DOCSLIB.ORG

Studies in African Languages and Cultures. Volumen 54 (2020)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Studies in African Languages and Cultures formerly known as Studies of the Department of African Languages and Cultures STUDIES published since 1984 54 54 2020 www.salc.uw.edu.pl IN AFRICAN STUDIES IN AFRICAN IN STUDIES AND LANGUAGES CULTURES LANGUAGES AND CULTURES Department of African Languages and Cultures Faculty of Oriental Studies Studies of the Department of African nr 54 g 10.indd 3 16/09/20 12:11 STUDIES IN AFRICAN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES Vol. 54 (2020) Editorial Board Sergio BALDI, Università degli Studi di Napoli STUDIES Iwona KRASKA-SZLENK, University of Warsaw Marcin KRAWCZUK, University of Warsaw IN AFRICAN Rudolf LEGER, J.W. Goethe Univeristät Frankfurt am Main Helma PASCH, Univeristät zu Köln LANGUAGES Alena RETTOVÁ, School of Oriental and African Studies, London Hanna RUBINKOWSKA-ANIOŁ, University of Warsaw AND CULTURES Beata WÓJTOWICZ, University of Warsaw Vol. 54 (2020) Advisory Board/External Reviewers Felix K. AMEKA, University of Leiden Matthias BRENZINGER, University of Cape Town Katrin BROMBER, Zentrum Moderner Orient, Berlin Janusz DANECKI, University of Warsaw Zygmunt FRAJZYNGIER, University of Colorado, Boulder Marek PAWEŁCZAK, University of Warsaw Robert PIĘTEK, Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities Eugeniusz RZEWUSKI, University of Warsaw Hafizu Miko YAKASAI, Bayero University, Kano Izabela WILL, University of Warsaw Jerzy ZDANOWSKI, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Kraków University University of Warsaw 2020 Department of African Languages and Cultures Faculty of Oriental Studies STUDIES IN AFRICAN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES Vol. 54 (2020) University of Warsaw 2020 Department of African Languages and Cultures Faculty of Oriental Studies Chief Editor Nina PAWLAK, University of Warsaw Editorial Secretary Patryk Zając University of Warsaw Department of African Languages and Cultures Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28. PL 00-927 Warsaw. POLAND E-mail: [email protected] Cover design Anna Gogolewska English language Editor Michał Zagrodzki ISSN 2545-2134; e-ISSN 2657-4187 © Copyright by University of Warsaw Press 2020 © Copyright by Department of African Languages and Cultures 2020 The entire journal content is freely available on the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Licence. Publication co-financed from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education grant and funds provided by the University of Warsaw authorities On-line version is available at http://www.salc.uw.edu.pl University of Warsaw Press Prosta 69. PL 00-838 Warsaw [email protected] Sales Department: phone (+48 22) 55-31-333 E-mail: [email protected] Internet Bookshop: www.edu.pl Layout Anna Gogolewska Printed by Totem.com.pl Contents FROM THE EDITORS 7 ArticLES Joseph McIntyre Transitive L-verbs (grade 2) and transitive H-verbs (grades 1, 4, 5, and 6) in Hausa verbal compounds 9 Rasmus Bernander, Antti O. Laine & Lotta Aunio The numeral system(s) in Western Serengeti: Formal, functional, and historical inferences 35 Pius W. Akumbu Reflections on a community-based approach to writing grammars of endangered African languages 71 Hideyuki Inui Nominal suffixes as markers of information structure in Basketo 97 Salim A. Mohamed & Erasmus A. Msuya English phonological errors by Kimakunduchi speaking EFL learners in Zanzibar 121 Sabina Brakoniecka Islamic martyrdom in northern Nigeria 143 Berhanu Asaye Agajie Images of Amhara women in oral poetry 163 REVIEWS A History of African Linguistics, ed. by H. Ekkehard Wolff. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2019, 351 pp. ISBN 978-11-0828-397-7. DOI: 10.1017/9781108283977 (Patryk Zając) 181 Massimo Villa, Filologia e linguistica del testi gəʿəz di età aksumita: Il Pastore di Erma. (Studi Africanistici. Serie Etiopica 10). Napoli: UniorPress 2019, 285 pp. ISBN 978-88-6719-178-9 (Marcin Krawczuk) 188 FROM THE EDITORS The journal is published annualy and provides a forum for presentation of the latest research in various fields of African Studies. It promotes studies on African languages, literatures, and cultures. Scholars working in these areas are cordially invited to submit the results of their work for publication. Preference is given to original research based on sources in African languages. The journal comprises articles, monographs, and reviews, as well as bibliogra- phies, lexicographic studies, and other source materials. Some issues are devoted to specialized topics or events. All papers are reviewed according to the journal’s criterions. The journal is indexed with and included in: • The European Reference Index for the Humanities and the Social Sciences (ERIH Plus) • Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) • Index Copernicus International (ICI) • Central and Eeastern European Online Library (CEEOL) • Central European Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (CEJSH) • Linguistic Bibliography Online (Brill) Submission guidelines are available at the Journal’s website www.salc.uw.edu.pl. For further information please write to the Editor at [email protected]. The printed version of the journal is distributed through subscriptions on the basis of exchange with academic centres. Please address the offers of journal exchange to: Uniwersytet Warszawski Wydział Orientalistyczny Katedra Języków i Kultur Afryki ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28 PL 00-927 Warszawa, POLAND Studies in African Languages and Cultures, Vol. 54, 2020 ISSN 2545-2134; e-ISSN 2657-4187 DOI: 10.32690/SALC54.1 ARTICLES Joseph McIntyre Hamburg Transitive L-verbs (grade 2) and transitive H-verbs (grades 1, 4, 5, and 6) in Hausa verbal compounds*1 Abstract This paper examines Hausa verbal compounds in terms of the division of regular verbs (verbs in the “grade system”) into verbs which have a High or Low tone first syllable. The focus of the paper is the surprisingly small number of transitive L-verbs (verbs beginning with a Low tone – “grade 2”) and their limited use of compound markers which contrasts strongly with the frequency of transitive H-verbs (verbs beginning with a High tone) and their markers. I also describe several devices (e.g. grade-switching and covert subjects) which “allow” the formation of verbal compounds with transitive L-verbs. Keywords: Hausa, verbal compounds, (modified) grade system * I would like to thank Bernard Caron and Phil Jaggar for their comments on earlier ver- sions of this paper. Any remaining errors are my own. 10 Joseph McIntyre 1. Introduction Hausa verbal compounds are many and varied. Their first member is generally a verb, although a few verbal compounds have either a person-aspect-complex or a /ma-/ prefix preceding the verb (see subsection 2.1). A wide variety of verbs are found in these compounds, both regular (those found in the “grade system” – see subsection 2.2) and irregular. In this paper I focus on the regular transitive verbs in compounds and describe a stark contrast between compounds which have a H[igh] or L[ow] tone first syllable (“H-verbs” versus “L-verbs”, defined in subsection 2.2.2). In a word, the number of transitive L-verbs found in Hausa verbal compounds is surprisingly small. Before explaining this contrast I describe verbal compounds and the verbal “grade system”, as well as various modifications to that system, concluding with my own definition of regular H- and L-verbs. 2. Hausa verbal compounds and Parsons’s “grade system” Here I describe verbal compounds in terms of the types of verb and marker found in these compounds (subsection 2.1). In subsection 2.2 I describe Parsons’s “grade system” (originally proposed in 1960) and the modifications which have been suggested since that date. 2.1. Hausa verbal compounds Most Hausa verbal compounds have an imperative form (see 1a); a further form – the tone-lowered form – is only found in compounds (1b); in a number of com- pounds the finite form of the verb is found (1c): (1a) The verb with an imperative form: rùfa-baaya1 (cover back) ‘support’ nèemi-naakà (look.for yours) ‘a name’ sàkoo-tumaaki (loosen sheep) ‘simpleton’ 1 Hausa examples and words in the text are written in italics; when the vowel is long it is written double, when short it is written with a single vowel. High (H) tone vowels are unmarked, e.g. -uwaa is HH and the vowels are short-long; low (L) tone vowels are marked with a grave accent, e.g., gyàaru is LH and the vowels are long-short. The ‘trilled’ /r/ is marked r˜ , the ‘flapped’ /r/ is unmarked (r). Transitive L-verbs (grade 2) and transitive H-verbs... 11 (1b) The verb with a tone-lowered form (not found in normal verbal morphology): dàfàa-dukà (cook all) ‘jollof rice’ ƙàarèe-dangì (finish family) ‘type of arrow poison’ bìi-bango (follow wall) ‘leakage along a wall’ (1c) The verb with the finite form: mootsà-jìkii (move body) ‘sport, physical exercise’ tunà-haifùwaa (remember birth) in: ran ~ ‘birthday’ kashè(e)-wàndoo (kill trousers) ‘unemployment’ In many compounds with a noun direct object the final vowel of the direct object is shortened. In the examples below the nouns baayaa ‘back’, dangìi ‘family’ and bangoo ‘wall’ have a short final vowel, marking the compound (along with the verb): (1d) Final vowel shortening: rùfa-baaya (cover back) ‘support’ ƙàarèe-dangì (finish family) ‘type of arrow poison’ bìi-bango (follow wall) ‘leakage along wall’ Compounds with a noun direct object are the main focus of this paper; however, other syntax is found; in the examples below the first example has two transitive verbs but their direct object is assumed; the second has a pronoun direct object; the third has a pronoun indirect object and a noun direct object: (1e) Varied syntax: dàki-bàri (beat stop) ‘strong, reliable thing’ m a r˜ m a r˜ t o o - n ì (desire me) ‘small plant used in love potions’ cìree-mîn-ƙayàa (pull.out for.me thorn) ‘children’s game’ There are compounds where a person-aspect-complex (expressing person, number and aspect) precedes the verb; in the example below the person-aspect pronoun is fourth person subjunctive (= ‘one should’).
Recommended publications
  • Some Principles of the Use of Macro-Areas Language Dynamics &A

    Some Principles of the Use of Macro-Areas Language Dynamics &A

    Online Appendix for Harald Hammarstr¨om& Mark Donohue (2014) Some Principles of the Use of Macro-Areas Language Dynamics & Change Harald Hammarstr¨om& Mark Donohue The following document lists the languages of the world and their as- signment to the macro-areas described in the main body of the paper as well as the WALS macro-area for languages featured in the WALS 2005 edi- tion. 7160 languages are included, which represent all languages for which we had coordinates available1. Every language is given with its ISO-639-3 code (if it has one) for proper identification. The mapping between WALS languages and ISO-codes was done by using the mapping downloadable from the 2011 online WALS edition2 (because a number of errors in the mapping were corrected for the 2011 edition). 38 WALS languages are not given an ISO-code in the 2011 mapping, 36 of these have been assigned their appropri- ate iso-code based on the sources the WALS lists for the respective language. This was not possible for Tasmanian (WALS-code: tsm) because the WALS mixes data from very different Tasmanian languages and for Kualan (WALS- code: kua) because no source is given. 17 WALS-languages were assigned ISO-codes which have subsequently been retired { these have been assigned their appropriate updated ISO-code. In many cases, a WALS-language is mapped to several ISO-codes. As this has no bearing for the assignment to macro-areas, multiple mappings have been retained. 1There are another couple of hundred languages which are attested but for which our database currently lacks coordinates.
  • Options for a National Culture Symbol of Cameroon: Can the Bamenda Grassfields Traditional Dress Fit?

    Options for a National Culture Symbol of Cameroon: Can the Bamenda Grassfields Traditional Dress Fit?

    EAS Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies Abbreviated Key Title: EAS J Humanit Cult Stud ISSN: 2663-0958 (Print) & ISSN: 2663-6743 (Online) Published By East African Scholars Publisher, Kenya Volume-2 | Issue-1| Jan-Feb-2020 | DOI: 10.36349/easjhcs.2020.v02i01.003 Research Article Options for a National Culture Symbol of Cameroon: Can the Bamenda Grassfields Traditional Dress Fit? Venantius Kum NGWOH Ph.D* Department of History Faculty of Arts University of Buea, Cameroon Abstract: The national symbols of Cameroon like flag, anthem, coat of arms and seal do not Article History in any way reveal her cultural background because of the political inclination of these signs. Received: 14.01.2020 In global sporting events and gatherings like World Cup and international conferences Accepted: 28.12.2020 respectively, participants who appear in traditional costume usually easily reveal their Published: 17.02.2020 nationalities. The Ghanaian Kente, Kenyan Kitenge, Nigerian Yoruba outfit, Moroccan Journal homepage: Djellaba or Indian Dhoti serve as national cultural insignia of their respective countries. The https://www.easpublisher.com/easjhcs reason why Cameroon is referred in tourist circles as a cultural mosaic is that she harbours numerous strands of culture including indigenous, Gaullist or Francophone and Anglo- Quick Response Code Saxon or Anglophone. Although aspects of indigenous culture, which have been grouped into four spheres, namely Fang-Beti, Grassfields, Sawa and Sudano-Sahelian, are dotted all over the country in multiple ways, Cameroon cannot still boast of a national culture emblem. The purpose of this article is to define the major components of a Cameroonian national culture and further identify which of them can be used as an acceptable domestic cultural device.
  • Studies in African Linguistics Volume 46, Numbers 1&2, 2017 Melanie

    Studies in African Linguistics Volume 46, Numbers 1&2, 2017 Melanie

    Studies in African Linguistics Volume 46, Numbers 1&2, 2017 CONDITIONAL CONSTRUCTIONS IN BUWAL Melanie Viljoen SIL Cameroon Buwal is a Central Chadic language spoken in the Far North Region of Cameroon. This study examines the structure of conditional constructions in Buwal and their functions. Conditionals in Buwal can be divided into four major categories according to how they are marked: possible, counterfactual, necessary and concessive. Possible conditionals include both reality and unreality conditionals. The usual order is for the protasis to precede the apodosis, but the reverse order is also possible. All types of tense/aspect marking are possible in both the protasis and the apodosis with variations arising from semantic rather than grammatical restrictions. The possible conditional marker can also function as a temporal marker in certain contexts. In a conditional construction, the protasis provides a framework or background for the apodosis. Keywords: conditional, Buwal, Chadic 0. Introduction Buwal is a Central Chadic language spoken by approximately 10 000 people in and around the village of Gadala in the Far North Region of Cameroon, Mayo-Tsanaga Division, Mokolo Subdivision. Buwal’s classification according to the Ethnologue (Lewis, Simons & Fennig 2014) is Afroasiatic, Chadic, Biu-Mandara, A, A7. The majority of linguistic research done on this language has been conducted by the author, who completed a description of the grammar to fulfil the requirements of a Ph.D. in 2013. This study, although partially based on this description, goes into greater depth than the description in examining both the structure of Buwal conditionals and their functions. 1. Structure of Buwal Conditional Constructions Conditional constructions in Buwal can be divided into four major categories according to how they are marked; possible (1.1), counterfactual (1.2), necessary (1.3) and concessive (1.4).
  • A Recorded Text Survey of the Mfumte Speech Varieties and Rapid Appraisal Survey of Dzodinka

    A Recorded Text Survey of the Mfumte Speech Varieties and Rapid Appraisal Survey of Dzodinka

    DigitalResources Electronic Survey Report 2015-004 A Recorded Text Survey of the Mfumte Speech Varieties and Rapid Appraisal Survey of Dzodinka Greg L. McLean A Recorded Text Survey of the Mfumte Speech Varieties and Rapid Appraisal Survey of Dzodinka Greg L. McLean SIL International® 2015 SIL Electronic Survey Report 2015-004, February 2015 © 2015 SIL International® All rights reserved Abstract The purpose of this survey was to determine the language development needs of the Mfumte people. The Mfumte ‘people under the palms’ live in the North West Region of Cameroon and in Taraba State, Nigeria. A Rapid Appraisal (RA) survey and a Recorded Text Testing (RTT) survey were carried out as the continuation of an RA survey completed in 1994. There were two goals in this present survey: (1) to determine the potential extensibility of literature based on the Kwaja, Koffa, and Lus speech varieties to the surrounding communities and (2) to understand the language use patterns, vitality, attitudes, and inter-intelligibility in the neighbourhoods of Adere. Based on the results of the RA and RTT surveys, it is recommended that language development work be started in three speech varieties: Adere (Dzodinka [add]), Koffa, and Kwaja [kdz]. (Lus is already under development.) By identifying the language needs in the Mfumte area, work can proceed on creating orthographies, dictionaries, and other written materials. Contents Abstract 1 Introduction 2 Background information 2.1 People and languages 2.1.1 Mfumte 2.1.2 Kwaja 2.1.3 Ndaktup 2.1.4 Dzodinka 2.2
  • Tense, Aspect and Mood in Mada, a Central-Chadic Language

    Tense, Aspect and Mood in Mada, a Central-Chadic Language

    MINISTRY OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND INNOVATION Tense, Aspect and Mood in Mada, a Central-Chadic Language Eszter Ernst-Kurdi SIL BP 1299 Yaoundé Cameroon 2017 1 © 2017 SIL International This paper concerns the Mada language, spoken in the District of Tokombere, Department of Mayo-Sava, in the Far North Region of Cameroon. ISO 639-3 language code: mxu This research has been authorised by the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation of Cameroon. Research permit number: 021/MINRESI/B00/C00/C10/C11 2 Tense, Aspect and Mood in Mada, a Central-Chadic Language by Eszter Ernst-Kurdi August 2016 Presented as part of the requirement of the MA Degree in Field Linguistics, Centre for Linguistics, Translation & Literacy, Redcliffe College, UK. 3 DECLARATION This dissertation is the product of my own work. I declare also that the dissertation is available for photocopying, reference purposes and Inter-Library Loan. Eszter Ernst-Kurdi 4 ABSTRACT Tense, Aspect and Mood in Mada, a Central-Chadic Language Eszter Ernst-Kurdi August 2016 Mada is a Central-Chadic language spoken in the Far-North Region of Cameroon. The language exhibits a number of interesting features, reflecting its Chadic roots, in the domain of Tense, Aspect and Mood (TAM). The present research presents a different take on the tone and TAM system of the language than what has been previously documented. There is no grammatical tense marking in Mada, but the language has a complex aspectual system built around the imperfective-perfective distinction. The imperfective is the unmarked form that is by far the most common verb form in discourse while the perfective is marked and is often used in background material.
  • SCHOOLING and NATIONAL INTEGRATION in CAMEROON by GRACE MARY ELAD Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for The

    SCHOOLING and NATIONAL INTEGRATION in CAMEROON by GRACE MARY ELAD Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for The

    SCHOOLING AND NATIONAL INTEGRATION IN CAMEROON By GRACE MARY ELAD Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Institute of Education University of London December 1982 Department of Education in Developing Countries Department of Child and Educational Psychology. DEDICATED to my mother Anna Abamut Elad and my father Philip Mfontem Elad whose moral and financial support has been responsible for the completion of this STUDY. ABSTRACT This study examines the effects of the level of schooling on National integration in English-speaking Cameroon. National integration is con- ceptualised as the creation of an individual's sense of identification and loyalty to the nation and his willingness to accept and integrate voluntarily with one's fellow citizens irrespective of their cultural or ethnic differences. The main hypothesis adopted for the investigation (there will be a significant increase in positive attitudes towards National integration from primary to secondary and from secondary to post-secondary education) was confirmed. However, a Step-wise Multiple Regression Analysis of all the variables indicated that urbanization and not levels of educational attainment is a better predictor of National integration as far as this study is concerned. Four scales, the Nationalism scale, the Friendship Choice scale, the Language Choice scale and the Language Use scale. A questionnaire was used to obtain data from 491 randomly selected subjects from primary, secondary and post-secondary students and also from the adult population. In addition to the demographic facts, the questionnaire used was composed of four scales, three behavioural and an attitude scale of the Likert type.
  • Unity and Diversity in Grammaticalization Scenarios

    Unity and Diversity in Grammaticalization Scenarios

    Unity and diversity in grammaticalization scenarios Edited by Walter Bisang Andrej Malchukov language Studies in Diversity Linguistics 16 science press Studies in Diversity Linguistics Chief Editor: Martin Haspelmath In this series: 1. Handschuh, Corinna. A typology of marked-S languages. 2. Rießler, Michael. Adjective attribution. 3. Klamer, Marian (ed.). The Alor-Pantar languages: History and typology. 4. Berghäll, Liisa. A grammar of Mauwake (Papua New Guinea). 5. Wilbur, Joshua. A grammar of Pite Saami. 6. Dahl, Östen. Grammaticalization in the North: Noun phrase morphosyntax in Scandinavian vernaculars. 7. Schackow, Diana. A grammar of Yakkha. 8. Liljegren, Henrik. A grammar of Palula. 9. Shimelman, Aviva. A grammar of Yauyos Quechua. 10. Rudin, Catherine & Bryan James Gordon (eds.). Advances in the study of Siouan languages and linguistics. 11. Kluge, Angela. A grammar of Papuan Malay. 12. Kieviet, Paulus. A grammar of Rapa Nui. 13. Michaud, Alexis. Tone in Yongning Na: Lexical tones and morphotonology. 14. Enfield, N. J (ed.). Dependencies in language: On the causal ontology of linguistic systems. 15. Gutman, Ariel. Attributive constructions in North-Eastern Neo-Aramaic. 16. Bisang, Walter & Andrej Malchukov (eds.). Unity and diversity in grammaticalization scenarios. ISSN: 2363-5568 Unity and diversity in grammaticalization scenarios Edited by Walter Bisang Andrej Malchukov language science press Walter Bisang & Andrej Malchukov (eds.). 2017. Unity and diversity in grammaticalization scenarios (Studies in Diversity Linguistics
  • Classification of the Languages of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea on the Basis of Lexicostatistics and Mutual Intelligibility

    Classification of the Languages of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea on the Basis of Lexicostatistics and Mutual Intelligibility

    African Study Monographs, 28(4): 181-204, December 2007 181 CLASSIFICATION OF THE LANGUAGES OF CAMEROON AND EQUATORIAL GUINEA ON THE BASIS OF LEXICOSTATISTICS AND MUTUAL INTELLIGIBILITY S. Beban Chumbow University of Yaounde I Gratien G. Atindogbe University of Buea Engelbert Domche University of Dschang Dieudonne Martin Luther Bot University of Douala ABSTRACT This work clusters genetically related speech forms in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, and determines to which speech forms within these clusters are sufficiently and mutually intelligible to be grouped together in order to ease harmonization and standardization. The analysis of the linguistic situation in the two countries revealed that while clustering the speech forms on the basis of genetic relations via lexicostatistics has been quite fruitful, clustering on the basis of mutual intelligibility of at least 85% does not seem to significantly reduce the number of speech forms. Intelligibility surveys and testing have not been carried out in many of the clusters. However, it is important to continue the exercise in order to ascertain the exact situation. Key Words: Cameroon; Equatorial Guinea; Classification; Lexicostatistics; Genetic relation; mutual intelligibility. INTRODUCTION This work is carried out within the context of the project on “Harmonization and Standardization of African Languages” initiated by the Centre for Advanced Studies of African Society (CASAS), Cape Town, South Africa. The overall objective of the CASAS research project is “to cluster African speech forms into sets which display an 85% level of intercomprehension” as a first step to the development, based on the economics of scale, of large literate communi- ties. More specifically, CASAS is of the view that given evidence of a high level of mutual intelligibility between several speech forms, it should be possi- ble to harmonize the standardization of those languages, i.e.
  • Studies in African Linguistics Volume 46, Numbers 1&2, 2017 Sean

    Studies in African Linguistics Volume 46, Numbers 1&2, 2017 Sean

    Studies in African Linguistics Volume 46, Numbers 1&2, 2017 CONDITIONAL CONSTRUCTIONS IN MAKARY KOTOKO Sean Allison Canada Institute of Linguistics and SIL Cameroon Makary Kotoko is a Chadic language spoken in Cameroon, in the region just south of Lake Chad. Based on an analysis of a corpus of texts with helpful input from a mother tongue speaker of the language, this paper presents the forms and functions of conditional constructions. Like other Chadic languages (Frajzyngier 1996: 313, 327), conditionals are formally indistinguishable from certain types of temporal constructions. However, unlike other Chadic languages (e.g. Hausa, Baraïn, Lamang, Miya, Goemai, Buwal), Makary Kotoko has no overt marker for the protasis comparable to ‘if’ in English. Instead, the protasis and apodosis are joined by the marker aro ‘then’ which is semantically linked to the apodosis, but is often prosodically realized at the end of the protasis. Conditional constructions are categorized by their semantics based on classifications by Taylor (1997) and Thompson, Longacre & Hwang (2007), and the function of conditional constructions within discourse is explored. Keywords: conditional, Makary Kotoko, Chadic Makary Kotoko (mpadə; mpi) is a Central Chadic B language spoken by approximately 16 000 people.1 The locus for the language area is the town of Makary, indigenously called mpadə, situated in the Logone-et-Chari Division of the Far North Region of Cameroon. The language borders overflow political boundaries, and there are speakers of the language in Chad to the east and Nigeria to the west. The Ethnologue’s classification of the language is Afroasiatic, Chadic, Biu-Mandara, B, B.1, Kotoko Proper, North (Lewis, Simons & Fennig 2015).
  • Rapport Sil1 27/02/2014 14:18 Page 1

    Rapport Sil1 27/02/2014 14:18 Page 1

    Rapport Sil 2 anglais:Rapport Sil1 27/02/2014 14:18 Page 1 A Word from the General Director What impact are you having? a k a B M I E o t o h P 10 Rapport Sil 2 anglais:Rapport Sil1 27/02/2014 14:18 Page 3 Administration in Cameroon as of as hoped and expected. Secondly, it is difficult December 2013: A Word from the General Director to determine the impact in some domains. General Director: What impact are you having? Regardless of the challenges, our desire in 2013 Bert Visser was to develop new strategies or modified Director of Adminis - excisting ones in order to have a greater impact tration and Finance: in this nation. David P. Anderson Director of Language We have developed a new strategic plan for SIL Services: Teresa Heath Cameroon. We want to invest more on the well-being of our human resources and to train Personnel Director: Bianca van den Berg more people in the domains that are needed. Our Director of Bamenda desire is to build the capacity of local communities Region: and others to be able to provide leadership and Ria Hedinger ne of our colleagues went on to visit a school Oin the village in the Far North and he was very impressed by what he observed. In this primary one class, the teacher writes a sum on the blackboard (8+5=) and asks a boy to come forward to give the answer. “Explain to everyone what you're doing.” The boy says “Eight plus....five equals....equals...
  • The Evolution of Linguistic Diversity

    The Evolution of Linguistic Diversity

    The Evolution of Linguistic Diversity Daniel Nettle Thesis submitted for the degree of PhD University College London 1996 ProQuest Number: 10044366 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest. ProQuest 10044366 Published by ProQuest LLC(2016). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 ABSTRACT This thesis examines the causes and consequences of diversity in human language. It is divided into three sections, each of which addresses a different aspect of the topic. The first section uses computer simulations to examine various mechanisms which may produce diversity in language: imperfect learning, geographical isolation, selection on the basis of social affiliation, and functional selection amongst linguistic variants. It is concluded that social and functional selection by speakers provide the main motive forces for the divergence of languages. The second section examines the factors influencing the geographical distribution of languages in the world. By far the most important is the ecological regime in which people live. Seasonal climates produce large ethnolinguistic groups because people form large networks of exchange to mitigate the subsistence risk to which they are exposed.
  • The Classification of the Bantu Languages of Tanzania

    The Classification of the Bantu Languages of Tanzania

    i lIMFORIVIATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document h^i(^|eeh used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the qriginal submitted. ■ The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or patterns which may appear on this reproduction. I.The sign or "target" for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Mining Page(s)". IfJt was'possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are^spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting thru an image and duplicating adjacent pages to insure you'complete continuity. 2. When an.image.on the film is obliterated with li large round black mark, it . is an if}dication that the photographer suspected that the copy may have moved during, exposure and thus cause a blurred image. You will find a good image of the page in the adjacent frame. 3. When a map, drawing' or chart, etc., was part of the material being V- photographed the photographer ' followed a definite method in "sectioning" the material. It is customary to begin photoing at the upper left hand corner of a large sheet and to .continue photoing fronTleft to right in equal sections with a small overlap. If necessary, sectioning is continued, again — beginning below the first row and continuing on until . complete. " - 4. The majority of usefs indicate that the textual content is, of greatest value, ■however, a somewhat higher quality reproduction could be made from .'"photographs" if essential to the understanding of the dissertation.