A Comparison Between Chinese And Setswana Language Markers Or Symbols Used When Adjectives Modify Nouns And Acquisition Research

In both Chinese and Setswana language, adjectives are common forms of expression and these adjectives have a very complex grammatical phenomenon. However, this paper focuses on the two languages’ markers or symbols that are used to connect adjectives and nouns when adjectives modify nouns. We find that, the markers or symbols used in Setswana language to connect adjectives and nouns when adjectives modify nouns actually have the same purpose as the Chinese marker or symbol “的”. However, even though this is the case, the markers or symbols from the two languages have some significant differences too. In Setswana language, there are three types of adjectives; adjectives expressingcolour, adjectives expressing size and adjectives expressing number. Furthermore, in Setswana language, there are many markers or symbols used to connect adjectives and nouns and they are mainly determined by the described nouns, that is; 1. Singular and Plural nouns: 2. Nouns referring to people and Nouns referring to other things but not people. Different nouns and different types of adjectives both influence the form of markers or symbols used to connect nouns and adjectives.This paper focuses on the above mentioned aspects in making a comparative analysis between Chinese and Setswana language markers or symbols used to connect adjectives and nouns when adjectives modify nouns. The main context of the paper is as follows:The first part focuses on explaining why Setswana language has many different forms of markers or symbols used to connect adjectives and nouns when adjectives modify nouns. The second part focuses on discussing the differences found between Chinese and Setswana language markers or symbols used to connect adjectives and nouns when adjectives modify nouns. The last part focuses on errors committed by Botswana students studying Chinese language, when using adjectives to describe nouns, as a result of the differences between the markers or symbols found in the two languages. This investigation was conducted through the use of questionnaires. The last part of the paper also discusses how to rectify these errors.