by Submitted infulfilment of the requirementsfor the Master of Arts in African Languages with specialisation in Setswana SUPERVISORS: PROF. V. N. WEBB MS R. M. RAMAGOSHI ©© UUnniivveerrssiittyy ooff PPrreettoorriiaa Acknowledgements (i) Summaty (ii) Samevatting (iv) List of key words (vi) List of tables (vii) 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Sociolinguistic profile of Botswana 1 1.3 Setswana language profile 2 1.4 Setswana as a standard language 4 1.5 Problem statement 7 1.6 Scope of the study 10 1.7 Methodology 10 1.8 Study design 11 2.1 Introduction 12 2.2 Language 13 2.3 Standard language 13 2.4 Standardisation 15 2.4.1 Stages in the standardisation process 17 2.4.1.1 Selection 17 2.4.1.2 Elaboration of functions 18 2.4.1.3 Codification 19 2.4.1.3.1 Norm determination 20 2.4.1.4 Acceptance 22 2.5 Language varieties and standard language 25 2.5.1 Style 25 2.5.2 Register 26 2.5.3 Dialect 26 2.5.4 Standard language 27 2.6 Conflict between standard language and non-standard languages 28 2.7 Conclusion 29 3.1 Introduction 31 3.2 Historical background 31 3.3 The origin of the Batswana 34 3.4 Setswana dialects 38 3.5 The Setswana orthography 41 3.5.1 The 1910 orthography 46 3.5.2 The 1937 Orthography 48 3.5.3 Tswana Language Committee (1960) 49 3.5.4 Lexical standardisation 50 3.5.5 Morphological standardisation 51 3.5.6 Syntax 52 3.6 Differences between Setswana and Sepedi 53 3.6.1 Phonological variations 53 3.6.2 Morphological variations 54 3.7 Differences between South African Setswana and Setswana of Botswana 55 3.8 Conclusion 56 4.1 Introduction 58 4.2 Research design 58 4.3 Sampling 58 4.4 Instrumentation 59 4.4.1 Questionnaire for teachers and lecturers 60 4.4.2 Questionnaire for the National Setswana Language Council 63 4.5 Data collection 64 4.5.1 Problems encountered with data collection 64 4.6 Conclusion 65 5.1 Introduction 66 5.2 First part of the teachers' questionnaire: Personal profile of the respondents 67 5.3 Second part of the teachers' questionnaire: Questions 67 5.3.1 Group 1 68 5.3.2 Group 2 74 5.3.3 Group 3 76 5.3.4 Group 4 80 5.4 Questionnaire for the National Setswana Language Council 89 5.4.1 Responses to the Questionnaire for the National Setswana Language Council 89 5.4.2 Discussions on the responses 92 5.5 Conclusion 95 6 CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 6.1 Introduction 96 6.2 Summary 96 6.3 Research findings 97 6.4 Linking the Research Findings with the Problems 102 6.5 Conclusion 103 6.6 Recommendations 105 Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Firstly, I thank God Almighty for giving me strength, power, wisdom and knowledge throughout this study. I wish to express my sincere gratitude and apprecIation to my supervisor, Professor Vic Webb, for his excellent guidance and advice that enabled me to complete this study. My thanks also go to my co-supervisor, Refilwe Morongwa Ramagoshi, for the dedication and academic guidance she offered throughout this study. I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to my colleagues, Abby Tshinki and Rachel Malambane, for their support and encouragement during the study. Mphidi Hamilton, from the libraIy department, also deserves a word of thanks for helping with the necessaIy material whenever it was needed. I do appreciate his help. A special word of thanks and deepest gratitude is extended to Moocha Phepisi for the love and tender care he gave to my children Reuben, Theophilus and their little sister Melba. With him, they never felt the absence of their mother. Finally, Iwould like to thank my family for the support they gave me during my study. They also gave support to my children, especially Reuben, who had to write his Junior Certificate as well as Cambridge Examination during the absence of his mother. Standard languages have become a very important instrument of communication in most multilingual countries. Botswana is one of the Southern African countries that have a number of languages, hence the need for a standard language was chosen. Setswana consists of a number of dialects but none of these dialects has been used as a basis for standard Setswana; instead, dialects have been combined to form a standard variety. The aim of this study is to investigate and discuss the problems regarding the state of standard Setswana in Botswana, and the processes followedin standardisingSetswanain Botswana. A questionnairewas used as an instrumentfor data collection. Eight schools from different educational levels, namely primary schools, junior secondary schools, senior secondary schools and colleges of education were chosen for the study. The study was limited to Setswana teachers and to the National Setswana Language Council (NSLC) members. Two different questionnaires were designedfor these respondents. The study has revealed that although standard Setswana exists in Botswana, the variety is not well known by most of the Batswana and they do not use it. Batswana do not seem to take standard Setswana seriously, as they think it does not benefit them economically. However, the study indicates that most Setswana teachers value the standard variety and would like other Batswana to take it seriouslyand regard it as an importantcommunicative tool. The study found that one ofthe problems that hinders the progress of implementing standard Setswana in schools is the lack of suitable material. The National Setswana Language Councilfaces the sameproblem. Another problem identified during the research is that some respondents cannot differentiate between standard Setswana as a variety of Setswana and Setswana as a language. This indicates that the Batswana were never made aware of the standard variety nor of its importance; hence, it is not adequately known and used in high public functions. The study also analysed the National Setswana Language Council, the body responsible for Setswana language issues in Botswana. The Council deals with the whole process of language standardisation, as well as the accuracy and proficiency of language use. However, the study revealed that of the four stages in the process of standardization; (selection, elaboration, codification and acceptance), the Council seems to have succeeded with selection and a part of codification. The orthographyhas been standardised but not yet published. Other stages, such as acceptanceand elaboration,need to be revisited. The study consists of six chapters. Chapter One outlines the purpose of the study as well as the problem statement.The sociolinguisticprofile of Botswana and the Setswana language profile are also discussed. Chapter Two presents the theoretical framework, while Chapter Three discusses the historical background of the Setswana-speakers, the history of Setswana and the development of standard Setswana by the missionaries. Methods and techniques of data collection are dealt with in Chapter Four, while Chapter Five presents data analysisand interpretation. Summary,fmdings, conclusion and recommendations arepresented in Chapter Six. Standaardtale het die belangrikste kommunikasie-instrumente geword in die meeste veeltalige lande. Botswana is een van die Suid-Afrikanse lande wat verskeie tale het, dus is hier gemaak vir die gebruik van 'n standaardtaal nodig. Setswana bestaan uit 'n aantal dialekte. Nie een van hierdie dialekte is egter as die basis vir Standaardsetswana gebruik nie. Die standaardvarieteit is gevorm uit meer as een van die dialekte. Die doel van hierdie studie is om die probleme rondom die gebruik van Standaardsetswana in Botswana na te vors en te bespreek. 'n Verdere doel met die studie is om die proses van standaardisering van Setswana in Botswana te ondersoek. Vraelyste isgebruik vir data-insameling. Agt skole met verskillende opvoedkundige vlakke is met die oog op die studie gekies, nl. laerskole, junior sekondere skole en opvoedkundige kolleges. Die studie is beperk tot Setswana-onderwysers en tot lede van die National Setswana Language Council (NSLC). Twee verskillende vraelyste is vir hierdie respondente opgestel. Die studie het aan die lig gebring dat, alhoewel Standaardsetswana in Botswana bestaan, hierdie varieteit nie goed bekend is by die meeste van die Batswana nie en dat die meeste van hulle dit nie gebruik nie. Die Batswana neem nie Standaardsetswana emstig op nie, aangesien hulle van mening is dat dit geen ekonomiese voordele vir hulle inhou nie. Aan die ander kant isbevind dat die meeste Setswana-onderwysers hierdie standaardvarieteit hoog ag en sou wou sien dat die ander Batswana dit emstig opneem en as 'n belangrike kommunikatiewe instrument beskou. Met behulp van hierdie studie is gevind dat die probleem wat verhinder dat daar gevorder word met die implementering van Standaardsetswana in skole die tekort aan gepaste leerstof in hierdie varieteit is. Die National Setswana Language Council ervaar ook hierdie selfde probleem. Nog 'n probleem wat deur die studie ge'identifiseer is, is dat sommige respondente nie kan onderskei tussen Standaardsetswana as 'n varieteit van Setswana en Setswana as 'n taal nie. Dit dui daarop dat die Batswana nooit bewus gemaak is van hierdie standaardvarieteit en die belangrikheid daarvan nie en dat dit daarom nie na wense gebruik word in hoe- openbare funksies nie. In die studie is 'n analise gemaak van die lidmaatskapprofiel van die National Setswana Language Council, die liggaam verantwoordelik vir Setswana-taalsake in Botswana. Die Raad hanteer die proses van taalstandaardisering asook van die korrekte en die vlot gebruik van die taa1. Die studie het egter aan die lig gebring dat ten opsigte van die vier fases, n1.seleksie, uitbreiding, kodifisering en aanvaarding, die Raad nog net seleksie en gedeeltelike kodifisering afgehandel het. Wat laasgenoemde aspek betref, n1. kodifisering, is slegs die ortografie afgehandel, hoewel nog nie gepubliseer nie. Daar sal weer aandag aan uitbreiding en aanvaarding gegee moet word. Die studie bestaan uit ses hoofstukke. In hoofstuk een word die studiedoelwit en die probleemstelling uiteengesit. In dieselfde hoofstuk word die sosiolinguistiese profiel van Botswana en van die Setswana-taal ook bespreek. Hoofstuk twee stel die teoretiese raamwerk aan die orde, terwyl hoofstuk drie die historiese agtergrond van die Setswana- sprekers uiteensit, asook die geskiedenis van Setswana en die ontwikkeling van Standaardsetswana deur die sendelinge. In hoofstuk vier word aandag gegee aan metodes en tegnieke van data-insameling, terwyl hoofstuk vyf die analise van data asook die interpretasie daarvan aanbied. Die samevatting, bevindings, gevolgtrekking en aanbevelings word in hoofstuk ses gegee.