Author: Respect Mlambo (SADiLaR Xitsonga Researcher)

This blog is written to describe the interjection functions as part of speech in Xitsonga and the notion it expresses. Interjections in Xitsonga, as in other languages, are used to express the present mental state of the speaker.

Manghenelo

Rihlamari i xihluvi xa mbulavulo lexi kongomisaka eka marito lama ma tirhisawaka ku komba kumbe ku humelerisa matitwelo ma xivulavuri hi xiyimo xo karhi xa nkarhi wolowo. Ameka & Wilkins (2006:2), va hlamusela rihlamari hi mikhuva lowu:

Interjections are words which conventionally constitute utterances by themselves and express a speaker’s current mental state or reaction or attitude towards an element in the linguistic or extra-linguistic context.

Cruz (2017: 299) u nyika ya yena nhlamuselo ya rihlamari a ku:

Interjections are linguistic elements that individuals use to express mental states, attitudes or reactions to perceived stimuli.

Mitshaho leyi nga laha henhla yi seketela mhaka ya leswaku mahlamari i marito lama kombisaka matitwelo ma munhu mayelana na mhaka yo karhi leyi a yi vonaka kumbe ku yi hleketa na swona vayingiseri va kota ku vona matitwelo makona. Eka xitsalwana lexi ku ta xopaxopiwa mitirho ya mahlamari ku humesela erivaleni leswi matirhelo ma wona eka mbulavulo.

Nxopaxopo

Eka Xitsonga mahlamari ma nga tirhisiwa ku komba ku hlamala, ku komba ku hlundzuka, ku komba ntsako, ku komba nkaneto na ku komba ku vilela, ku komba ku tshuka, ku komba ku twela vusiwana, ku komba ku chava na swin’wana na swin’wana. Eka mitirho leyi boxiweke laha henhla ya mahlamari. Eka ntirho lowu ku ta kaneriwa ntsena mitirho ya ntlhanu leri xopaxopiweke hi Shabangu (1996):

1. Mahlamari mo komba ku hlamala

(i) Yhu, ka ha ri ku dakwa hinkwaswo leswi?

(ii) He, mi ri u lovile?

Hi swikombiso leswi marito yhu, na he, hi wona mahlamari naswona ma komba kahle leswaku ku na ku hlamala ko karhi hi muvulavuri eka xiyimo lexi a langutaneke na xona. Mhaka yin’wana yi kombisiweke hi mahlamari ya muxaka lowu hileswaku loko ku hlamala ku humelela ku fika hi ndlela ya xivutiso eka vayingiseri.

1. b) Mahlamari mo komba ku chava

(i) Yoo, a ndzi nga poni minoo!

(ii) Va n’wi dlaya mananoo!

Mahlamari ma muxaka lowu Shabangu u hlamusela leswaku a ma tirhi ku komba ku chava eka xivulavuri ntsena, u kombisa leswaku ma nga tlhela ma tirhisiwa ku komba ku twa ku vava kumbe ku twela un’wana vusiwana eka leswi nga ku n’wi humeleleni. Eka (i) mahlamari yoo na minoo! ma komba ku chava loku xivulavuri xi langutaneke na kona. Loko mananoo! ri komba ku twela munhu un’wana vusiwana eka leswi nga ku endlekeni ehenhla ka yena.

1. c) Mahlamari mo komba ku hlundzuka

(i) Kote, u feyirile

(ii) Ase, a wu fi mukhuva wolowo

Hi swikombiso leswi marito kote, na ase, hi wona mahlamari naswona ma komba leswaku ku na ku hlundzuka ko karhi hi xivulavuri. Eka (i) xivulavuri xi komba ku hlundzuka ka xona eka leswi ku nga na munhu a nga feyila. Kasi (ii) rona xivulavuri xi komba ku hlundzuka ka rona eka leswo homboloka xi endliweke swona.

1. d) Mahlamari mo komba ntsako

(i) Ahaa, va yi kumile tsotsi namuntlha

(ii) Nwee, yi howile nakambe

Hi swikombiso leswi Shabangu a seketela leswaku mahlamari ma tirhisiwa ku komba ntsako wo karhi hi xivulavuri. Eka (i) rito ahaa, hi rona rihlamari naswona ri komba leswaku xivulavuri xi tsakile hi leswi ku nga khomiwa munhu loyi a va karhata hi ku va tekela swilo swa vona. Kasi eka (ii) rito nwee, na rona i rihlamari leri kombaka ntsako lowu a nga na wona endzhaku ka loko xipano xa yena xi howisile.

1. e) Mahlamari mo komba ku kaneta

(i) Yhi, na mina ndzi famba na vona

(ii) Eboo, a ndzi yi helo mina

Shabangu u tlhele a yisa emahlweni a kombisa leswaku mahlamari ma nga tirhisiwa ku komba ku kaneta eka swin’wana leswi xivulavuri a nga yimeki na swona. Eka (i) rito yhi, i rihlamari leri nga tirhisiwa hi xivulavuri ku komba ku ka a nga seketeli ku va ku fambiwa yena a sala. Loko eka (ii) rito eboo, rona ri komba ku ala ku famba.

Nkatsakanyo

Eka ntirho lowu ku kaneriwile hi mahlamari hi ku kongomisa eka mitirho ya wona eka mbulavulo. Ku kombisiwile leswaku mahlamari i marito lama tirhisiwaka ku humelerisa matitwelo mo karhi hi xivulavuri. U tlhela ku hlamuseriwa leswaku mahlamari ma ti hlawulekisa hi mitirho yo hambanahambana lama katsaka: ku komba ku hlamala, ku komba ku hlundzuka, ku komba ntsako, ku komba nkaneto na ku komba ku vilela, ku komba ku tshuka, ku komba ku twela vusiwana, ku komba ku chava na swin’wana na swin’wana.

MATSALWA LAMA TIRHISIWEKE

Ameka, F.K. & Wiikins, D.P. (2006). Interjections. John Benjamins Publishing Company: Amsterdam

Cruz, Manuel Padilla (2017). On the origin and meaning of secondary interjections: A relevance-theoretic proposal in:  Piskorska, A.  and Wałaszewska, E.  (eds), Applications of Relevance Theory: From Discourse to Morphemes,Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 299-326.

Shabangu, I.S. (1996). Nyeleti ya Mahlahle. Lingua Franca publishers: Giyani