Kikuyu
(2014-05-13) Wafula, Lois Mwihaki
The main strategy of nominalization in Kikuyu is morphological. The language uses the noun class markers (prefixes) and various suffixes to achieve nominalization. This paper has described eight of the processes. These descriptions are not exhaustive of all the processes and more work could be done on nominalization in Kikuyu.
The Expression of Negation in Nuni
(2014-05-13) Kadio, Abou Cornelille
The Applicative construction and Object symmetry in Kiswahili and Maragoli
(2014-05-14) Murrell, Paul
Many Bantu languages have recently been used in studying syntactic theory and there is much debate concerning double objects in applicative constructions and the symmetry, or lack of it, which can be observed operating on the object. It is currently argued that generative and relational grammars are unable to account for the complexity of such object behaviour. It would appear that object symmetry depends to some degree on the precise family that the language belongs to. This paper therefore investigates the applicative construction and object symmetry in two Bantu languages from different families, KiSwahili from Bantu (G40) and Maragoli from Bantu (130). I shall refer to two syntactic theories which deal with the applicative construction and object symmetry, Relational Grammar and Lexical Functional Grammar.
A Comparative Study of Causatives in Bantu
(2014-05-14) Briony Murrel, Josephine
This study will investigate causative formation in three major Bantu languages; KiSwahili, Kikuyu and Lingala. These three languages are from different subgroups of Bantu, and thus one would expect to find differences between them in the ways in which causatives are formed, as well as finding similarities common to all. KiSwahili and Kikuyu are more closely linked to each other than to Lingala, and the author will research whether this is reflected in the similarities and differences in the ways causatives are formed. Even within the most well-studied of the Bantu languages, KiSwahili, there are some questions regarding causative formation which seem to remain unanswered, such as why one verb root may take more than one type of causative suffix, but others may not. The author will seek to provide explanations for some of these questions, as well as investigating whether they are widespread, and reflected in the other Bantu languages studied here, or restricted to KiSwahili only. Comparative studies such as these have their place in Bible Translation. With the implementation of the SIL initiative Vision 2025, which seeks to have a Bible translation started in every language of the world which needs one by the year 2025, there is a need for far greater teamwork than has existed before in translation work. Groups are forming which aim to work together on related languages, pool resources, and help each other in their respective translations. One such group is the Bantu Initiative. A current target of this group is to provide a grammar template, helping linguists to know what they can expect from a Bantu language in each area of the grammar whilst at the same time illustrating the types of differences which exist. The author hopes to be able to provide a basis for this Bantu grammar template in the area of causatives, using the three languages studied to provide examples.