Roman-waarheid en roman-fiksie: 'n ondersoek na die waarheidsgehalte van sekere Afrikaanse aktualiteitsromans en na die waarheidsmaatstaf in die aktualiteitsromankritiek
- Authors: Mulock-Houwer, F A M
- Date: 1963
- Subjects: Afrikaans fiction -- History and criticism
- Language: Afrikaans
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3633 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012910
- Description: Dit het my herhaaldelik getref dat, by die beoordeling van bepaalde tipes Afrikaanse romans, deur die kritici sekere maatstawwe aangelê word wat as artistieke of literêre kriteria nie geldig, nie ter sake nie, en daarom meestal ook ontoelaatbaar is. Ek bedoel meer bepaaldelik die historiese en aktualiteitsromans: genres wat hul tematiese materiaal grotendeels betrek uit die verbye of hedendaagse "werklikheid" van die gemeenskap waartoe, in prakties alle gevalle, én die auteurs én die kritici van daardie romans behoort. Die ongeldige, slegs ten dele geldige of verkeerd gebruikte geldige kriteria vind hul oorsprong in 'n foutiewe vereenselwiging van die letterkundige kriterium "waarheid in die roman" met die aktualiteitsmaatstawwe "objektiewe werklikheid" en "oordeel oor hierdie werklikheid wat in die roman gevel word". 'n Ondersoek na die grondbeginsels van die romankritiek, die mate van ooreenkoms wat die Afrikaaner kritiek daarmee vertoon, en dus ook na die "waarheidsgehalte" van die betrokke romans self, vorm die opset van hierdie verhandeling. In die loop van die ondersoek het dit egter spoedig geblyk dat die onderwerp te wyd was, en dat dit die beste beperk kon word deur te konsentreer op 'n kleiner aantal romans binne een genre. Die keuse het geval op die aktualiteitsroman, en meer bepaaldelik op 'n negetal romans i.v.m. die "nie-blanke aktualiteit" en "rasseverhoudings in Suid-Afrika". Hierdie keuse is gedoen om twee hoofredes. Eerstens omdat die rasseprobleem veral sedert die Tweede Wêreldoorlog en meer bepaaldelik sedert die Atlantiese Oorkonde (1942) dié heersende wêreldprobleem geword het. Die rassebeleid in Suid-Afrika is derhalwe skerp in die lig gestel, met die gevolg dat Suid-Afrikaners daartoe gedryf is om hulle houding nie net in die praktyk te handhaaf nie, maar ook teoretiee en godsdienstig te verdedig. As aktualiteitsprobleem is die rassesituasie dus die interessantste en dié wat die meeste opspraak wek. Die tweede rede vir my keuae is die feit dat die kritieke oor die "romans oor rasseverhoudings", juis weens die aktualiteitstweedrag oor hierdie situasie, die volledigste voorbeeld vorm van die heersende "werklikheid"/"waarheid"-verwarring in die Afrikaanse aktualiteitsroman-kritiek. Die skripsie is in drie hoofdele verdeel: ʹn ondersoek na die waarheidemaatstaf in die kritiek, toepassing van hierdie maatstaf op romans oor die naturel en op die kritieke daaroor, en die verdere uitwerking daarvan i.v.m. romans oor die kleurling. Die nege romans wat ter sprake gebring is, mag beskou word as die noemenewaardigste kuns-en-aktualiteitspogings in hul genre, en tewens as 'n volledige aanduiding van die algemene ontwikkelingsgang van daardie genre. Die gekose volgorde van die romans dien dan ook om twee hooffaktore te omlyn: (a) die ontwikkeling van die aktualiteitsiening vanuit die idilliese plaasverband van Franz se romans, via die beperkte siening van die nie-blanke stadsproblematiek, na ʹn paging tot 'n volledige Suid-Afrikaanse probleemstelling in Rabie se Ons, die Afgod, en (b) die kunsgehalte van die betrokke romans en die mate waarin dit die draagkrag van die tendens beinvloed, en wederom die mate waarin die keuse van die tema en tendens die waarheidsgehal teen draagkrag van die romans as aktualiteitskommentare bepaal. Ons het gevolglik die romans oor die naturel, wat die eerste fase van die aktualiteitsiening behandel, in Deel II geplaas, en die romans oor die kleurling, van die staanspoor af meer problematies van aard, en as groep dié wat die mees gevorderde aktualiteitsiening vertoon in Deel III. Die slotbeskouing is ʹn kort samevatting van die mate van ontwikkeling in die Afrikaanse aktualiteitsroman oor die nie-blanke, en 'n vasstelling van die aard van die werklikheiq/waarheid-digotomie in die kritieke daaromtrent.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1963
Critical studies of John Milton, T.S. Eliot and other writers
- Authors: Peter, John Desmond
- Date: 1973
- Subjects: Milton, John, 1608-1674 -- Paradise lost , Crashaw, Richard, 1613?-1649 -- Criticism and interpretation , Joyce, James, 1882-1941 -- Criticism and interpretation , Coleridge, Samuel Taylor, 1772-1834 -- Criticism and interpretation , Marston, John, 1575?-1634 -- Criticism and interpretation , Eliot, T. S. (Thomas Stearns), 1888-1965 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DLitt
- Identifier: vital:2329 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018265
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1973
The establishment of a Lidar facility at Rhodes University
- Authors: Grant, Richard Peter James Seton
- Date: 1988
- Subjects: Optical radar , LIDAR , Receiver , Transmitter , Photon counting electronics , Aerosol scattering , Temperature profiles , Stratosphere
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5445 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001998
- Description: LIDAR is the optical equivalent of RADAR. A LIDAR facility has been established at Rhodes University using a flashlamp-pumped dye laser as the transmitter and a photomultiplier tube at the focus of a searchlight mirror as the receiver. The setting up of the receiver and transmitter as well as the design and construction of the photon counting electronics is described. The LIDAR has been used to measure aerosol scattering ratios and temperature profiles in the stratosphere and these results are presented with the algorithms and software used to reduce the data. Finally some recommendations are made for future work
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- Date Issued: 1988
Enrichment strategies for gifted English first language (HG) pupils at the senior secondary level : a critical evaluation of a programme implemented at Grey Boys' High School, Port Elizabeth, 1986-1988
- Authors: Cunningham, Gregory Mark
- Date: 1990
- Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Gifted children -- Education (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Gifted children -- Education -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1510 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003392
- Description: Programmes developed specifically for the gifted and talented pupil are not a novel idea. Yet, by comparison, the history of gifted education is a brief one. Highly gifted and talented pupils often have difficulty being challenged in a conventional classroom situation. Since classroom instruction is usually designed for the benefit of pupils who function at the level of the majority of their peer age-group, this teaching, no matter how well done, may not be appropriate for the extremely gifted pupil whose abilities differ greatly from this group. Even special programmes for gifted and talented students may be designed for a broad group of gifted students and may not meet the specific needs of the gifted child, especially ones with a special intellectual talent. While it is important to bear aspects such as the characteristics of giftedness and the attributes of the talented individual in mind, the basis of this dissertation examines what enrichment and acceleration strategies may be utilised by the English First Language (HG) teacher when presented with a preselected group of pupils who are gifted in English, utilising a composite gifted educational model as a mechanism for the development of this specific programme.
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- Date Issued: 1990
The ecology and management of the fishes of the Okavango Delta, Botswana, with particular reference to the role of the seasonal floods
- Authors: Merron, Glen Steven
- Date: 1991
- Subjects: Fishes -- Ecology -- Botswana Fishes -- Botswana -- Okavango River Delta
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5268 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005112
- Description: The Okavango is a vast inland delta system in northern Botswana which receives an annual flood from the highlands of southern Angola. There are distinct communities of fish in the Okavango which can be separated from each other by the physical characteristics of the different habitat types with which they co-evolved. This thesis provides an account of the biology and ecology of selected fish species in the Okavango Delta. Their response to the annual flood regime, and the environmental factors which limit their distribution and abundance, are examined. The thesis emphasizes the importance of water fluctuations in determining the nature of the fish fauna and the reaction of the fishes in terms of community structure, movements, breeding, predator-prey interactions and feeding. Four major ecotones were studied in the Okavango Delta. In the riverine floodplain and perennial swamp ecotones a higher species diversity was recorded than in the seasonal swamp and drainage rivers ecotones where diversity was lowest and comprised mainly of smaller fish species. A greater variety of habitat types was associated with the riverine floodplain and perennial swamp relative to the seasonal swamp and drainage rivers. The variety of habitat types between ecotones is associated with the degree of flood inundation in the respective ecotones. During the course of this study, annual recruitment of fish into the drainage rivers was from refugia in the seasonal swamp whereas the greatest degree of lateral and longitudinal movement was in the riverine floodplain and perennial swamp. Movement was in response to both biological requirements, such as availability of food and spawning sites, and physical features of the environment, such as the changing water depth. The total catch per unit effort (CPUE) of fish throughout the year was more constant in the riverine floodplain and perennial swamp than in the seasonal swamp and drainage rivers where CPUE fluctutated widely. An increase in CPUE during the duration of this study was apparent and related to the magnitude of the annual flood. In contrast to most other African wetlands, the arrival of the annual flood in the Okavango Delta coincides largely with the dry winter months. This situation presented an opportunity to compare the influence of floods and water temperature on the reproductive biology of the selected fish species. The results show a definite pattern and indicate that both the flood cycle and increased water temperatures greatly influence the breeding cycles of the selected species. The tilapia Oreochromis andersonii exhibited a considerable degree of phenotypic plasticity. Fish from the seasonally inundated areas showed a smaller mean size, egg size and larger number of eggs relative to fish in the perennially flooded areas. The size at sexual maturity was also smaller. These different reproductive characteristics exhibited by O. andersonii are dependent on the degree of water retention in the different habitats. The fishes of the Okavango have adopted other reproductive strategies to survive the changing environmental conditions brought about by an annual flood cycle. These strategies include the construction of foam nests, as described for Hepsetus odoe, for guarding the young and to provide an oxygen-rich environment. Two main non-piscivorous feeding pathways were identified in the Okavango. These are a detritus pathway based on dead plant and animal material, and an epiphyte pathway, based on algae and invertebrates that are attached to plant stems. Seasonal changes in diet in relation to the annual flood were recorded. The most dramrtic change was demonstrated by the catfish Clarias gariepinus which congregates in mass aggregations in the northern regions of the Delta and hunt in packs. Pack-hunting by catfish is a regular response to the annual fluctuations in water level. It is my conclusion that the main flow of biotic and abiotic stimuli within the Okavango Delta originates from the relatively hydrologically stable riverine floodplain and perennial swamp ecotones to the widely fluctuating seasonal swamp and drainage rivers ecotones. The relatively stable ecotones allow a diverse and biotically interdependent fish community to develop, whereas the widely fluctuating seasonal swamp and drainage rivers ecotones are characterized by a less diverse and interdependent fish community. The degree of abiotic and biotic interdependence among fish in an ecotone is very important for the long term management of the Okavango Delta. Potential developers have to determine whether the effect of a given action by man is likely to result in a long term disturbance or merely in an elastic recoil to a more or less similar state. Recommendations are made on the conservation and management of Okavango fishes taking into account the ecological characteristics of the delta.
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- Date Issued: 1991
A critical investigation of selected Cape and Transkei environment study programmes in junior primary schools
- Authors: Vinjwa, Nobuzwe
- Date: 1993
- Subjects: Environmental education -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa Environmental education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1482 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003363
- Description: The introduction of Environment Study (ES) into the Junior Primary (JP) phase of the school was to facilitate the young learners' development of a sense of place, time and social identity. ES is important in the JP phase because it introduces pupils to the world around them and the environmental issues that affect their lives. ES in the JP phase can also provide pupils with the basic knowledge for survival in a changing world. ES in the JP phase is primarily designed to aid the pupils' development of a sense of identity. As with geography, it is concerned with space, place and time; and these are the criteria that should be taken into consideration in developing the child's sense of identity. Implementation of ES is largely influenced by the expertise and experience of the teachers, which will, in turn, influence their interpretation of the ES syllabus. The goals of ES require teachers to be able to use a variety of teaching strategies and to develop and use a variety of teaching resources. This study investigates existing ES programmes in a number of selected schools in the Cape, DET and Transkei in order to establish the extent to which pupils' developing sense of time, place and social identity are taken into consideration. Observations and interviews were conducted to assess the current ES syllabi for the Cape, DET and Transkei schools in relation to Catling's (1987) criteria; and to evaluate existing ES programmes in the six selected schools in the Grahamstown, Umtata and Mqanduli districts to ascertain the extent to which they met Catling's criteria. The results reveal that in all the Education Departments' syllabi, pupils' needs to developing a sense of time, place and social identity, as suggested by Catling's (1987) criteria, were considered only to a limited extent. Even in the syllabi where these were developed, it was by mere coincidence. Secondly, the programmes in the different schools observed did not meet Catling's criteria sufficiently, because the teachers were ignorant of Catling's criteria. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations made for teachers' awareness of Catling's criteria to be promoted, so that teachers can apply these in their teaching of ES; and for both Cape and Transkei ES programmes in the JP phase to be revised.
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- Date Issued: 1993
Influence of blue/green versus red and white light sources on human dark adaptation and other selected visual functions
- Authors: Hendrikse, Egbert Johannes
- Date: 1994
- Subjects: Light -- Physiological effect Lighting Vision -- Research Night vision Visual acuity Color -- Physiological effect Color vision
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5146 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1009497
- Description: Red interior lighting used to preserve dark-adaptation needs to be replaced in military applications by blue/green lighting which is not detectable by 3rd-generation image intensifiers. This study investigated the influence of blue/green as compared to red and white light of equal photopic intensity on subsequent visual acuity , contrast sensitivity and dark-adaptation. Male subjects (n = 90) were assigned to one of 15 treatment conditions (n = 6) as determined by the colour (blue/green, red or white) and intensity (0.1; 0.4; 1.6; 6.4 and 25.6 cd/m²) of the pre-adaptation stimuli. A modified Goldmann/Weekers adaptometer was used to present the preadaptation stimuli, test stimuli and record visual (luminance) thresholds of each subject. Blue/green lighting had the same affect on visual (photopic) acuity and contrast sensitivity as white and red lighting. Blue/green affected visual (absolute) threshold at the start and during the process of dark-adaptation in the same manner as white but not the same as red lighting. White and red lighting did not differ significantly (p < 0.01) at low intensities (mesopic range) but did at the higher intensities (photopic range). After exposure to blue/green and white light, it will take longer to reach the same level of dark-adaptation than after exposure to red. These time differences increase with" increased intensities. The brightness ratio between red and white lights to produce the same dark-adaptation increases with an increase in intensity. At the upper mesopic region the differences between the effects of white and red lighting on subsequent dark-adaptation become irregular due to the inability to accurately equate non-monochromatic lights in the mesopic range.
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- Date Issued: 1994
Nutrient supplementation and secondary metaolites in melanoma cells
- Authors: Stoll, Karin Elisabeth
- Date: 1994
- Subjects: Vitamin C -- Therapeutic use Cancer -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4049 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004110
- Description: Considerable interest exists with regard to the putative therapeutic role of ascorbic acid in various conditions. A condition which has received much attention is cancer, as it is reported that ascorbic acid may be a prophylactic against cancer development. However, the actual involvement of ascorbic acid, an oxidizing/reducing agent, in the development and progression of tumours is presently a subject of much speculation. This study initially addressed the effect of ascorbic acid supplementation over a nutritional concentration range (0 - 100 μg/ml) on the in vitro growth of non-malignant LLCMK and malignant B16 cells. Ascorbic acid supplementation of these two cell types resulted in an overall decrease in the growth of both types of cells. The actual inhibitory mechanism of ascorbic acid on cell growth was not clear. Further study attempted to define and explain a mechanism responsible for this effect. Ascorbic acid has a role in the maintenance of tissue integrity and host defences, thus providing a rational basis for examining its relationship to cancer. Ascorbic acid is lcnown to be essential for the structural integrity of the intercellular matrix of the cells, the latter being a complex aqueous gel containing, amongst other compounds, fats and prostaglandins. Fats and prostaglandins have diverse effects on. membrane stability, enzyme activity and secondary messengers within cells. Hence, this study investigated the effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on certain enzymes and secondary metabolites within the cells, which had the potential to be involved in the control of cell growth. Throughout this study, emphasis was placed on the Bl6 melanoma cells as ascorbic acid supplementation did not significantly affect levels of secondary metabolites within the non-malignant LLCMK cells. Ascorbic acid supplementation of the B16 cells resulted in significant increases in adenylate cyclase activity and cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels, witb a significant decrease in Bl6 cell growth in that particular experiment. As cyclic adenosine monophosphate has a regulatory role in the cell cycle, this study suggested that the inhibitory effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on cell growth was mediated tbrough a final effect provided by the second messenger, cyclic adenosine monophosphate. However, clarification of tbe mechanism of tbe effect of ascorbic acid on adenylate cyclase activity was required. Hence, a further study investigated prostaglandin E₂ levels, as tbese affect adenylate cyclase activity. Prostaglandin E₂ levels were also found to be inversely related to Bl6 cell growth with ascorbic acid supplementation. It thus appeared tbat adenylate cyclase activity was dependent on prostaglandin E₂ levels in the B16 cells, and further study showed that tbis was indeed the case. Here, higher levels of prostaglandin E₂ supplementation of the Bl6 cells inhibited cell growth significantly and also significantly increased adenylate cyclase activity. Arachidonic acid is the precursor of prostaglandin E₂. In the presence of ascorbic acid supplementation, the percentage arachidonic acid composition of the Bl6 cells was inversely correlated with cell growth. Hence, prostaglandin E₂ levels in ascorbic acid supplemented B16 cells appeared dependent on tbe amount of precursor present. This was confirmed when Bl6 cells were supplemented with arachidonic acid. The latter had an inhibitory effect on Bl6 cell growth and also stimulated prostaglandin E₂ production. The cause of tbe inverse relationship between B16 cell growth and arachidonic acid composition with ascorbic acid supplementation was furtber investigated and found to be dependent on tbe uptake of arachidonic acid and other essential fatty acids from tbe medium. The enzymes phospholipase A₂ delta-5 and delta-6-desaturase, and elongase which could influence arachidonic acid levels were not affected to any extent by ascorbic acid supplementation and therefore did not influence the inverse relationship between B16 cell growth and arachidonic acid. Hence, it can be concluded that the effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on the BI6 cells is mediated, in part at least, by cyclic adenosine monophosphate. However, this is not the result of a direct effect of ascorbic acid supplementation. The initial effect of ascorbic acid supplementation concerns fatty acid - in particular arachidonic acid - uptake from the medium, with subsequent cascade effects On secondary metabolites, ultimately affecting the cellular levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate.
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- Date Issued: 1994
Evaluation of Gratiana spadicea (Klug, 1829) and Metriona elatior (Klug, 1829) (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae) for the biological control of sticky nightshade Solanum sisymbriifolium Lamarck (Solanaceae) in South Africa
- Authors: Hill, Martin Patrick
- Date: 1995
- Subjects: Solanaceae Solanaceae -- Biological control Chrysomelidae Chrysomelidae -- Host plants Cassida
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5688 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005374 , https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0579-5298
- Description: Solanum sisymbriifolium (sticky nightshade) is a shrubby weed of South American origin that was introduced to South Africa at the turn of the century. Despite being indicative of disturbed habitats, the weed was found to be invasive in conservation, agricultural recreational and suburban areas; this, coupled with the failure of both chemical and mechanical control attempts suggested that the weed was a good candidate for biological control. A biological control programme which followed a standard protocol was initiated. Observations suggested that S. sisymbriifolium dispersed primarily by seeds. Plants produced large quantities of fleshy fruit, favoured by frugivorous birds, which facilitated the rapid spread of the weed into new habitats. The seeds germinated quickly, especially in disturbed soil, often below the parent plant where they dropped from burst fruit, and along fences where birds roost. The pre-introductory survey of the weed revealed that S. sisymbriifolium was attacked by a relatively small number of, mainly polyphagous, herbivorous insects. These were localised and sporadic in incidence and inflicted very little observable damage. The herbivore fauna of S. sisymbriifolium was depauperate even in relation to two other exotic weeds, S. elaeaglllfolium and S. mauritianum, in South Africa. The paucity of native herbivores on S. sisymbriifoliwn was ascribed to a combination of the weed's taxonomic distinctness from South African Solanum species, and the dense covering of glandular trichomes on its leaves. Although it was shown that the exudate produced by these glandular trichomes of S. sisymbriifolium seriously impeded the movement and feeding of native herbivores, there was not enough evidence to suggest that the glandular trichomes, alone could have been responsible the lack of herbivores on the weed. Two leaf-feeding Cassidinae Gratiana spadicea and MetJ-iona elatior were screened as agents for the biological control of S. sisymbrilfolium. Favourable biological characteristics for both species included a high rate of increase, long-lived adults, many generations per year, and a high per capita feeding rate. Host range was investigated in larval survival tests and adult choice tests. The larvae of both species were reared through to the adult stage on several of the native Solanum species tested, and also on eggplant (S. melongena). However, the survival of G. spadicea on the majority of these species was very low, suggesting that the beetles would be unlikely to attack them in the field. This was supported by the adult choice tests, where G. spadicea females displayed, a strong oviposition preference for their natural host. In contrast, M. elatior larvae survived well on non-host plants, and the females selected several non-host species, including eggplant for oviposition. It was argued that the conflict of interests involving eggplant was overrated because eggplant is subjected to a stringent insecticide spray regime. Based on this evidence, permission for release was granted for G. spadicea. The impact of native parasitoid host range extensions to weed biological control agents in South Africa was investigated. Native parasitoids were recorded from nearly half of the agent species that had established on their target weed. The level of concealment and taxon influenced susceptibility of the agents to parasitoid attack Poorly concealed endophagous agents were most susceptible to attack, while exposed feeders were fairly free from attack. However, native parasitoids were reported not to strongly influence weed biological control agent populations and it was concluded that no agent should be rejected based only on its susceptibility to native parasitoid attack. Finally, several predictions are made as to the potential success of G. spadicea on S. sisymbriifolium and some of the challenges facing the biological control of weeds are discussed.
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- Date Issued: 1995
Secondary school geography teachers' perceptions of the role of environmental education in geography with particular reference to Natal Education Department teachers
- Authors: Wassermann, Johannes Michiel
- Date: 1995
- Subjects: Geography teachers -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal -- Attitudes Environmental education -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1761 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003646
- Description: Environmental Education (EE) as a development cannot be ignored by Geography or Geographers particularly since South Africa, as the rest of the world, is confronted by a looming environmental crisis. Geography is an environmental science concerned primarily with man-environment relationships using an environmental approach to develop the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes necessary for sustainable living. Geography has a vital role to play in addressing environmental issues. In formal education Geography teachers will be responsible for the implementation of such an approach. This study therefore investigates the perceptions of Natal Senior Secondary School Geography teachers regarding the role of EE in Geography. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to determine this. The study revealed that although these teachers are well qualified and motivated they had a limited grasp of the theory underpinning current EE and Geographical thinking. Recommendations are made for the development of an environmental approach in the teaching of Geography.
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- Date Issued: 1995
'n Intertekstuele studie : Die werfbobbejaan van Alexander Strachan
- Authors: Loots, Sonja
- Date: 1998
- Subjects: Strachan, Alexander Die Werfbobbejaan
- Language: Afrikaans
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3592 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002167 , Strachan, Alexander Die Werfbobbejaan
- Description: The title, "'n Intertekstuele studie: Die werfbobbejaan van Alexander Strachan", refers to an analysis of the way in which intertextual processes generate meaning in this text. It is analysed with specific regard to the way in which it enters into signifying and detennining relationships with other texts, notably texts by the same author. A significant part of the intertexts that are reassembled, refined, restated, amplified, contradicted or diffused throughout Die werfbobbejaan are located in other works in the Strachan oeuvre: n Wereld sonder grense (1984) and Die jakkalsjagter (1990). These three texts are related as a triptych of intertextual association, and the boundaries between them are not hermetically sealed. Intertextual activity in Die werfbobbejaan involves an intricate network of interfigural relationships. The identities of numerous characters in the text start to coincide with those of other characters to which they are linked intertextually. Characters travel across the boundaries supposedly separating "different" texts. The doubling and displacing of characters alert us to the fact that the text is not fixed within stable boundaries. Codes, scenes, snippets of dialogue and even moods also penetrate the boundaries between "different" texts and recur in the form of mirror images or ghostly transformations of themselves. These intertextual patterns mobilise an active reading process and unify the act of reading with that of writing in "a single signifying process" (Barthes 1979: 79). The narrator in Die werfbobbejaan is a woman writing a biography about an author. Reading his novels and unpublished manuscript she finds that the manuscript of her subject anticipates and later even dictates "extra-textual" reality and inserts her into the fiction. The way in which the biography is taken up in the play of intertextuality leads to the perception that the fictional author is an intertextual mirror image of the real author, who belongs to the extra-textual world outside the book. In this way intertextual activity in Die werfbobbejaan destabilizes the frame between fiction and reality. No reading of Die werfbobbejaan can be complete without taking into account the plurality of simultaneously perceived meanings triggered by intertextual activity in the text.
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- Date Issued: 1998
Genre analysis and the teaching of academic literacy: a case study of an academic discipline in the social sciences
- Authors: Vorwerk, Shane Paul
- Date: 1998
- Subjects: Lectures and lecturing , Lecture method in teaching , Language and culture , Discourse analysis , Language and culture -- South Africa , English language -- Discourse analysis , Intercultural communication -- South Africa , English language -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Foreign speakers
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2365 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002648 , Lectures and lecturing , Lecture method in teaching , Language and culture , Discourse analysis , Language and culture -- South Africa , English language -- Discourse analysis , Intercultural communication -- South Africa , English language -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Foreign speakers
- Description: Students in tertiary educational institutions in South Africa come from many different backgrounds and have varied educational experiences. Some students, especially those from non-English speaking backgrounds, may encounter linguistic difficulties with various academic tasks. In order for students to be successful at university, they must become academically literate. That is, they must master all the reading, writing, listening and comprehension tasks required by the disciplines in which they are studying. One such task is presented by the academic lecture which is an integral part of any course of study. Linguistically, the academic lecture can be seen as a particular genre with unique characteristics. This study investigated some linguistic characteristics of academic lectures. The discipline of Political Science, as a Social Science, was chosen because there is little research that has been done on language in the Social Sciences. The Political Science sub-disciplines of Political Philosophy, South African Politics, and International Relations were used in this research. First year lectures were recorded from each of these three sub-disciplines. The linguistic characteristics of lectures were analysed using techniques drawn from Systemic Functional linguistic theory. The analysis concentrated on the aspects mode and field as they were realised in the lectures. In addition, higher level generic structure was also analysed. The insights gained from the analysis were validated through interviews with the lecturers who gave the lectures. The aim of this research was to develop a linguistic characterisation of the lecture genre as it occurs in the three sub-disciplines of Political Science. The results of this research suggest that although there is a unified academic lecture genre, there is variation according to sub-discipline. The implications of this variation are discussed with reference to their relevance to teaching academic literacy.
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- Date Issued: 1998
Mapping the Radio KC community : a case study assessing the impact of participatory research methods in assisting community radio producers to identify programming content
- Authors: Davidson, Brett Russell
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Radio broadcasting -- South Africa -- Paarl , Radio stations -- South Africa -- Paarl , Radio journalism -- South Africa -- Paarl , Radio broadcasters -- Research -- South Africa -- Paarl , Mass media -- Political aspects -- South Africa , Mass media -- Social aspects -- South Africa , Radio in community development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3497 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003716 , Radio broadcasting -- South Africa -- Paarl , Radio stations -- South Africa -- Paarl , Radio journalism -- South Africa -- Paarl , Radio broadcasters -- Research -- South Africa -- Paarl , Mass media -- Political aspects -- South Africa , Mass media -- Social aspects -- South Africa , Radio in community development
- Description: This thesis deals with the introduction of participatory research methods to programming staff working at Radio KC, a South African community radio station based in Paarl, in the Western Cape province. The focus is on a series of workshops conducted at the station, dealing with research tools developed to enable station workers to undertake research of their community. The aim was to determine, by means ofa case study, whether the introduction of participatory research methods could improve the ability of community broadcasters to facilitate democratic participation among the communities in which they operate. More particularly, the thesis assesses whether the application of such methods has improved the ability of the programming staff that were involved in this case study to identify a wider range of stories and voices within their target community, for inclusion in programming content. The participatory research techniques that are applied at the radio station are based on ideas in 'civic mapping' developed by Harwood and McCrehan (1996) under the auspices of The Pew Center for Civic Journalism, and supplemented by insights from Friedland (2001) and Downs and Stea (1977) about the cognitive, normative and imagined dimensions of community. All of the ideas and techniques were adapted for the South African situation. The findings of the research project illustrate that for community stations, the key concepts of 'community' and 'participation' are highly complex ones and that stations need assistance to apply these concepts in their everyday practice. The account of the intervention at Radio KC shows that the process did indeed assist the individual research participants to better deal with the application of these concepts. It did not, however, make much impact on the station as a whole. Reasons for this are believed to lie in the organisational dynamics of the station, and the fact that the model as applied in this case did not provide a means for tackling the agendas, investments and power relations that define the activities of individuals at a given community radio station - what Hochheimer (1993) talks about as the entrenchment of power and personalities. In order to address these shortcomings, an attempt is made to develop a model for future application, which places the mapping process within the context of a broader strategic planning process, focussed on a station's programming schedule.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
Trends in fish community structure and recruitment in a temporarily open/closed South African estuary
- Authors: James, Nicola Caroline
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Fish communities -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Marine fishes -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Estuarine fishes -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Estuarine ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5332 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005178
- Description: Long-term interannual changes in richness, abundance, diversity and structure of the fish community in the temporarily open/closed East Kleinemonde Estuary, Eastern Cape, are described and the recruitment success of two estuary-dependent marine species assessed. In addition, laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the possible role of olfaction in the recruitment process of an estuary-dependent marine fish species. Multivariate analyses of the annual marine fish communites identified two distinct groups with more species recorded during years that succeeded spring (September to November) mouth opening events than in years following no mouth opening events in spring. Interannual community stability (IMD) and seriation (IMS) also increased from the ‘other’ to the ‘spring’ years. These results highlight the importance of the timing of mouth opening to the marine fish community in a temporarily open/closed estuary. This study also made use of long-term records of daily mouth state and linked them to the recruitment of distinct year-class cohorts in two spardis with contrasting lifehistory characteristics. Lithognathus lithognathus only recruited into the estuary in years when the mouth opened between late August and January. This was linked to the limited spawning season of this species and its inability to enter closed estuaries via wave overwash events. In contrast, recruitment by Rhabdosargus holubi juveniles appeared to be uninterrupted and was not determined by the seasonality of mouth opening. This species dominates the marine-spawning component of the East Kleinemonde Estuary and its success is attributed to an extended spawning season and its ability to recruit into estuaries during both overwash and open mouth conditions. Attraction of postflexion Rhabdosargus holubi larvae to estuary, surf zone and river water was also measured using a rectangular choice chamber. In two sets of experiments, conducted during peak recruitment periods, larvae from both the surf zone and estuary mouth region selected estuary water with a significantly higher frequency than sea water. Larvae collected in the mouth region showed a stronger preference for river water than those collected in the surf zone, thus suggesting that these fish are more attracted to freshwater influenced nursery areas once they have entered the estuary than those in the surf zone. Larvae collected in the marine environment also selected surf zone water with significantly higher frequencies than estuary water or offshore sea water, thus confirming the importance of the surf zone as an interim nursery area for postflexion R. holubi.
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- Date Issued: 2007
Gender oppression and possibilities of empowerment: images of women in African literature with specific reference to Mariama Ba's So long a letter, Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of motherhood and Tsitsi Dangarembga's Nervous conditions
- Authors: Nyanhongo, Mazvita Mollin
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Women and literature -- Africa Women and literature -- Africa Women and literature -- Africa Women and literature -- Africa Women and literature -- Africa African literature -- Women authors Women -- Africa -- Literary collections
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/6411 , vital:29659
- Description: This study consists of a comparative analysis of three novels by three prominent African women writers which cast light on the ways in which women are oppressed by traditional and cultural norms in three different African countries. These three primary texts also explore the ways in which African women‟s lives are affected by other issues, such as colonialism and economic factors, and this study discusses this. An analysis of these novels reveals that the interconnectedness of racial, class and gender issues exacerbates the oppression of many African women, thereby lessening the opportunities for them to attain self-realization. This study goes on to investigate whether there are possibilities of empowerment for the women in the primary texts, and examining the reasons why some women fail to transcend their situations of oppression. The primary novels will be discussed in different chapters, which explore the problems with which various women are beset, and discuss the extent to which the various women in the novels manage to attain empowerment. In conclusion, this study compares and contrasts the ways in which the women in the primary texts are oppressed and highlights the reasons why some women are able to attain empowerment, whilst others are unable to do so. It also shows that many women are beset with comparable forms of oppression, but they may choose to react to these situations differently. Over and above these issues, the study seeks to draw attention to the fact that women need to come together and contribute to the ways in which they can attain various forms ofempowerment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Gender oppression and possibilities of empowerment: images of women in African literature with specific reference to Mariama Ba's So long a letter, Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of motherhood and Tsitsi Dangarembga's Nervous conditions
- Authors: Nyanhongo, Mazvita Mollin
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: African literature -- Women authors , Women -- Africa Literary collections , Women and literature -- Africa , Sex discrimination -- Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA (English)
- Identifier: vital:11503 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/522 , African literature -- Women authors , Women -- Africa Literary collections , Women and literature -- Africa , Sex discrimination -- Africa
- Description: This study consists of a comparative analysis of three novels by three prominent African women writers which cast light on the ways in which women are oppressed by traditional and cultural norms in three different African countries. These three primary texts also explore the ways in which African women's lives are affected by other issues, such as colonialism and economic factors, and this study discusses this. An analysis of these novels reveals that the inter-connectedness of racial, class and gender issues exacerbates the oppression of many African women, thereby lessening the opportunities for them to attain self-realization. This study goes on to investigate whether there are possibilities of empowerment for the women in the primary texts, and examining the reasons why some women fail to transcend their situations of oppression. The primary novels will be discussed in different chapters, which explore the problems with which various women are beset, and discuss the extent to which the various women in the novels manage to attain empowerment. In conclusion, this study compares and contrasts the ways in which the women in the primary texts are oppressed and highlights the reasons why some women are able to attain empowerment, whilst others are unable to do so. It also shows that many women are beset with comparable forms of oppression, but they may choose to react to these situations differently. Over and above these issues, the study seeks to draw attention to the fact that women need to come together and contribute to the ways in which they can attain various forms of empowerment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Biochemical evaluation of Tulbaghia violacea harv.rhizomes in diet induced hypercholestrolemic rats
- Authors: Olorunnisola, Olubukola Sinbad
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Violaceae , Anticoagulants (Medicine) , Antineoplastic agents , Rats , Hypercholesteremia , Cardiovascular agents , Medicinal plants
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Biochemistry)
- Identifier: vital:11273 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006900 , Violaceae , Anticoagulants (Medicine) , Antineoplastic agents , Rats , Hypercholesteremia , Cardiovascular agents , Medicinal plants
- Description: Discovery of cheap, nontoxic and readily available antiatherosclerotic drugs is an extraordinary challenge in this modern world. Atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases have been predicted to be the leading cause of death by the year 2030. Hence, this thesis was designed to search for plant (s) with anti-atherogenic properties, investigate its possible side effects and extrapolate its likely mechanism(s) of action. An ethnobotanical survey was employed in identification of locally important plants used for the management and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and its predisposing factors in Nkonkobe Municipality, Eastern Cape in South Africa. Information on the names of plants, their parts used and methods of preparation was collected through a questionnaire which was administered to herbalists, traditional healers and rural dwellers. The most frequently used plant (Rhizomes of Tulbaghia violacea Harv.) was investigated for toxicity using brine shrimp lethality (in vitro) and in vivo toxicity test (acute and subchronic) on rats to determine safety dosage. The in vitro antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity of the plant was investigated using models such as 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitric oxide (NO), 2,2’- azinobis [3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid] diammonium salt (ABTS), lipid peroxidation inhibition and the ferric reducing agent. Phytochemical content and the effect of oral administration of fresh methanolic extract rhizomes of Tulbaghia violacea (250, 500 mg/kg. bwt/day) on Lipid peroxidation (TBARS), serum and tissue antioxidant enzymes in normal, hypercholesterolemic and diet induced atherogenic rats were also assessed. More so, the potential of the extract (250 and 500 mg/kg. bwt) to protect against atherogenic diet (4 percentage cholesterol 1 pecentage cholic acid and 0.5 percentage thiouracil) induced fatty streaks formation, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction was also investigated. Ethnobotanical study revealed that 19 plant species are used for the treatment of heart related diseases in the Municipality. 53 percentage of the plants mentioned were used for the management of chest pain, 47 percentage for high blood pressure, 42 percent for heart disease, 16 percentage for stroke and 11 percentage for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Tulbaghia violacea was repeatedly mentioned as the plant species used for the treatment of high blood pressure and predisposing factors in the study area. The brine shrimp cytotoxicity test revealed that fresh, dried methanolic extracts and essential oil of the T. violacea exhibited a high degree of cytotoxic activity with IC50 values of 18.18 (fresh) and 19.24 (dried) μg/ml. An IC50 value of 12. 59 μg/ml was obtained for the essential oil of the plant. The low cytotoxicity values obtained, suggested that rhizome of T. violacea may serve as a potential source of antimicrobial and anticancer agents. In vivo acute study of single oral administration of 5g/kg dose does not produce mortality or significant behavioral changes during 14 days observation. In the sub-chronic study, the extract (250, 500 mg/kg/bwt/ day) administered for a period of 28 days showed no mortality or morbidity. The weekly body and organ weight of the rats showed no significant differences between the control and the rats treated with the extract. The extract at all doses does not show any effect on of biomarkers of liver or renal damage. However, a significant decrease in the activity of ƔGT was observed in the extract treated groups. Hematological evaluation revealed that oral administration of fresh methanolic extracts of rhizomes of T. violacea does not cause anaemia or leucocytosis in the animals. Furthermore, histopathology results of the internal organs revealed no detectable inflammation. These results demonstrated that the rhizome extract of T. violacea was potentially safe for consumption orally even in chronic concentration. In vitro antioxidant evaluation showed that the essential oil, fresh and dried methanolic extracts exhibited potent antioxidant activities in a concentration dependent manner. Phytochemical investigation reveals that the fresh and the dry extract of RTV are rich in flavonoid, flavonol, phenols, tannin and proanthocyanidin, while the essential oil contained dimethy disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, (methyl methylthio) methyl, 2,4-dithiapentane (11.35 percent) and (methylthio) acetic acid, 2- (methylthio) ethanol, 3-(methylthio) - and propanenitrile (7.20 percent). The fresh extract had higher radicals scavenging activity than the essential oil or dried extract, with 50 percentage inhibition of DPPH, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation at a concentration of 35.0 ± 0.12, 19.3 ± 0.11 and 17.9 ± 0.15 μg/ml respectively. Oral administration of methanolic extract of RTV in 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg to female Wistar rats significantly inhibited reduction of glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The extracts also inhibited (p< 0.05) lipid peroxidation in normal, high cholesterol and diet induced atherosclerosis fed rats in a dose dependant manner. Also the extract (250 and 500 mg/kg/bwt/day) caused a significant (p<0.05) improvement in body weight of treated animals compared with untreated hypercholesterolemia control rats. The extracts also protected significantly (p<0.05) against atherogenic diet induced liver damage or fatty streaks formation in the aorta as revealed by histological examination. The anti-cholesterolemia and anti-atherosclerotic activities of the extract compared favorably well with standard drugs Gemfibrozil and Atorvastatin respectively. Conclusively, rhizomes of T. violacea possess significant anti-atherogenic activity and its mechanism of action(s) may be due to its antioxidant and anti-hypercholesterolemia properties. The results of this study also suggested that rhizome of T. violacea is relatively safe for human consumption and it may be used as an alternative to garlic.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Morphology, patterns and processes in the Oyster Bay headland bypass dunefield, South Africa
- Authors: McConnachie, Lauren Bernyse
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Sand dune conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sand dune ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Coastal ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sedimentation and deposition -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Beach erosion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Coastal zone management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Shore protection -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4804 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001904
- Description: Studies of the dunefield systems crossing the Cape St. Francis headland in the Eastern Cape have focused on the role that wind plays in sediment transfer in coastal dunefield systems, with limited consideration of the role of water. The aim of this study was to improve understanding of the morphology, processes and patterns within the Oyster Bay HBD system, focussing particularly on surface water and groundwater interactions and the role of surface water in sediment transfer across the dunefield system. An extensive field survey was conducted, to collect related data, complimented by spatial and temporal analysis of the study area using GIS. The key findings from this research were the apparent differences between the western and eastern regions of the dunefield with regard to specific drivers and the respective processes and responses. Wind is the major driver of change up to and across the crest of the dunefield. In the eastern region water (ground water, surface water and the Sand River System) is the primary agent of sediment flux through processes of aggregation and slumping as well as episodic events including debris flows. This study has highlighted a need for further quantitative studies that investigate the movement of sediment through dunefield systems such as this (where water is at or near the land surface). The paradigm that sediment flux is entirely due to wind is almost certainly simplistic, and deeper understanding of these systems is needed , Maiden name: Elkington, Lauren
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Morphology, patterns and processes in the Oyster Bay headland bypass dunefield, South Africa
- Authors: Elkington, Lauren
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:20984 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/5879
- Description: Studies of the dunefield systems crossing the Cape St. Francis headland in the Eastern Cape have focused on the role that wind plays in sediment transfer in coastal dunefield systems, with limited consideration of the role of water. The aim of this study was to improve understanding of the morphology, processes and patterns within the Oyster Bay HBD system, focussing particularly on surface water and groundwater interactions and the role of surface water in sediment transfer across the dunefield system. An extensive field survey was conducted, to collect related data, complimented by spatial and temporal analysis of the study area using GIS. The key findings from this research were the apparent differences between the western and eastern regions of the dunefield with regard to specific drivers and the respective processes and responses. Wind is the major driver of change up to and across the crest of the dunefield. In the eastern region water (ground water, surface water and the Sand River System) is the primary agent of sediment flux through processes of aggregation and slumping as well as episodic events including debris flows. This study has highlighted a need for further quantitative studies that investigate the movement of sediment through dunefield systems such as this (where water is at or near the land surface). The paradigm that sediment flux is entirely due to wind is almost certainly simplistic, and deeper understanding of these systems is needed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Thermoluminescence characteristics of synthetic quartz
- Authors: Niyonzima, Pontien
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Thermoluminescence , Quartz , Emission spectroscopy
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5538 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013190
- Description: Quartz is one of the most abundant natural minerals in the crust of the earth. Due to its dosimetric luminescence properties, it is employed in retrospective dosimetry, archaeological and geological dating. The intensity and the structure of the TL glow curves of quartz are strongly dependent upon the origin, impurity content, formation condition and pre-irradiation heat treatment. The aim of this project is to study the mechanisms of thermoluminescence (TL), Phototranssferred thermoluminescence (PTTL) and radioluminescence (RL) in synthetic quartz and to discuss the results in terms of physical characteristics of point defects involved. Thermoluminescence measurements were made on a sample of synthetic quartz in its as-received state (unannealed) synthetic quartz annealed at 500˚C for 10 minutes. The unannealed sample shows six TL glow peaks located at 94, 116, 176, 212, 280 and 348˚C at a heating rate of 5˚Cs⁻¹. The annealed sample shows seven TL peaks at 115, 148, 214, 246, 300, 348 and 412˚C at a heating rate of 5˚Cs⁻¹. The intensity of peak I, at 94 and 115˚C for the unannealed and annealed samples respectively, increases with irradiation. Peak I has an activation energy of approximately 0.90 eV and a frequency factor of the order of 10¹¹ s⁻¹. The order of kinetics is between 0.9 and 1.2. The unannealed synthetic quartz shows phototransferred thermoluminescence (PTTL) at the position of peak I after removal of the first three peaks followed by illumination. The PTTL intensities show peak shaped behaviour when plotted against illumination time. The PTTL showed a quadratic increase with dose. The material exhibits fading of PTTL intensity with delay time. Radioluminescence was measured on synthetic quartz unannealed and annealed annealed at 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 and 1000˚C for 10 to 60 min. The emission spectra of synthetic quartz show seven emission bands. The effect of irradiation on the RL spectra is to increase the intensity of all emission bands for samples annealed at temperatures less than or equal to 700˚C. The effect of annealing time is to increase the RL amplitude for the samples annealed at temperatures greater than 700˚C. The annealing temperature increases the RL amplitude of all emission bands of the spectrum for all samples.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014