Discourse of Partial Reduplication on Sesotho Personal Names: A Systemic Functional Linguistics Approach

This paper explores the discourse of partial reduplication in Sesotho personal names as social discourse. These names are described within the parameters of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) theory. Speech functions such as statements and exclamations display their semantics of interaction as they are noted as enacted messages drawn from the awarders experiences around the babies; births. These speech functions bear and correlate with features of various moods proposed in SFL. The study is qualitative, and it emphasizes form-meaning description of these names. Data is drawn from national examinations pass lists, admissions, employment roll lists from public, private, tertiary and orphanage institutions, telephone directories, interviews with owners, parents, senior citizens to demonstrate the interface of systemic theory and naming in socio-cultural contexts. The study establishes Sesotho names as cohesive, authentic, un-arbitrary semantic units that function as semiotic choices in the exchange of information. The reduplication tie displays these names as the awarders evaluation or modality. This is the appraisal of the context, a skill to be redirected to the development of various linguistic and social avenues and serve as the main framework for language and linguistic analyses syllabi. Reciprocation and the sub-modification features taken for granted by formalist analysts of the logical structures of the nominal and verbal groups reflect as the contribution by this description. More contribution reveals the deployment of reduplicated words as onomastica. This study has implications for studies in language and culture, linguistics, applied linguistics, social and cultural studies, education, media advertising and development generally.