Grief Naming Amongst Vatsonga: An Onomastic Approach. (2nd December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Babane, M. T.
• Is Part Of: Journal of social sciences. Volume 51:Number 1-3(2017)
• Page Start: 47
• Page End: 52
• Publication Date: 2017-12-02
• Subjects: Grief -- Onomastics -- Semantics -- Sociolinguistics -- Vatsonga -- Xitsonga; Social sciences -- Periodicals; 300.5
• DOI: 10.1080/09718923.2017.1305575
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0971-8923

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper discusses the Xitsonga names bestowed on children as a way of grieving. It provides an onomastic analysis of grief names, which are used to express anger and frustrations. The culture, tradition and rituals of expressing grief differ from culture to culture. Name giving can take different forms depending on the circumstances in which the child is born. The study of naming falls under onomastics, which among others consists of personal names, place names, geographical names and grief names. The study is qualitative in nature. Two research techniques, namely interviews and observations were used for data collection. The study shows that nowadays Vatsonga no longer give their children grief names as was customary.