Tuesday, October 23, 2018

First PhD in IsiXhosa at Fort Hare University is about onomastics!

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East London-Nompumelelo Kapa East London high school teacher become the first academic at the 102-year-old University of Fort Hare to write a doctorate thesis in IsiXhosa.
Kapa is an IsiXhosa teacher, her doctorate focused on literature and philosophy degree, it was announced during the university’s spring graduation in Alice on Friday.
She spoke to Daily Dispatch, “It is indeed a beautiful experience. I love my language so much.”
She is a mother of two and is married to amaXhosa royal Prince Jerry Sigcawu of Nqadu in Willowvale.
Her supervisor‚ African languages department head Professor Nomsa Satyo‚ said, “This study‚ on onomastics (the history and origin of a name) will contribute towards the development of the orthography (spellings) of isiXhosa so as to be on a par with that of languages that have been standardised. Her thesis is … imperative as a furtherance of‚ and a contribution to the development‚ promotion and use of isiXhosa as an official language of South Africa.”
It has been a a milestone year for South African languages,  Hleze Kunju was the first PhD student at Rhodes University to write his thesis in IsiXhosa.

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