African Languages

8/3/2019 African Languages

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How to look at African

LanguagesDavid Dwyer

2/10/2000


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How do you look at African languages?

(Answer: three different ways)

They could not agree on the language.

They could not agree which language to use.

(Thing)

They could not agree on how to word

something. (Means)They could not agree on how to analyze the

grammar.


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How to look at language

Language as a means

The use of language as a way of doing things

Wolof Greetings: identity Language as a thing

Issues of one language or another

Language planning, which lg. to use in schoolWolof and Pulaar identity

Language as potential (grammar)


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Language as a Means

Wolof greetings: a means of establishingidentity.

A means of getting things done.

There are very few things that are accomplishedwithout language.

A means of developing common

understandingsCommon background knowledge: culture

A.K.A. Intersubjectivity


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Wolof Greetings

Basic Facts: The Wolof are a pastoral/agricultural group who live

along the Senegal River.

The Wolof have a clearly defined set of classes (or

castes) of Griots (praise singers), (former) Slaves,

Freemen and Nobles.

Wolof greetings are highly formal (they have a clearly

identifiable form.

1. Stages: Salutation, Heath Question, Praise of God,

body of conversation.

Two distinct roles: Greeter and Responder


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Wolof GreetingsGreeter:Salisu Responder: Mohammed

Mohammed

Salaam alikum. (Arabic)

Peace be with you.

Salisu (Says his own

name)

Mohammed

Na ngga def? How do you do?

Mbaa dyamm ngg'am?

Don't you have peace?

Salisu

Salaam alikum. (Arabic)

Peace be with you.

Mohammed (Says his own

name)

Salisu

Maanggi fi rek. I am here only.

Dyamm rek, naam.

Peace only, yes.


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Wolof Greetings

Ana waa kir gi? Where

[i.e., how] are the people

of your household?

Ana __________ (e.g.

Mustapha)? Where [how]

is ____ (Mustapha)?

Mbaa tawaatu loo? Isn't it

that you aren't sick.

Mbaa keen feebaru? Isn't it

than anyone isn't sick?

H'mdillay.

(Arabic)/Tukbarkalla.

Thanks be to God.

Nyu-ngga fa. They arethere [ok].

.

Mu-ngga fa. He's there

[ok]. ...

Maanggi sant Yalla. I am

praising God.

Nyu-nggi sant Yalla. They

are praising God.

H'mdillay (Arabic)/

Tukbarkalla. Thanks be to

God.


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Roles of Initiator and Respondent

Function Initiator Respondent

Social Rank Low High

Initiate Initiates responds

Movement Moves to greet stays put

Stress High pitch,

loud

low pitch, soft

Tempo Rapid, verbose slow, terse


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Language as Thing

Language versus dialect

How many languages are there in Africa?

Somewhere Around 1500

What is the difference between language

and dialect?

Difference is not linguistic, but socially

determined.Examples.

Language as thing to negotiate identity


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Language as Thing

Language as thing also involves issues of

language planning.

What should be the language policy in SouthAfrica? (Talk right after class).

What should be the language policy in our

schools? Many African countries have a language policy, the

United States does not.


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Language as thing: example cont..

The Fula Before, Fulbe did not consider the Haalpularen to be

ethnically the same.

After. Given the need to show large population statistics,

the two groups see themselves as ethnically one unitedby a common language

The Fulbe see Wolof language as a threat to their

identity

The Serer Since a common language does not unite the Serer, they

have no concerns about speaking Wolof


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Language as Thing: Policy

1. African languages must take on the duty, the responsibility and the

challenge of speaking for the continent.

2. The vitality and equality of African languages must be recognized as a

basis for the future empowerment of African peoples.3. The diversity of African languages reflects the rich cultural heritage of

Africa and must be used as an instrument of African unity.

4. Dialogue among African languages is essential: African languages

must use the instrument of translation to advance communication

among all people, including t5. All African children have the unalienable right to attend school and

learn in their mother tongues. Every effort should be made to develop

African languages at all levels of education. he disabled.


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6. Promoting research on African languages is vital for their

development, while the advancement of African research and

documentation will be best served by the use of African

languages.

7. The effective and rapid development of science and

technology in Africa depends on the use of African languages

and modern technology must be used for the development of

African languages.

8. Democracy is essential for the equal development of African

languages and African languages are vital for the

development of democracy based on equality and social

justice.

9. African languages like all languages contain gender bias. The

role of African languages in development must overcome this

gender bias and achieve gender equality.

10. African languages are essential for the decolonialization of

African minds and for the African Renaissance.


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Language as thing to negotiate

identity Fula v. Serer in Senegal

Three major languages in Senegal: Fula, Serer

and Wolof

Wolof - Both ethnic language and lingua franca

Fula (=Pulaar) language of several groups including

the Fulbe and HalpulaarenSerer a collection of different varieties, defined by the

Europeans as one language and ethnic group


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Language as Potential

(Grammar) Pele mia This is a house.

Kli mia v Kali mia. This is a snake, hoe.

Nyaa Kli loma. I see the snake.

Kli lo pele-wu. The snake is in the house

Nya yeya lo. This is my hand Kali lo nya yeya. I have a hoe.

Kli lo. See the snake.


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Language as Potential: Grammar

The three domains of language.

The sound system: phonology

The structure of sentences: syntax

The structure of words: morphology

Linguists also look at language

As meaning: semantics

As historical product: historical linguistics


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Language as potential

The study of language as potential looks at

the structure of a language and how it goes

together.

This is the work of linguistics.

One of the important work of linguistics has

been to discover linguistic universals and

the common principles by which humanlanguages operate.


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How do you look at language?

As a means to communicate A way of getting things accomplished, a means ofestablishing common understandings, a means of

negotiating identity.

As a thing What is language (dialect), what language should be

used when and where, language policy, a means of

negotiating identity, .

As potential grammar How language is organized to allow us to communicate,

the commonalties of human language.


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The End

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African Languages