| Summary: | The structural approach was followed in the study as, to my mind, it was the most
effective way to reach the aims. The emphasis fell on the following points, namely
identification, classification and analysis. Mockery is placed in the literal poli-system as belonging to children's oral literature and as sub-genre of children's poetry. Mockery is similar to riddles and is typified as a language game. The study of the communication process and syntax used in mockery and mocking expressions revealed that mockery is not ordinary language usage, an innate and unique structure is visible. The communication process from the mocker to the mocked and the audience/critics with the accompanying exchanging of roles, stresses the uniqueness of this newly-recorded genre. The syntactical analysis of the mocking expressions revealed that it exists of a first member, comparative and a complementary member. The first member and the
complementary members each exist of distinct words and word groups that are used repeatedly. The object of the mockery is mentioned in the first member and is compared by a comparative - that might be a conjunctive or an auxiliary - to one or other image or object from the context that is mentioned in the complementary member. Syntactically, the lexical components in the mocking expressions are bound together in a fixed order. In order to typify mockery as satirical and the mocker as a satirist, definitions of satire, the aim of satire, the values of the satirist, who and what the satirist is and the satirical object have been discussed. The features according to which satire is typified, were revealed in the discussion of the features of satirical language and style, after which satirical building blocks in the mocking expressions have been verified with examples. It is clear from the examples that mocking expressions are satirical by nature and the mocker can indeed be regarded as a satirist. Imagery is identified as one of the most important building blocks of satire and mockery, and is individually discussed, as it forms the basis upon which mocking expressions operates. The effectiveness of the mocking expressions lies in the striking imagery that is used. In conclusion, the important functions and values that mockery fulfils, and which is beneficial for the Tswana child's development to adulthood, were stressed. Mockery can be successfully practised and the practising of mockery can be extended to the advantage of the Tswana child. The advantages that the practising of mockery have for the development of the Tswana child, have by no means been exploited to its full potential. The practising of mockery should be encouraged to the advantage of the development of the children. === MA, Tswana, PU vir CHO, 1997
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