A Note on Setswana Onomatopoeia

  Abstract   The Setswana language, like other African languages, has a rich word class category of onomatopoeia that are derived from diverse sound sources in the environment of the speakers. Onomatopoeia are sounds imitations. They subsequently derive ideophones which are the secondary f...

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Main Author: Andy Chebanne
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: LibraryPress@UF 2023-12-01
Series:Studies in African Linguistics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.flvc.org/sal/article/view/134343
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author Andy Chebanne
author_facet Andy Chebanne
author_sort Andy Chebanne
collection DOAJ
description   Abstract   The Setswana language, like other African languages, has a rich word class category of onomatopoeia that are derived from diverse sound sources in the environment of the speakers. Onomatopoeia are sounds imitations. They subsequently derive ideophones which are the secondary function of imitated sounds. In the Setswana grammars, little or nothing is said about onomatopoeia, but rather ideophones are accounted for and given prominence in linguistic analysis of the language. This preliminary discussion of onomatopoeia will illustrate that this word category needs to be studied in Setswana as a distinct word category. They are the primary source of ideophones. Further, the discussion will argue that onomatopoeia present interesting linguistic value at the level of their phonology, morphology and syntax, and that they cannot be neglected in the study of the Setswana language. This note on Setswana onomatopoeia therefore intends to open a discussion on onomatopoeia and how they relate to other word categories in the language.      
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spelling doaj.art-5996cf2535eb4609852d2c522700b0a42023-12-18T05:16:33ZengLibraryPress@UFStudies in African Linguistics0039-35332154-428X2023-12-0152Supplement 13A Note on Setswana OnomatopoeiaAndy Chebanne0University of Botswana   Abstract   The Setswana language, like other African languages, has a rich word class category of onomatopoeia that are derived from diverse sound sources in the environment of the speakers. Onomatopoeia are sounds imitations. They subsequently derive ideophones which are the secondary function of imitated sounds. In the Setswana grammars, little or nothing is said about onomatopoeia, but rather ideophones are accounted for and given prominence in linguistic analysis of the language. This preliminary discussion of onomatopoeia will illustrate that this word category needs to be studied in Setswana as a distinct word category. They are the primary source of ideophones. Further, the discussion will argue that onomatopoeia present interesting linguistic value at the level of their phonology, morphology and syntax, and that they cannot be neglected in the study of the Setswana language. This note on Setswana onomatopoeia therefore intends to open a discussion on onomatopoeia and how they relate to other word categories in the language.       https://journals.flvc.org/sal/article/view/134343Setswana; onomatopoeia, ideophones; word derivation; Setswana word categories
spellingShingle Andy Chebanne
A Note on Setswana Onomatopoeia
Studies in African Linguistics
Setswana; onomatopoeia, ideophones; word derivation; Setswana word categories
title A Note on Setswana Onomatopoeia
title_full A Note on Setswana Onomatopoeia
title_fullStr A Note on Setswana Onomatopoeia
title_full_unstemmed A Note on Setswana Onomatopoeia
title_short A Note on Setswana Onomatopoeia
title_sort note on setswana onomatopoeia
topic Setswana; onomatopoeia, ideophones; word derivation; Setswana word categories
url https://journals.flvc.org/sal/article/view/134343
work_keys_str_mv AT andychebanne anoteonsetswanaonomatopoeia
AT andychebanne noteonsetswanaonomatopoeia