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There are various modes of representation that may be used to convey ideas about human relations and perceptions. Poetry is one of the avenues that is often used to express ideas about human experience and other related matters. Hence, poetry may be used to convey ideas about gender and its attendant perception and portrayal in society. This is true of Xitsonga poetry, which often entails poets’ concept of women and womanhood. This article analyses two Xitsonga poems that were purposively selected for their treatment of women and womanhood as themes. The selected poems are are Vatshiveri by Malungana and Babane, and Nkata xithicarana by G.J Maphalakasi. Underpinned by the theory of meaning and content analysis, the article reveals that women are largely portrayed in a negative light, lazy, heartless, boastful, arrogant, and evil, only insofar as they do not conform to the cultural and stereotypic definitions of a woman is or should be in a given society. The article recommends that Vatsonga women should create poetry contrasting male writers' views, transforming perceptions of women and womanhood. Future Vatsonga poets should draw from cultural tenets without relying on past understandings.

Kinship terminologies, which vary across cultures and languages, present challenges for lexicographers in creating bilingual dictionaries. Effective bilingual dictionaries must accurately and comprehensively reflect kinship terms and their equivalents. This study explores the lexicographic treatment of Xitsonga kinship terms in bilingual dictionaries, focusing on their definition, translation, and cross-referencing in English-Xitsonga contexts. It addresses the lexicographic challenges posed by kinship terms' cultural specificity and structural diversity across languages. Using a descriptive qualitative methodology, data were collected from the English-Tsonga/Tsonga-English Pocket Dictionary (2008) and the Pharos Bilingual Dictionary: English-Xitsonga/Xitsonga-English (2021). This study is guided by the user-driven approach to lexicography. The study has found that even though bilingual dictionaries offer some accurate equivalents, they often lack full definitions and overlook specific cultural nuances. Cultural differences between English and Xitsonga were identified as key factors limiting the inclusion of kinship equivalents. To improve the accuracy and cultural representation of kinship terms, this study recommends expanding definitions to cover a wider range of familial relationships and ensuring all relevant Xitsonga equivalents are included to reflect its cultural distinctions. These findings contribute to understanding the challenges and opportunities of presenting kinship terms and informing the improvement of bilingual lexicographic resources for Xitsonga.

Kinship terminologies, which vary across cultures and languages, present challenges for lexicographers in creating bilingual dictionaries. Effective bilingual dictionaries must accurately and comprehensively reflect kinship terms and their equivalents. This study explores the lexicographic treatment of Xitsonga kinship terms in bilingual dictionaries, focusing on their definition, translation, and cross-referencing in English-Xitsonga contexts. It addresses the lexicographic challenges posed by kinship terms' cultural specificity and structural diversity across languages. Using a descriptive qualitative methodology, data were collected from the English-Tsonga/Tsonga-English Pocket Dictionary (2008) and the Pharos Bilingual Dictionary: English-Xitsonga/Xitsonga-English (2021). This study is guided by the user-driven approach to lexicography. The study has found that even though bilingual dictionaries offer some accurate equivalents, they often lack full definitions and overlook specific cultural nuances. Cultural differences between English and Xitsonga were identified as key factors limiting the inclusion of kinship equivalents. To improve the accuracy and cultural representation of kinship terms, this study recommends expanding definitions to cover a wider range of familial relationships and ensuring all relevant Xitsonga equivalents are included to reflect its cultural distinctions. These findings contribute to understanding the challenges and opportunities of presenting kinship terms and informing the improvement of bilingual lexicographic resources for Xitsonga.

Kinship terminologies, which vary across cultures and languages, present challenges for lexicographers in creating bilingual dictionaries. Effective bilingual dictionaries must accurately and comprehensively reflect kinship terms and their equivalents. This study explores the lexicographic treatment of Xitsonga kinship terms in bilingual dictionaries, focusing on their definition, translation, and cross-referencing in English-Xitsonga contexts. It addresses the lexicographic challenges posed by kinship terms' cultural specificity and structural diversity across languages. Using a descriptive qualitative methodology, data were collected from the English-Tsonga/Tsonga-English Pocket Dictionary (2008) and the Pharos Bilingual Dictionary: English-Xitsonga/Xitsonga-English (2021). This study is guided by the user-driven approach to lexicography. The study has found that even though bilingual dictionaries offer some accurate equivalents, they often lack full definitions and overlook specific cultural nuances. Cultural differences between English and Xitsonga were identified as key factors limiting the inclusion of kinship equivalents. To improve the accuracy and cultural representation of kinship terms, this study recommends expanding definitions to cover a wider range of familial relationships and ensuring all relevant Xitsonga equivalents are included to reflect its cultural distinctions. These findings contribute to understanding the challenges and opportunities of presenting kinship terms and informing the improvement of bilingual lexicographic resources for Xitsonga.

Reading is developed over time and involves the interaction of both simple and complex skills characterised by a hierarchical sequence of foundational reading skills. However, research has shown that children who do not acquire mastery of foundational reading skills have limited chances of acquiring reading success. This study examines the relations between sub-components of reading in Xitsonga and their impact on Grade 1 learners' reading ability. It also aims to identify which early reading skills predict later reading accomplishment. Data in this study was obtained from 75 Grade 1 learners in the Limpopo Province. The early-grade reading assessment tool adapted to Xitsonga was used to test the learners' foundational reading skills: phonological and phonemic awareness, letter-sound knowledge, word reading, oral reading fluency and reading comprehension skills. The results present a compelling relationship between the subcomponents of reading and show that deficits in the development of foundational reading skills negatively impact learners' ability to read. Regression analysis showed that oral reading fluency was the only significant predictor of reading comprehension. Hence, there is a need for reading to be taught and learned consciously in alphabetic languages to help learners develop their early reading skills, which play important roles in the acquisition of reading. Index Terms--Xitsonga, foundational reading skills, sub-components of reading, early grade reading

Kinship terminologies, which vary across cultures and languages, present challenges for lexicographers in creating bilingual dictionaries. Effective bilingual dictionaries must accurately and comprehensively reflect kinship terms and their equivalents. This study explores the lexicographic treatment of Xitsonga kinship terms in bilingual dictionaries, focusing on their definition, translation, and cross-referencing in English-Xitsonga contexts. It addresses the lexicographic challenges posed by kinship terms' cultural specificity and structural diversity across languages. Using a descriptive qualitative methodology, data were collected from the English-Tsonga/Tsonga-English Pocket Dictionary (2008) and the Pharos Bilingual Dictionary: English-Xitsonga/Xitsonga-English (2021). This study is guided by the user-driven approach to lexicography. The study has found that even though bilingual dictionaries offer some accurate equivalents, they often lack full definitions and overlook specific cultural nuances. Cultural differences between English and Xitsonga were identified as key factors limiting the inclusion of kinship equivalents. To improve the accuracy and cultural representation of kinship terms, this study recommends expanding definitions to cover a wider range of familial relationships and ensuring all relevant Xitsonga equivalents are included to reflect its cultural distinctions. These findings contribute to understanding the challenges and opportunities of presenting kinship terms and informing the improvement of bilingual lexicographic resources for Xitsonga.

This article explores the influence of the musician Obed Ngobeni (1954–2002) and his backing singers the Kurhula Sisters. It catalogues his significance as a pioneer of Xitsonga disco that helped shape South Africa’s ‘township bubblegum’ sound of the ’80s. The author argues that Ngobeni defied apartheid’s social engineering in an attempt to foster and affirm African cultural values. This form of resistance is exemplified by the influential 1983 track Ku Hluvukile eka ‘Zete’ (There is Progress at ZZ2), later entitled Kazet which has become a recognisable classic and anthem. Veteran musicians such as Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens, Harry Belafonte and several deejays have recorded versions of Kazet and toured the world, thus extending its reach beyond racial and ethnic confines – placing it on the continent and world music circuit. Ngobeni’s music serves as an example of excellence emanating from the so-called backward and ‘unbookish’ pockets of our country. Hence, the author argues that music on the periphery is central in shaping critical perspectives, cultural affirmation and conscientising people around the issues of labour exploitation, cultural and historical marginalisation. Through the song Ku Hluvukile eka ‘Zete’, Ngobeni reimagined a new, humane and egalitarian society way back in the ’80s before the advent of liberation and democracy in South Africa. Through oral testimonies and interviews of men and women who worked on the ZZ2 farms as well as musical archives and other phenomenological approaches, the story of Ngobeni is revealed with sensitivity to the factors that foregrounded his music.ContributionThis article records, preserves, popularises and studies the role of resistance music through Ngobeni’s song Ku Hluvukile eka ‘Zete’ within the multidisciplinary fields of social sciences, using, in the main, oral history techniques to document the untold rural story of an unheralded artist.

Due to their common roots within the Bantu language family, isiZulu and Xitsonga exhibit several shared linguistic features, notably the use of a noun class system. Yet, their distinct morphological rules differentiate them. This article examines the morphosyntactic features of quantifiers in Bantu languages, and then compares them using isiZulu and Xitsonga as its focus area. Transformational Generative Grammar (TGG) theory is used. Employing an interpretive qualitative approach, the study purposefully selected two Bibles and four language practitioners. The study demonstrates that universal quantifiers in both languages function as stems that attach to either prefixes or suffixes. The analysis indicates that the structural arrangement of universal quantifiers in relation to the nouns they modify typically places the nouns (headwords) before the quantifiers. Additionally, the findings reveal that the stems ‘-onke’ and ‘hinkw-’ as quantifiers both fulfill collective roles; however, ‘wonke’ is also distributive. ‘-onke’ and ‘hinkw-’ mostly replicate the prefix of the nouns they quantify, exhibiting a robust agreement system, and can function as pronouns while modifying both plural and singular nouns. Nevertheless, it is noted that ‘hinkw-’ does not appear with nouns from class 1. It is recommended that future research compares the morphosyntactic structures of quantifiers in other Bantu languages, comparing their agreement systems and their position in relation to nouns and other parts of speech.ContributionThis article adds to linguistic scholarship, particularly within the study of Bantu languages. It enriches comparative analyses within this language family, shedding light on both shared and unique morphosyntactic features. It expands the understanding of the roles played by the two stems in agreement systems.

Nominal prefixes play a crucial role in Xitsonga grammar by shaping word formation, categorisation and meaning. These affixes that are attached at the beginning of nouns convey crucial information about number, possession and noun class. While the influence of nominal prefixes on simple word formation has been explored to some extent, their impact on compound word formation in Xitsonga remains relatively understudied. This study delves into this underexplored area, investigating the intricate relationship between nominal prefixes and compound word construction in Xitsonga. The study used convenience sampling to collect data from secondary sources such as Xitsonga grammar books, dictionaries and academic articles. This study is grounded on a functional linguistic approach, which provides a robust framework for analysing the interactions between nominal prefixes and compound word formation. The findings unveil the profound influence of nominal prefixes on compound word construction in Xitsonga. These prefixes not only shape word categories and meanings but also express quantity, indicate location and convey time. These insights emphasise the significant role of nominal prefixes in defining Xitsonga’s grammatical structure, expanding its vocabulary and reflecting its cultural context.ContributionThis study contributes to the existing literature of compounding by highlighting the pivotal role of nominal prefixes in Xitsonga grammar, particularly in shaping word formation, categorisation and meaning. It examines how prefixes influence the creation of compound words in Xitsonga and their morphological functions.

Terms of address are typically used by interlocutors in spoken and written discourse. These terms serve a variety of functions across languages and cultures, reflecting social hierarchies, politeness, familiarity, and interpersonal relations. Despite the prominence of terms of address in Xitsonga, they have received limited scholarly attention in literary texts. This study examines the use of terms of address in Xitsonga literature from a sociolinguistic perspective, employing a descriptive qualitative approach. Data were drawn from three Xitsonga literary works: Ndlandlalati ya Malenga, Byi le Tintihweni, and Xivoni xa Vutomi and were subjected to content analysis. The study is underpinned by politeness theory, which provides a framework for understanding how terms of address function in negotiating social relationships and regulating interpersonal dynamics. The findings indicate a diverse array of terms of address, encompassing kinship terms, personal names, hypocoristic names, nicknames, personal titles, pronouns, teknonyms, and terms of endearment. Their usage varies according to social relationships, degrees of formality, and specific contextual factors within the literary texts. These results provide insight into the functional role of terms of address in Xitsonga written discourse, highlighting how they reflect and negotiate broader sociolinguistic dynamics and socio-cultural norms. Contribution: This study provides insight into the pragmatic uses of address forms in Xitsonga literature. It reveals that these forms are used to fulfil socio-cultural functions and maintain social relations in the written discourse. The study also highlights that Xitsonga address forms are shaped by the social environment in which they are employed.