Functions of Siluyana and Cilunda Royal Court Languages at Lealui and Mwansabombwe Palaces in Zambia – a Comparative Study
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FUNCTIONS OF SILUYANA AND CILUNDA ROYAL COURT LANGUAGES AT LEALUI AND MWANSABOMBWE PALACES IN ZAMBIA – A COMPARATIVE STUDY by MUSANGU KENNETH KABIMBI submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the subject AFRICAN LANGUAGES at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROF. M. J. MAFELA CO-SUPERVISOR : PROF. C. D. NTULI JUNE 2014 Student Number: 3645-945-3 AUTHOR’S DECLARATION I declare that FUNCTIONS OF SILUYANA AND CILUNDA ROYAL COURT LANGUAGES AT LEALUI AND MWANSABOMBWE PALACES IN ZAMBIA – A COMPARATIVE STUDY is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. Signature: ………………………………. Date: September 15th, 2014. Musangu Kenneth Kabimbi ii DEDICATION His Royal Highness Mwata Kazembe XIX, Paul Mpemba II Kaniembo VII… a real „Father‟ and King of the Luunda kingdom. Wa vulye, Mwata Kapale! Kalombo Mwane. His Royal Highnesses, the Litunga of Bulozi, Lubosi Imwiko; and Imutakwandu (late) Litunga Ilute Yeta…Lwachilanisa kwa Namusoo! Mangwe Yoshoo Yoshoo…Molyange. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Prof. Munzhedzi James Mafela, my supervisor and mentor; you rebuilt my confidence and courage with an „academic‟ sociolinguistic key that opened my mind to have a critical eye!! Prof. Cynthia Daphne Ntuli, my co-supervisor, for truly believing in me that I can do it; I am so grateful for grooming me into an academician with sociolinguistic thinking. Prof. Lawrie A. Barnes, my first research supervisor; here is the academic fruit you planted and sincerely thank you for your tolerance which I highly appreciate. Mukwae, Mrs J. Mboanjikana Kayama…a mother who introduced me to Lealui and the Barotse royal establishment and Luyana culture. Ima, ni itumezi…muyoyange wino wino. Mr. R. Muyangwa Mukuni (late), educationist, author of siLozi books, thanks for linking me to Namoo; then Ngambela Musialike Mukande; you set me on this academic journey. Ms Judith Kerkhoff, ex-VVOB Zambia bana Kabwe and good friend who gave me the famous „biblical Abraham inspiration‟ of my walking in the academic path in old age. Mrs. R. Mabuku Kabeta, a PhD. student and psychologist who read my mind; a true sister, thanks for saying „let‟s endure with resilience: dawn comes to one who keeps awake‟. Dr. Siachitema, a Tonga „cousin‟ who teased me to search for my roots: the lost siLuyana language; thanks for planting a sociolinguistic seed in my fresher days at UNZA. Mr Mubanga Makina, a true brother and academic colleague and a mentor, Enu bakwetu! Mr Luke Mankapi thanks for encouragement and strength; Mr Mabo Kalandala, Kapa you have been with me to the M‟sumba of our Kola; Mr. Mulomba, thanks for computer setting. Father, Mother, Auntie, Uncle; Wife, Mable Muzumbwe and children: Musole, Mununga, Kamana, Jesnala and Lumetta; my late son Kanunu; I appreciate various support. Jesus, oh God Almighty thank you for answering my prayer; Faith is a Miracle iv SUMMARY The study examines and compares functions of siLuyana and ciLunda royal court languages at Lealui and Mwansabombwe palaces in Zambia. The literature reviews role of siLuyana and ciLunda in the speech communities portray the languages were lingua franca of Luyana and Luunda Kazembe. The research uses ethnographic methodology: questionnaires, interviews and participation observation to gather data, mostly collected at annual Kuomboka and Mutomboko ceremonies covers several years. The literature and responses comparatively examined both portray multilingualism, and siLuyana and ciLunda as royal court languages; the Litunga and Mwata are recognised traditional authority and custodians of Luyana and Luunda Kazembe culture. Kuomboka and Mutomboko ceremonies commemorate royal establishments‟ history and achievement and remind the old people and educate the youths about their Luyana and Luunda culture. The palaces have preserved the ceremonies as socialisation media and the languages as linguistic symbols to proclaim the kings: Litunga and Mwata‟s sacred royal authority. Key terms: Comparative Study; siLuyana and ciLunda; lingua franca; Lealui and Mwansabombwe Palaces; Function of Royal Court languages; Diglossic Speech Communities; Paramount Chiefs: Litunga and Mwata; Custodians of Culture; Ritual Linguistic Roles of siLuyana and ciLunda; Kuomboka and Mutomboko ceremonies. v Table of Contents Student Number: 3645-945-3.................................................................................................................. ii AUTHOR‟S DECLARATION ............................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ....................................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................... iv SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................ v 1 CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ............................................................................................ 1 1.1 Preamble ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Statement of the problem ........................................................................................................ 1 1.3 Aims and objectives of the study ............................................................................................ 4 1.4 Research questions of the study .............................................................................................. 4 1.5 Theoretical framework ............................................................................................................ 5 1.6 Geographical and linguistic background information about Zambia ...................................... 6 1.7 Location and description of Lealui and Mwansabombwe palaces ........................................ 11 1.8 Historical relationship between the Luyana and the Luunda Kazembe ................................ 12 1.9 Definition of language and its functions ............................................................................... 13 1.9.1 Language varieties and social dialects .......................................................................... 15 1.9.2 Lingua franca in the pre- and post-Luunda Diaspora .................................................... 16 1.9.3 Code-switching and code-mixing ................................................................................. 17 1.10 Functions of siLuyana and ciLunda as royal court languages .............................................. 18 1.11 Limitations of the study ........................................................................................................ 19 1.12 Organisation of the study ...................................................................................................... 20 2 CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................... 21 LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................................................... 21 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 21 2.2 Reviews of literature ............................................................................................................. 21 2.3 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 55 3 CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................................... 57 vi RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 57 3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 57 3.2 Research design .................................................................................................................... 57 3.3 Research methods ................................................................................................................. 59 3.4 Research instruments ............................................................................................................ 63 3.5 Target Population and Sample Size and Procedures ............................................................. 64 3.5.1 The Lealui and Mwansabombwe Palace Speech Communities .................................... 64 3.6 Description of primary and secondary data .......................................................................... 66 3.6.1 Primary Data description .............................................................................................. 66 3.6.2 Secondary data description ........................................................................................... 67 3.7 Data collection and presentation ........................................................................................... 68 3.7.1 Data collection through the questionnaire instrument..................................................