The Source of Language Variation Among Chagga People
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The University of Dodoma University of Dodoma Institutional Repository http://repository.udom.ac.tz Humanities Master Dissertations 2013 The source of language variation among chagga people Mtallo, Godson Robert The University of Dodoma Mtallo, G.R. (2013). The source of language variation among chagga people. Dodoma: The University of Dodoma http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12661/1799 Downloaded from UDOM Institutional Repository at The University of Dodoma, an open access institutional repository. THE SOURCE OF LANGUAGE VARIATION AMONG CHAGGA PEOPLE By Godson Robert Mtallo A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Linguistics of the University of Dodoma The University of Dodoma June, 2013 CERTIFICATION The undersigned certifies that he has read and hereby recommends for acceptance by the University of Dodoma a dissertation entitled “The Source of Language Variation among Chagga People” in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Linguistics of the University of Dodoma. Signature……………………………….. Prof. Casmir M. Rubagumya (SUPERVISOR) Date: ……………………………… i DECLARATION AND COPYRIGHT I Godson Mtallo, declare that this dissertation is my own original work and that it has not been presented and will not be presented to any other University for a similar or any other degree award. Signature……………………… No part of this dissertation may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means without prior written permission of the author or the University of Dodoma. ii DEDICATION To my beloved wife Grace and my daughter Precious, you are part and parcel of my success. It is my prayers before God, the Almighty, to bless you in abundance for the care and love you expressed to me in the course of my study. Indeed, thank you for been kind and tolerant especially when I was very busy such that you could not see me at home on regular basis. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The successful completion of this dissertation has been possible because of the sincere kind of help I received from various people who supported me by providing advice, criticism, and important data. It is difficult to mention them all individually, and so I record my general appreciation for their assistance. However, I must pinpoint a few of them and pay special thanks for their credible support. First, my most grateful thanks to Prof. Casmir M. Rubagumya my instructor in Applied Linguistics course (EL622), Sociolinguistics (EL 620) and supervisor in this research, who spent a lot of time in advising, correcting, and enlightening me on every step of this study since the first stages of the preparation of the proposal up to the end. This dissertation could not appear as it is now without his valuable advice. Second, my appreciation goes to Dr. Sebonde Rafiki, my lecturer on Research Methods in Humanities Course at the University of Dodoma (UDOM), who imparted me the basic knowledge and skills on how to conduct research in languages. Her knowledge put in my mind the valuable foundation in my research performance. Third, I thank the University of Dodoma especially, the Principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Dean, the Coordinator for Graduate Studies for the support they gave me throughout the study. Many thanks to my lecturers (Prof. Rubagumya, Prof. Kahigi, Dr. Sebonde, Dr. Malangwa, Dr. Musyoka, and Dr. Upor). Really they shaped me a lot in the field of Linguistics. May God bless them greatly. Fourth, my appreciations go to all my respondents in this study who provided mutual cooperation especially in providing important information about this study. iv Lastly, but not least, to all my classmates who pursued Master of Arts in Linguistics (2011 – 2013) at the University of Dodoma (UDOM). We shared knowledge by studying and helping each other in the course of conducting this research. May God help us to continue with this kind of cooperation so that we excel in this profession. v ABSTRACT This research intended to find out the source of language variation among Chagga people. The study was guided by four specific objectives which are: to investigate the extent to which language variation exists among the Chagga; to examine the areas (aspects) that show / indicate language variation among Chagga people; to find out the source of language variation among the Chagga; and to determine whether Chagga varieties constitute different languages or varieties (dialects) of the same language. To meet these objectives, four questions were employed which are: to what extent does language variation exist among the Chagga? In which aspects do Chagga people differ when they speak? Why do Chagga people from different areas in Kilimanjaro speak differently? Do Chagga varieties constitute different languages or dialects of the same language? In conducting this research three techniques were used to collect the primary data, which are sociolinguistic interview (free conversation), reading passage, and the word list. Free conversation was used in finding out the source of language variation and the extent to which it exists among the Chagga. Wordlist was used in examining differences in lexicon and phonology and the reading passage was used in examining differences in syntax (grammar). The study has exposed that despite the difficulties that Chagga people from different parts in Kilimanjaro experience in communicating through their mother tongue, they understand each other. Further, the study propounded the following as the reasons as to why Chagga people seem to differ in some vocabulary: geographical location, differences in origin, lack of common socialization, and the existence of hostility among them. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS CERTIFICATION .................................................................................................................i DECLARATION AND COPYRIGHT ................................................................................ ii DEDICATION ..................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................. x LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................. xi CHAPTER ONE .................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Background to the problem ............................................................................................ 1 1.3 Statement of the problem ............................................................................................... 3 1.4The Purpose and specific objectives of the study ........................................................... 4 1.5 Research questions ......................................................................................................... 4 1.6 .Significance of the study ............................................................................................... 5 1.7. Area of the study ........................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER TWO ................................................................................................................. 8 Literature Review ................................................................................................................ 8 2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 8 2.2. Meaning, aspects, and the source of language variation ............................................... 8 2.3 Studies on Language Variation ...................................................................................... 9 2.3.1 Language variation in global perspective ................................................................... 9 2.3.2 Language variation in Africa .................................................................................... 10 2.3.3 Language variation in Tanzania ................................................................................ 11 2.4 Language versus Dialect .............................................................................................. 11 2.4.2 The Concept of Mutual Intelligibility. ...................................................................... 14 2.5 Research Gaps .............................................................................................................. 16 CHAPTER THREE ........................................................................................................... 17 vii Research Methodology ...................................................................................................... 17 3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 17 3.2. The research approach and design .............................................................................. 17 3.4. Data Collection Techniques