Intonasie as kodewisselingstrategie by die aanleer van Afrikaans deur swart studente : 'n etnolinguistiese ondersoek

Abstract

In Chapter 1 the simultaneous use of code switching and intonation is mentioned as a strategy to convey speakers' intention. Conversationalists make use of this strategy in an specific ethnic and conventionalized way. Research on the prosodic features of Afrikaans is mostly done through the examination of isolated sentences. This procedure does not give any indication of the manner in which intonation and code switching bind sentences together to fit into a single theme. What is needed is a functional view of prosody and code switching to uncover the strategic use of these phenomena in connected discourse. This constitutes the basic aim of the present study. In chapter 2 the terminology and approach used in this study is explained. The objects of the study in discourse analysis are communicative signs, i.e. prosody and code switching, and their patterning in text. Discourse is seen as an ongoing process by means of which speakers negotiate intention from moment to moment, making use of the linguistic system in a strategic way. Prosody and code switching are described as contextualization cues which form part of text (as determined by the situational dimensions in the Hallidayan sense). The situational dimensions, i.e. field of discourse, tenor of discourse and mode of discourse, are incorporated in a discourse model to be used for analysing a specific lecture of Afrikaans. Chapter 3 deals with the way in which this discourse model can be used to analyse text encoded in linguistic choices. The obtaining of the data, consisting of natural language, is explained and fragments of these are analysed with reference to the strategic use of code switching and intonation. In chapter 4 the results of the systematic observation are described. It is concluded that the strategic use of code switching' is part of the speakers' intentions that are conveyed through intonation which forms the basis of the information structure. Recommendations for future research are based on the findings of the study and the role of polysyllabic pitch level in discourse is pointed out as a main issue for consideration by researchers.