Mashwele, Rhulani Sibongo.2025-01-312025-01-312022-03-01https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14519/1322Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Magister Technologiae in the Department of Applied Languages, Faculty of Humanities at the Tshwane University of Technology.The aim of this study is to establish the perception of the ethnolinguistic vitality of Xitsonga as perceived by its speakers in the TLM Limpopo Province. The objective of the study is to explore the perceptions of the ethnolinguistic vitality of Xitsonga at TLM. The above-mentioned municipality caters for three languages, which are Tshivenḓa, Xitsonga and English. These languages do not appear to be treated equally in most settings of TLM. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996) stipulates that all South African languages should be equally represented and enjoy parity of esteem and be treated fairly, especially at a local level such as a municipality. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews such as research methods to investigate the perception of the ethnolinguistic vitality of Xitsonga in TLM. Data were collected from Xitsonga mother-tongue speakers and TLM officials (N= 80). Yet, the results of this study reveal that Xitsonga mother-tongue speakers hold positive perceptions towards Xitsonga as their L1.1-109 PagesenCC0 1.0 Universalhttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/EthnolinguisticVitalityXitsongaEnglishSouth African languagesThesis