Some general problems of Some general problems of language geographylanguage geography

Ljuba VeselinovaLjuba Veselinova

Dept of Linguistics, Stockholm Dept of Linguistics, Stockholm UniversityUniversity

ljuba@ling.su.seljuba@ling.su.se

Language Catalogue WorkshopLanguage Catalogue Workshop

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyAnthropology

June 28, 2007, Leipzig, GermanyJune 28, 2007, Leipzig, Germany

Outline of the presentationOutline of the presentation

Language composition of modern Language composition of modern citiescities

Mapping the distribution of non-Mapping the distribution of non-sedentary peoples and their sedentary peoples and their languageslanguages

Outline of the problemOutline of the problem

The language distribution in urban areas tends The language distribution in urban areas tends to be absent in traditional language atlasesto be absent in traditional language atlases

YetYet 46% of the world population lives in urban areas 46% of the world population lives in urban areas

(Demographia, (Demographia, www.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdfwww.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf)) 1203 urban areas with more than 500,000 inhabitants in 1203 urban areas with more than 500,000 inhabitants in

164 countries and territories164 countries and territories Urban areas tend to be multi-lingualUrban areas tend to be multi-lingual

Ignoring the linguistic composition of urban Ignoring the linguistic composition of urban areas gives us a skewed picture of the areas gives us a skewed picture of the language distribution around the worldlanguage distribution around the world

Mapping languages in cities is Mapping languages in cities is contingent oncontingent on

various kinds of census where the various kinds of census where the quality would differ depending onquality would differ depending on The questions asked by the census The questions asked by the census

volonteersvolonteers The kind of information that is made The kind of information that is made

publicpublic

Main Groups of Questions Main Groups of Questions asked by the Canadian censusasked by the Canadian census

First language learned in childhoodFirst language learned in childhood Language(s) understood and spoken at homeLanguage(s) understood and spoken at home Language(s) used with friendsLanguage(s) used with friends Language(s) used until age of 15Language(s) used until age of 15

With parentsWith parents With siblingsWith siblings

Knowledge of official and non-official languages of Knowledge of official and non-official languages of CanadaCanada

Language(s) used at work (added 2001)Language(s) used at work (added 2001) Language most often used at workLanguage most often used at work Any other language(s) used on a regular basis at the Any other language(s) used on a regular basis at the

workplaceworkplace

General info on non-sedentary General info on non-sedentary languages languages

Based on the Ethnologue 15Based on the Ethnologue 15 Nomadic languagesNomadic languages

70 languages from 24 stocks70 languages from 24 stocks Total population: 24 590 376 peopleTotal population: 24 590 376 people

Semi-nomadic languagesSemi-nomadic languages 42 languages from 23 stocks42 languages from 23 stocks Total population: ca 12 775 685 peopleTotal population: ca 12 775 685 people

Some general facts about Some general facts about OromoOromo

Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic Ca 10 mln speakers in Ethiopia and KenyaCa 10 mln speakers in Ethiopia and Kenya

70, 869 in Kenya according to the 1969 census70, 869 in Kenya according to the 1969 census ca 100,000 to 150,000 in Kenya (Stroomer 1995)ca 100,000 to 150,000 in Kenya (Stroomer 1995)

StatusStatus Unclear in EthiopiaUnclear in Ethiopia Actively used in Kenya, radio station(s) in Oromo, Actively used in Kenya, radio station(s) in Oromo,

other ethnic groups switch to Oromo (Dahl 1979, other ethnic groups switch to Oromo (Dahl 1979, Stroomer 1995)Stroomer 1995)

Boraana

Garissa

Wajir