Omskrywingskonstruksies in die oeuvre van Etienne Leroux

Title

Omskrywingskonstruksies in die oeuvre van Etienne Leroux

author

Van den Berg, Leopold David

datePublished

1988

degree

Magister in die Lettere en Wysbegeerte

publisher

Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit

department

Afrikaans-Nederlands

contributor

Johl, J. H.

Botha, W. J.

description

Numerous adverse references to Etienne Leroux's usage of language have become somewhat of a tradition. The critics contend that better is to be expected from the leading prose writer in Afrikaans. It has become high time for a penetrating analysis of Leroux's use of language. Only a few superficial studies exist concerning his language usage. This study aims at making a contribution in this respect by examining one component of his language - the passive, which is conspicuous as an apparent cardinal and distinguishing aspect of Leroux's language. The passive in Afrikaans includes the agentive and agentless passive, the "impersonal construction" and the copula construction with an adjectival predicate developed from a past participle. According to Ponelis (1979:407) passivization is based on an aspect of the thematic structure of the sentence: the noun-phrase (topic/theme) that functions as subject. The process of passivization results in either the demotion of the active subject and promotion of the active object (in the case of normal active-passive inversions) or dethematization (in the case of "impersonal constructions"). A frequency analysis has shown that Leroux uses 2997 passives in his novels and that the passive occurs most frequently in Die mugu (1,9 passives per page), Sewe dae by die Silbersteins (1,4), Een vir Azazel (1,6), Isis Isis Isis (1,5) and Magersfontein, o Magersfontein! (1,5). Of all the passives in the eleven novels 73% are agentless, and 57% of all agentive passives have inanimate agents, while 43% have live agents. There are 64 "impersonal constructions", of which 13 occur in Sewe dae by die Silbersteins and Magersfontein, o Magersfontein!. The copula passive makes out 26% of the passives in Die eerste lewe van Colet. In the other novels the occurrence is constantly between 10% and 20%. Elliptical passives are often used - 45% of all passives in Hilaria for instance are elliptical. The passive is not merely a structural inversion of the active. It has specific functions as a planned strategy by the abstract author. What is important, is the influence of the passive in conveying theme. This involves a correlation between theme and technique, a contact of literature and specific means of language. It concerns the intentions of the abstract author: why he uses a passive instead of an active, and how language (the use of the passive) influences the communication of meaning. A wide spectrum of functions of the passive in specific contexts is used by Leroux's abstract author. However, it is chiefly the thematization function of the passive that is prominent throughout his work. The promotion and demotion effect of the passive is used to focus on Leroux aphorisms and motifs. This is achieved by employing mainly empathy and information focus. However, the passive is not only the vehicle of theme, it is theme by active demonstration. Themes are not only being expressed verbally, but being enacted. Only one aspect of Leroux's language has been investigated, but it is clear from the abstract author's use of the passive, that this is the skilful hand of a master at work.

keywords

Die eerste lewe van Colet, 1955

Hilaria, 1957

Die mugu, 1959

Sewe dae by die Silbersteins, 1962

Een vir Azazel, 1964

De derde oog, 1966

18-44, 1967

Isis Isis Isis, 1969

Na'va, 1972

Magersfontein, o Magersfontein! 1976

Onse Hymie, 1982

inLanguage

Afrikaans

identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/10210/12152

numberOfPages

218

fileFormat

PDF