The Ndebele Language Corpus: A Review of Some Factors Influencing the Content of the Corpus*
<p>Abstract: The Ndebele language corpus described here is that compiled by the ALLEX Project (now ALRI) at the University of Zimbabwe. It is intended to reflect as much as possible the Ndebele language as spoken in Zimbabwe. The Ndebele language corpus was built in order to provide mu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
| Published: |
Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal-WAT
2011-10-01
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| Series: | Lexikos |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://lexikos.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/766 |
| _version_ | 1818862558945214464 |
|---|---|
| author | Samukele Hadebe |
| author_facet | Samukele Hadebe |
| author_sort | Samukele Hadebe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract: The Ndebele language corpus described here is that compiled by the ALLEX Project (now ALRI) at the University of Zimbabwe. It is intended to reflect as much as possible the Ndebele language as spoken in Zimbabwe. The Ndebele language corpus was built in order to provide much-needed material for the study of the Ndebele language with a special focus on dictionarymaking and research. Like most corpora, the Ndebele language corpus may in future be used for other purposes not thought of at the time of its inception. It has been designed to meet generally acceptable standards so that it can be adaptable to various possible uses by various researchers. The article wants to outline the building process of the Ndebele language corpus with special emphasis on the challenges that faced compilers, and possible solutions. It is assumed that some of these challenges might not be peculiar to Ndebele alone but could also affect related African languages in a more or less similar situation. The main focus of the discussion will be the composition of the Ndebele language corpus, i.e. the type of texts that constitute the corpus. The corpus is composed of published texts, unpublished texts and oral material gathered from Ndebele-speaking districts of Zimbabwe. It will be argued that the use of the corpus and its reliability for research depends among other factors on its contents. It will also be shown that the contents of a corpus depend on a number of factors, some of which include sociolinguistic, political and economic considerations. These considerations have implications on both the content and quality of published and oral texts that constitute the Ndebele language corpus.</p><p>Keywords: CORPUS, ORAL MATERIALS, CODE-MIXING, CODE-SWITCHING, MOTHER- TONGUE, NDEBELE</p><p>Opsomming: Die Ndebeletaalkorpus: 'n Oorsig van sommige faktore wat die inhoud van die korpus be?nvloed. Die Ndebeletaalkorpus wat hier beskryf word, is di? saamgestel deur die ALLEX Project (tans ALRI) by die Universiteit van Zimbabwe. Dit is bedoel om soveel moontlik te weerspie?l van die Ndebeletaal soos in Zimbabwe gepraat. Die Ndebeletaalkorpus is opgebou om veelbenodigde materiaal te verskaf vir die studie van die Ndebeletaal, met spesiale fokus op woordeboeksamestelling en navorsing. Soos die meeste korpora, kan die Ndebeletaalkorpus in die toekoms gebruik word vir ander doeleindes waaraan nie by tye van sy ontstaan gedink is nie. Dit is ontwerp om aan algemeen aanvaarde standaarde te voldoen sodat dit aanpasbaar kan wees vir verskillende moontlike gebruike deur verskillende navorsers. Die artikel wil die bouproses van die Ndebeletaalkorpus skets met spesiale klem op die uitdagings wat die samestellers ondervind het, en moontlike oplossings. Dit word aanvaar dat sommige van hierdie uitdagings nie eie aan Ndebele alleen mag wees nie, maar ook verwante Afrikatale in 'n min of meer soortgelyke situasie mag raak. Die hooffokus van die bespreking sal op die samestelling van die Ndebeletaalkorpus wees, d.w.s. die soort tekste wat die korpus uitmaak. Die korpus is saamgestel uit gepubliseerde tekste, ongepubliseerde tekste en mondelinge materiaal versamel in Ndebelesprekende distrikte van Zimbabwe. Daar sal geredeneer word dat die gebruik van die korpus en sy betroubaarheid vir navorsing op onder andere sy inhoud berus. Daar sal ook getoon word dat die inhoud van die korpus op 'n aantal faktore berus, sommige waarvan sosiolinguistiese, politieke en ekonomiese oorwegings insluit. Hierdie oorwegings het implikasies vir beide die inhoud en gehalte van gepubliseerde en mondelinge tekste wat die Ndebeletaalkorpus uitmaak.</p><p>Sleutelwoorde: KORPUS, MONDELINGE MATERIAAL, KODEVERMENGING, KODEOMSKAKELING, MOEDERTAAL, NDEBELE</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T10:01:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-24305364566649ab93f696dce2a4c93b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1684-4904 2224-0039 |
| language | Afrikaans |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T10:01:47Z |
| publishDate | 2011-10-01 |
| publisher | Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal-WAT |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Lexikos |
| spelling | doaj.art-24305364566649ab93f696dce2a4c93b2022-12-21T20:26:38ZafrWoordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal-WATLexikos1684-49042224-00392011-10-011210.5788/12--766The Ndebele Language Corpus: A Review of Some Factors Influencing the Content of the Corpus*Samukele Hadebe<p>Abstract: The Ndebele language corpus described here is that compiled by the ALLEX Project (now ALRI) at the University of Zimbabwe. It is intended to reflect as much as possible the Ndebele language as spoken in Zimbabwe. The Ndebele language corpus was built in order to provide much-needed material for the study of the Ndebele language with a special focus on dictionarymaking and research. Like most corpora, the Ndebele language corpus may in future be used for other purposes not thought of at the time of its inception. It has been designed to meet generally acceptable standards so that it can be adaptable to various possible uses by various researchers. The article wants to outline the building process of the Ndebele language corpus with special emphasis on the challenges that faced compilers, and possible solutions. It is assumed that some of these challenges might not be peculiar to Ndebele alone but could also affect related African languages in a more or less similar situation. The main focus of the discussion will be the composition of the Ndebele language corpus, i.e. the type of texts that constitute the corpus. The corpus is composed of published texts, unpublished texts and oral material gathered from Ndebele-speaking districts of Zimbabwe. It will be argued that the use of the corpus and its reliability for research depends among other factors on its contents. It will also be shown that the contents of a corpus depend on a number of factors, some of which include sociolinguistic, political and economic considerations. These considerations have implications on both the content and quality of published and oral texts that constitute the Ndebele language corpus.</p><p>Keywords: CORPUS, ORAL MATERIALS, CODE-MIXING, CODE-SWITCHING, MOTHER- TONGUE, NDEBELE</p><p>Opsomming: Die Ndebeletaalkorpus: 'n Oorsig van sommige faktore wat die inhoud van die korpus be?nvloed. Die Ndebeletaalkorpus wat hier beskryf word, is di? saamgestel deur die ALLEX Project (tans ALRI) by die Universiteit van Zimbabwe. Dit is bedoel om soveel moontlik te weerspie?l van die Ndebeletaal soos in Zimbabwe gepraat. Die Ndebeletaalkorpus is opgebou om veelbenodigde materiaal te verskaf vir die studie van die Ndebeletaal, met spesiale fokus op woordeboeksamestelling en navorsing. Soos die meeste korpora, kan die Ndebeletaalkorpus in die toekoms gebruik word vir ander doeleindes waaraan nie by tye van sy ontstaan gedink is nie. Dit is ontwerp om aan algemeen aanvaarde standaarde te voldoen sodat dit aanpasbaar kan wees vir verskillende moontlike gebruike deur verskillende navorsers. Die artikel wil die bouproses van die Ndebeletaalkorpus skets met spesiale klem op die uitdagings wat die samestellers ondervind het, en moontlike oplossings. Dit word aanvaar dat sommige van hierdie uitdagings nie eie aan Ndebele alleen mag wees nie, maar ook verwante Afrikatale in 'n min of meer soortgelyke situasie mag raak. Die hooffokus van die bespreking sal op die samestelling van die Ndebeletaalkorpus wees, d.w.s. die soort tekste wat die korpus uitmaak. Die korpus is saamgestel uit gepubliseerde tekste, ongepubliseerde tekste en mondelinge materiaal versamel in Ndebelesprekende distrikte van Zimbabwe. Daar sal geredeneer word dat die gebruik van die korpus en sy betroubaarheid vir navorsing op onder andere sy inhoud berus. Daar sal ook getoon word dat die inhoud van die korpus op 'n aantal faktore berus, sommige waarvan sosiolinguistiese, politieke en ekonomiese oorwegings insluit. Hierdie oorwegings het implikasies vir beide die inhoud en gehalte van gepubliseerde en mondelinge tekste wat die Ndebeletaalkorpus uitmaak.</p><p>Sleutelwoorde: KORPUS, MONDELINGE MATERIAAL, KODEVERMENGING, KODEOMSKAKELING, MOEDERTAAL, NDEBELE</p>http://lexikos.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/766CORPUSORAL MATERIALSCODE-MIXINGCODE-SWITCHINGMOTHER- TONGUENDEBELE |
| spellingShingle | Samukele Hadebe The Ndebele Language Corpus: A Review of Some Factors Influencing the Content of the Corpus* Lexikos CORPUS ORAL MATERIALS CODE-MIXING CODE-SWITCHING MOTHER- TONGUE NDEBELE |
| title | The Ndebele Language Corpus: A Review of Some Factors Influencing the Content of the Corpus* |
| title_full | The Ndebele Language Corpus: A Review of Some Factors Influencing the Content of the Corpus* |
| title_fullStr | The Ndebele Language Corpus: A Review of Some Factors Influencing the Content of the Corpus* |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Ndebele Language Corpus: A Review of Some Factors Influencing the Content of the Corpus* |
| title_short | The Ndebele Language Corpus: A Review of Some Factors Influencing the Content of the Corpus* |
| title_sort | ndebele language corpus a review of some factors influencing the content of the corpus |
| topic | CORPUS ORAL MATERIALS CODE-MIXING CODE-SWITCHING MOTHER- TONGUE NDEBELE |
| url | http://lexikos.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/766 |
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