Tshekatsheko ya molebopuo-loago mo lenyalong, bongakeng, kgotleng, bogwereng le bojaleng mo Lehurutshe

Abstract

An analysis of the sociolinguistic approach in the Batswana Cultural aspects such as marriage, witchdoctor's language, the chief's kraal and initiation school in Lehurutshe. 8.1 The aim The overriding aim of this research work is to show and demonstrate the role played by language and its importance in the development and preservation of culture. Culture is a very crucial reflection of the society. and integrity. It is a mirror that projects our behaviour, dignity It is a precious heritage of every nation. The aim is to show how language usage can be manipulated, the different colours and turns language can take when used in different situations, occasions and purposeful . The language used in negotiating lobolla in marriage is totally different from the language used by the witchdoctor to explain the mysteries, messages and stories told by his bones. The language can affect a society by influencing or even controlling the world view of its speakers. Linguistic sex varieties arise because, as people have already seen, that language, as a social phenomenon, is closely related to social attitudes. Men and women are socially different in that society lays down different social roles for them and expects different behaviour patterns from them. Language simply reflects this social fact. Men's and women's speech, as we have demonstrated ·is not only different women's speech is also (socially) "better" than men's speech. This is a reflection of the fact that, generally speaking, more "correct" social behaviour is expected of women. Greater value is placed on the achievement of males than on those of the females and men get more public recognition than women do, hence men's names have acquired more symbolic value. These, then, are some of the ways in which society acts upon language and possibly, in which language acts upon society. Language is very much a cultural phenomenon. A study of language totally without reference to its cultural context inevitably leads to the omission of some of the more complex and interesting aspects of language and to the loss of opportunities for further theoretical progress. One of the main factors that has led to the growth of sociolinguistics research has been the recognition of the importance of the fact that language is a very variable may have as much to do with culture as with language. A language is not a simple, single code used in the same manner by all people in all situations and linguistics has now arrived at a stage where it is both possible and beneficial to begin to tackle this complexity. Language is not simply a means of communicating information about the weather or any other_ subject. and preserving culture. It is also a very important means of expressing The values as a cultural phenomenon can also have an effect on its language. The most interesting way in which this happens is through the phenomenon known as Taboo. Taboo can be characterized as being concerned with the behaviour which is believed to be supernaturally forbidden or regarded as immoral or improper, it deals with behaviour which is prohibited or inhibited in an apparently irrational manner. In language taboo is associated with things which are not said and in particular with words and expressions which are not used. In practice, of course, this simply means that there are inhibitions about the normal use of i terns of this kind, if they were not said at all, they could hardly remain in the language. Our accent and speech generally show what part of the country a person comes from and what sort of background he has. People may even give some indication of certain of their ideas and attitudes and all of this information can be used by the people they are speaking with, to help them formulate an opinion about them. The social environment can also be reflected in the language and can often have an effect on the structure of the vocabulary.8.2 Method The research work was done in the district of Lehurutshe and its villages. The people of Lehurutshe were listoned to, using the language in matters pertaining to marriage, initiation school, cases handled at the chief's kraal and how the witchdoctor communicates with his bones. Much attention was also paid to the meaning of this language, its significance in the projection and development of culture. Interviews were conducted on various people. The other method used was the distribution of questionaires to various people in Lehurutshe. 8.3 Conclusion By means of adequate proof obtained from the interviews conducted on various people and questionaires distributed to people of different social and educational standing, conclusion has been drawn that language is not simply a means of communicating information about the weather or any other subject. It is also a very important means of expressing and preserving culture. Language usage differs from situation to situation, purpose to purpose and occasion to occasion. The social environment can also be reflected in the language and can often have an effect on the structure of the vocabulary. The accent and speech generally show what part of the country people come from and what sort of background they have. Linguistic sex varieties arise because, as people have already seen that language as a social phenomenon, is closely related to social attitudes. A language can affect a society by influencing or even controlling the world-view of its speakers.