DOCSLIB.ORG

Endangered Languages

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Endangered Languages The Challenge(s) of Documenting Africa's Least Known Languages Bonny Sands Northern Arizona University [email protected] ACAL 45 April 17-19, 2014, University of Kansas Preliminaries ¤ Why are languages endangered? ¤ Continent-wide Surveys: Batibo (2005) & Brenzinger 1992, 1998a, Brenzinger et al. 1991, Brenzinger & Batibo 2010, Dimmendaal & Voeltz 2007, Mous 2003, Sommer 1992, Tamanji 2008, Tourneux et al. 2000. ¤ Central Africa: Anchimbe 2013, Connell 1998, 2007, Idiata 2009 ¤ West Africa: Blench 2007, Childs 2006, Haruna 2012 ¤ Northern/Eastern Africa: Brenzinger 2007 a & b; Dimmendaal 1989. Mezhoud & El Allame 2010, Nyombe 1997, Savà & Tosco 2006, Zelealem Leyew 2004 ¤ What is language documentation? EGIDS: Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (Simons & Lewis 2013) GIDS Level Label Description UNESCO 5 written The language is used orally safe by all generations and is effectively used in written form in parts of the community. 6a vigorous The language is used orally safe by all generations and is being learned by children as their first language. 6b threatened The language is used orally vulnerable by all generations but only some of the child-bearing generation are transmitting it to their children. 7 shifting The child-bearing definitely endangered generation knows the language well enough to use it among themselves but none are transmitting it to their children. 8a moribund The only remaining active severely endangered speakers of the language are members of the grandparent generation. 8b nearly extinct The only remaining speakers critically endangered of the language are members of the grandparent generation or older who have little opportunity to use the language. Numbers of African languages at different risk levels (Lewis et al. 2013) Region # of living Vital In trouble Dying languages Middle Africa 677 555 77 45 Western Africa 889 794 49 46 Northern Africa 97 53 23 21 Eastern Africa 433 362 57 19 Southern Africa 50 41 3 6 total: 1805 209 137 ’Vigorous' vs. ‘Shifting’/’Threatened' ¤ Gĩkũyũ ‘shifting’ or 'developing’? ¤ (Orcutt-Gachiri 2013) says there is a shift to Kiswahili ¤ 7 million speakers ¤ What percentage must be failing to acquire the language? ¤ Does the population size matter? vigorous The language is used orally by all generations and is being learned by children as their first language. threatened The language is used orally by all generations but only some of the child-bearing generation are transmitting it to their children. shifting The child-bearing generation knows the language well enough to use it among themselves but none are transmitting it to their children. ’Shifting' vs. ‘Moribund’ ¤ ǂHoan of Botswana ¤ some middle-aged speakers ¤ majority of speakers are between 60 and 70 years old (Gerlach & Berthold 2011) ’Extinct' languages ¤ N|uu ¤ once considered extinct (cf. Traill 1999) ¤ Birgid ¤ few speakers over age 70 in 1974 (Bell 2006) ¤ 2 rememberers found in 2003 (Edenmyr et al. 2011) ¤ Kwadi ¤ considered dead (Winter 1981) ¤ 2 rememberers found in 2014 (Anne-Maria Fehn, personal communication) How many languages in need of documentation? ¤ 346 in trouble? ¤ Ethnologue tends to overcount languages (Maho 2004) ¤ some have had documentation What about: ¤ Marginalized populations ¤ Small populations ¤ Languages belonging to under-documented families ¤ Sign languages ¤ Cross-Linguistic studies ¤ Other types of documentation Marginalized populations ¤ G|ui [gwi] and G||ana [gnk] ‘vigorous’ ¤ 2,500 and 2000 speakers (Ethnologue) ¤ 500 and 800 speakers (Batibo 2001: 315) ¤ eviction from CKGR ¤ Naro [nhr] 'language of wider communication' (3 on GIDS scale) ¤ 14000 speakers (Ethnologue) ¤ RADs difficulty accessing education (Hays 2004, Sekere 2011) ¤ undocumented dialects ¤ Ts’aokhwe reportedly "prefer to see themselves as separate people from the Naro" (Barnard 1985: 2) Marginalized populations ¤ hunter-gatherers ¤ endangered dialects ¤ special castes (blacksmiths, leatherworkers, potters, etc.) ¤ Sombə [kgt] blacksmiths, 3 speakers (Connell 2010) ¤ Jeri leatherworkers, Ivory Coast, a few villages (Kastenholz 1998) ¤ Jɔgɔ [lig] blacksmiths ~ 19,000 in Ghana (Lewis et al. 2013) but groups in Ivory Coast have shifted languages (Kastenholz 1998) ¤ refugee populations ¤ Deaf ¤ etc. Small populations ¤ Downward population pressures: ¤ disease, ¤ climate change ¤ armed conflict ¤ genocide ¤ 100,000 is not too large to be threatened (in other parts of the world) ¤ Navajo: 171,000 speakers 17 ‘Vigorous’ Northern African lgs. ≤ 100,000 speakers Tulishi [tey] 2500 (2007) Siwi [siz] 30,000 (2006) Ganza [gza] 3,000 Tegali [ras] 35,700 (1984) Tocho [taz] 3,800 (1989) Dagik [dec]/ Ngile [jle] 38,000 (1982) Kanga [kcp] 8,000 (1989) Senhaja Berber [sjs] 40,000 (2011) Wali [wll] 9,000 (2007) Midob [mei] 50,000 (1993) Ghomara [gho] 10,000 (2008) Daju, Dar Sila [dau] 63,100 (2000) Komo [xom] 18,530 Gaam [tbi] 67,200 (2000) Jumjum [jum] 25,000 (1987) Daju, Dar Fur [daj] 80,000 (1983) North African lgs. ≤ 100,000 speakers Developing Educational Acheron [acz] 9,830 (2006) Lumun [lmd] 30,000 (2012) Ethnic population: 20,000 Home area population 19,000 (2011 census) Otoro [otr] 10,000 (2001) Burun [bdi] 18,000 (1977) Gbaya [krs] 16,000 (1987) Moro [mor] 30,000 (1982) Krongo [kgo] 21,700 (1984) Tira [tic] 40,000 (1982) Uduk [udu] 22,000 Laro [lro] 40,000 (1998) Ama [nyi] 70,000 (1982) Koalib [kib] 44,300 (1984) Katcha-Kadugli-Miri [xtc] 75,000 (2004) ‘Vigorous’ endangered languages ¤ Qimant [ahg] (Zelealem Leyew 1998) ~1,650 (1994) ¤ Iko [iki] (Urua 2004) ~5000 (1988) ¤ Oko [oks] (Adegbija 2001) ~10,000 (1989) ¤ Vute [vut] (Mutaka 2008) ~21,000 (1997) Tanzania, Cameroon and Nigeria ¤ Tanzania has 39 languages 'in trouble' ¤ Cameroon, Nigeria > 60 each 26 ‘safe’ lgs. ≤100,000 Language name & Population estimate % Change from Language name & Population estimate % Change from Ethnologue code & year of estimate Ethnologue 13 to 17 Ethnologue code & year of estimate Ethnologue 13 to 17 (from Ethnologue 17 (1996-2013) (from Ethnologue 17 (1996-2013) (Lewis et al. 2013) (Lewis et al. 2013) Bende [bdp] 27,000 (1999) +35% Ndendeule [dne] 100,000 (2000) +27% Bungu [wun] 36,000 (1987) -- Ngoreme [ngq] 55,000 (2005) +72% Burunge [bds] 13,000 (2002) -58% Nyika [nkt] 25,000 (2007) n/a Cutchi-Swahili 45,000 (2002) n/a Pangwa [pbr] 95,000 (2002 -46% [ccl] Gorowa [gow] 50,000 (1999) +67% Pimbwe [piw] 29,000 (1987) -- Ikizu [ikz] 55,000 (2005) +96% Rwa [rwk] 90,000 (1987) -- Kerewe [ked] 100,000 (1987) -- Sandawe [sad] 40,000 (2000) -43% Konongo [kcz] 51,000 (1987) -- Temi [soz] 30,000 (2002) +50% Machinga [mvw] 36,000 (1987) -- Tongwe [tny] 13,000 (2001) -41% Malila [mgq] 65,000 (2003) +25% Vinza [vin] 10,000 (1987) -- Manda [mgs] 22,000 (2002) +22% Zanaki [zak] 100,000 (2005) +61% Matumbi [mgw] 72,000 (1978) -- Datooga [ t c c ] 87,800 (2000) -41% to -56% (Developing) Mpoto [mpa] 80,000 (1977) -- Vwanji [ w b i ] 28,000 (2003) -53% (Developing) Grammar sketches for < 1/3rd Language name & Year of most recent Language name & Year of most recent Ethnologue code grammar or Ethnologue code grammar or grammar sketch grammar sketch Bende [bdp] 2006 Ndendeule [dne] 1999 sketch Bungu [wun] -- Ngoreme [ngq] -- Burunge [bds] 1994 Nyika [nkt] -- Cutchi-Swahili [ccl] -- Pangwa [pbr] 1983 Gorowa [gow] -- Pimbwe [piw] -- Ikizu [ikz] -- Rwa [rwk] 2009 sketch Kerewe [ked] 1909 sketch Sandawe [sad] 2012 Konongo [kcz] 1905 sketch Temi [soz] 1991/92 Machinga [mvw] 1876 sketch Tongwe [tny] -- Malila [mgq] -- Vinza [vin] -- Manda [mgs] -- Zanaki [zak] -- Matumbi [mgw] 1912 sketch Datooga [tcc] 1983 sketch Mpoto [mpa] -- Vwanji [wbi] -- Get ready for Cameroon Cameroon (36 ‘safe’ ≤5,000), pt. 1 Language name & Ethnologue Status Population estimate & year of Grammar Bibl code estimate (from Ethnologue 17 (Nordhoff et al. e (Lewis et al. 2013) 2014) port ions Jukun Takum [jbu] Wider 2,440 in Cameroon (2000) 1980 √ √ communication Cuvok [cuv] Developing 5,000 (1983), increasing 2003 phonology √ Duupa [dae] Developing 5,000 (1991) -- √ Jimi [jim] Developing 3,500 (1982) -- √ Kolbila [klc] Developing 2,500 (1997) -- √ Yambeta [yat] Developing 3,700 (1982) -- √ Yasa [yko] Developing 2,400 (2000) 2004 sketch √ -- Akum [aku] Vigorous 1,400 in Cameroon (2002) -- -- Ambele [ael] Vigorous 2,600 (2000) 2001 phonology -- Bamenyam [bce] Vigorous 4,000 (1994) 2003 sketch -- Bassossi [bsi] Vigorous 5,000 (2004) -- -- Bati [btc] Vigorous 800 (1975) -- -- Befang [bby] Vigorous 2,980 (2000) 2004 sketch -- pt. 2 Language name Ethnologue 17 Grammar Language name Ethnologue 17 Grammar & Ethnologue Population & Ethnologue Population code estimate & year code estimate & year Bonkeng [bvg] 3,000 (2000) -- Laimbue [lmx] 5,000 (1994) -- Longto [wok] 2,400 (1982) -- Cung [cug] 2,000 (2001) -- Malimba [mzd] 2,230 (2001) 1974 phonology Dek [dek] 2,980 (2000) -- Mbonga [xmb] 1,490 (2000) -- Dugwor [dme] 5,000 (2001) -- Naami [bzv] 2,500 (2001) -- Dzodinka [add] 2,600 in -- Ndaktup [ncp] 2,980 (2000) -- Cameroon (2000), increasing Gimme [kmp] 3,000 (1982) -- Njen [njj] 1,800 (2002) -- Gimnime [gmn] 3,000 (1982) -- Nubaca [baf] 4,500 (2007) 1990 phonology Ipulo [ass] 2,500 (1990) -- Nyokon [nvo] 3,900 (1956) 2011 phonology Kemedzung [dmo] 4,500 (2001) 2010 sketch Tibea [ngy] 1,400 (1992) -- Kwa’ [bko] 1,000 (2000) -- Tsuvan [tsh] 2,300 (2000) -- Kwaja [kdz] 2,980 (2000) -- Yangben [yav] 2,300 (1994) -- Nigeria ¤ 103 labelled 'vigorous' or 'developing' with ≤5,000 speakers ¤ 60+ 'in trouble’/'dying' (Ethnologue 17 (Lewis et al. 2013)) Nigeria ≤ 5000 speakers, pt. 1 Piya-Kwonci
Load more

Recommended publications
  • (Sasl) in a Bilingual-Bicultural Approach in Education of the Deaf
    APPLICATION OF SOUTH AFRICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (SASL) IN A BILINGUAL-BICULTURAL APPROACH IN EDUCATION OF THE DEAF Philemon Abiud Okinyi Akach August 2010 APPLICATION OF SOUTH AFRICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (SASL) IN A BILINGUAL-BICULTURAL APPROACH IN EDUCATION OF THE DEAF By Philemon Abiud Omondi Akach Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree PHILOSOPHIAE DOCTOR in the FACULTY OF HUMANITIES (DEPARTMENT OF AFROASIATIC STUDIES, SIGN LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE PRACTICE) at the UNIVERSITY OF FREE STATE Promoter: Dr. Annalie Lotriet. Co-promoter: Dr. Debra Aarons. August 2010 Declaration I declare that this thesis, which is submitted to the University of Free State for the degree Philosophiae Doctor, is my own independent work and has not previously been submitted by me to another university or faculty. I hereby cede the copyright of the thesis to the University of Free State Philemon A.O. Akach. Date. To the deaf children of the continent of Africa; may you grow up using the mother tongue you don’t acquire from your mother? Acknowledgements I would like to say thank you to the University of the Free State for opening its doors to a doubly marginalized language; South African Sign Language to develop and grow not only an academic subject but as the fastest growing language learning area. Many thanks to my supervisors Dr. A. Lotriet and Dr. D. Aarons for guiding me throughout this study. My colleagues in the department of Afroasiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice for their support. Thanks to my wife Wilkister Aluoch and children Sophie, Susan, Sylvia and Samuel for affording me space to be able to spend time on this study.
    [Show full text]
  • ZERO PROJECT CONFERENCE 2020 PAGE Speaker Information 2 of 40
    SPEAKER Zero Project INFORMATION Conference 2020 February 19 – 21, 2020 Shadi ABOU-ZAHRA Shadi Abou-Zahra works with the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) as the Accessibility Strategy and Technology Specialist. He coordinates accessibility priorities in the W3C Strategy team, as well as international promotion, coordination, and harmonization of web accessibility standards. He also main- tains WAI liaisons with key stakeholders including disability, research, and standards organizations, and coordinates WAI outreach in Europe, accessibility evaluation techniques, and European-funded projects on accessibility. W3C, Austria Inbar ADLER BEN DOR Inbar Adler Ben Dor is the Director of the Amitim Programs in the Israeli Association of Community Centers. Three nationwide programs in cooperation with the Ministries of Health, Education and The National Insurance Institute of Israel. Inbar works in community mental health rehabilitation since 2000 as a director, a professional senior supervisor and a group facilitator. Holds M.A in Social Work, graduate of Gender Studies, and Certified in Organization Development. Married and mother of three. The Israel Association of Community Centers, Israel Gaby ADMON-RICK Gaby Admon-Rick, PhD, is the director of research and international issues at the Israeli Commission for Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in the Ministry of Justice. She leads the Commission’s activities in the areas of planning, data, promoting, monitoring and reporting on the CRPD, awareness raising public campaigns and media. She has also conducted research through disability studies and science studies perspectives on the historical constructions of disability in Israeli society. Ministry of Justice, Israel Noor AL-SAWALHA Noor Al-Sawalha holds a BA in Occupational Therapy and is currently the Head of the Support Depart- ment at Alliance Academy Jordan.
    [Show full text]
  • Prof. John Caradonna Chairman, CAS Academic Policy Committee C/O Susan Giovino, Assistant to the Dean College of Arts and Sciences 725 Commonwealth Avenue
    Boston University College of Arts and Sciences Carol Neidle Professor of French and Linguistics Department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures 718 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215 USA Phone 617/353-6218 Fax 617/353-6218 E-mail [email protected] URL http://www.bu.edu/asllrp/carol.html Prof. John Caradonna Chairman, CAS Academic Policy Committee c/o Susan Giovino, Assistant to the Dean College of Arts and Sciences 725 Commonwealth Avenue April 13, 2004 Dear Prof. Caradonna: Proposal I am writing to request that the Academic Policy Committee recommend that American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency be accepted in fulfillment of the CAS Foreign Language Requirement, which states: "Degree candidates are required to demonstrate proficiency at the advanced level in one language other than their own." The supporting materials include a complete copy of the statement of the current requirement, the rationale for it, and the ways of fulfilling it [1]. If it is determined that ASL is a language acceptable for satisfaction of this require- ment, the next issue that arises is how proficiency would be demonstrated. I would further propose that a passing grade in SED DE 591 (American Sign Language IV), which CAS students are currently allowed to take for credit, be recognized as evidence of this proficiency. Alternatively (for students who may have learned ASL elsewhere), proficiency could be attested by Prof. Robert Hoffmeister and his staff. Rationale Addressed on the pages that follow is the rationale for the two parts of this proposal. 2 I. Inclusion of ASL among those languages accepted for purposes of the CAS Foreign Language Requirement American Sign Language (ASL) is currently the only natural language1 actually taught at Boston University that is not classified as a foreign language for purposes of satisfying this requirement.
    [Show full text]
  • The Presence of Africa in the Caribbean, the Antilles and the United States Other Books in the Research and Ideas Series
    RESEARCH AND IDEAS SERIES History The Presence of Africa in the Caribbean, www.gfddpublications.org - www.globalfoundationdd.org - www.funglode.org the Antilles and the United States Celsa Albert Batista - Patrick Bellegarde-Smith - Delia Blanco - Lipe Collado RESEARCH AND IDEAS SERIES Franklin Franco - Jean Ghasmann Bissainthe - José Guerrero - Rafael Jarvis Luis Education Mateo Morrison - Melina Pappademos - Odalís G. Pérez - Geo Ripley Health José Luis Sáez - Avelino Stanley - Dario Solano - Roger Toumson Urban Development History THE PRESENCE OF AFRICA IN THE CARIBBEAN, THE ANTILLES AND THE UNITED StatES Other books in the Research and Ideas Series: Distance Education and Challenges by Heitor Gurgulino de Souza El Metro and the Impacts of Transportation System Integration in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by Carl Allen The Presence of Africa in the Caribbean, the Antilles and the United States Celsa Albert Batista Patrick Bellegarde-Smith Delia Blanco Lipe Collado Franklin Franco Jean Ghasmann Bissainthe José Guerrero Rafael Jarvis Luis Mateo Morrison Melina Pappademos Odalís G. Pérez Geo Ripley José Luis Sáez Avelino Stanley Dario Solano Roger Toumson RESEARCH AND IDEAS SERIES History This is a publication of gfdd and funglode Global Foundation for Democracy and Development www.globalfoundationdd.org Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo www.funglode.org The Presence of Africa in the Caribbean, the Antilles and the United States Copyright @ 2012 by GFDD-FUNGLODE All rights Reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. ISBN: 978-9945-412-74-1 Printed by World Press in the USA Editor-in-Chief Graphic Design Natasha Despotovic Maria Montas Marta Massano Supervising Editor Semiramis de Miranda Collaborators Yamile Eusebio Style Editor Asunción Sanz Kerry Stefancyk Translator Maureen Meehan www.gfddpublications.org Table of Contents Foreword ............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Downloaded and Embossed by Individuals, Schools, and Other Organizations Throughout the Country
    The Accessibility Imperative Implications of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for Information and Communication Technologies Edited by: G3ict Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies A Flagship Advocacy Initiative of the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development The Accessibility Imperative is published by G3ict, a Division of the Wireless Internet Institute (W2i) and World Times, Inc., to build on the momentum set by the first G3ict Global Forum, co-hosted by the Global Alliance for ICT and Development and the Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, at United Nations Headquarters in New York on March 26, 2007. This reference document serves as a basis for seminars and roundtable discussions around the world in the context of the G3ict initiative and provides a multi-annual living knowledge base with ongoing updates in both electronic and printed form. Copyright © 2007 by World Times, Inc. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in written form from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to: G3ict, A Division of World Times, Inc. 50 Hurt Plaza, Suite 806, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 United States Website: http://www.g3ict.com First printed October 2007 The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this document are entirely those of the authors and of G3ict, and should not be attributed either to the United Nations or any participating organization in the G3ict initiative.
    [Show full text]
  • Sign Language Research in Ghana: an Overview of Indigenous and Foreign-Based Sign Languages
    JOURNAL OF AFRICAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES 2/2021, 114-137 Sign language research in Ghana: An overview of indigenous and foreign-based sign languages MARY EDWARD1 / GEORGE AKANLIG-PARE2 1 University of Brighton [email protected] 2 University of Ghana, Legon [email protected] ABSTRACT ThE rEcognition of sign languagE as a full-fledgEd hUman langUagE with lingUistics dEscription has led to sEvEral rEsEarch works in both thEorEtical and appliEd linguistics considEring diffErEnt aspEcts. ThE present stUdy extends this research to the Ghanaian context, with the aim of providing an overviEw of past and cUrrEnt rEsEarch on indigenous and forEign-basEd sign langUagEs in Ghana. WE considEred pUblishEd and UnpUblishEd works from Ghanaian and forEign rEsEarchErs and synthEsizEd thEsE to know thE arEas that havE bEEn covErEd. We specifically explored research on indigenoUs sign langUagEs in Ghana; thE contribUtions of Dr AndrEw FostEr in sign langUagE litEracy; rEsEarch on forEign-basEd sign languagEs in Ghana; langUagE contact, langUagE vitality, langUagE docUmEntation and othEr sociological issUEs. We discUssed our findings with rEspEct to the descriptive analysis of sign langUagEs in Ghana: vitality and vulnerability of different sign langUagEs in Ghana. RelEvant to oUr papEr is the vulnerability and the possible endangerment of indigenous sign languages in Ghana. We argUE that indigEnoUs sign langUagEs in Ghana risk EndangErmEnt, whEreas foreign- basEd sign langUagEs havE potEntial for devElopmEnt. We sUggest the involvEmEnt of local lingUists in docUmEntation, rEsEarch, and thE analysis of SLs in Ghana to EnsUrE thE sUrvival of indigenous SLs and incrEasEd rEsEarch on SLs in Ghana. KEY WORDS: sign langUagE, Ghana, indigEnoUs, forEign-based, ovErviEw DOI 10.6092/jalalit.v2i2.8039 ISSN 2723-9764 62 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES 2/2021, 114-137 MARY EDWARD AND GEORGE AKANLIG-PARE Sign language research in Ghana 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Deaf People and Human Rights Page No 1
    Deaf People and Human Rights Page No 1 Deaf People and Human Rights Compiled by Ms Hilde Haualand, Researcher Mr Colin Allen, Assistant to the Researcher and Project Co-ordinator World Federation of the Deaf and Swedish National Association of the Deaf January 2009 Front Page Cover Designer: Mr Dušan Nikolić Photo of Researcher: Ms Siv-Elin Nærø Photo of Project Co-ordinator: Mr Bojan Djukić Please contact: General Secretariat World Federation of the Deaf PO Box 65 FIN-00401 Helsinki, Finland Email: [email protected] Website: www.wfdeaf.org Funded by the Swedish Agency for International Development Co-operation (Sida) and Swedish Organisations of Disabled Persons International Aid Association (Shia). Co-partnered by the Danish Deaf Association (DDL), Finnish Association of the Deaf (FAD), Norwegian Association of the Deaf (NDF) and Swedish National Association of the Deaf (SDR). © Copyright by the World Federation of the Deaf and Swedish National Association of the Deaf All rights reserved. When referring to or quoting any part of the report it is required that the publisher and the original publication be mentioned in the following form: ‘Deaf People and Human Rights, by Ms Hilde Haualand and Mr Colin Allen for the World Federation of the Deaf and the Swedish National Association of the Deaf, 2009’. ISBN 978-952-9648-17-7 Deaf People and Human Rights Page No 2 Table of Contents 1 Foreword 5 2 Executive Summary 6 3 Deaf People and Human Rights 8 3.1 The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 8 3.2 Basic Factors
    [Show full text]
  • Functional Markers in Sign Languages Sandro Zucchi, Carol Neidle, Carlo Geraci, Quinn Duffy and Carlo Cecchetto
    10 Functional markers in sign languages Sandro Zucchi, Carol Neidle, Carlo Geraci, Quinn Duffy and Carlo Cecchetto 1 Lexical morphemes and grammatical morphemes It is a common observation that grammatical morphemes often develop gradually from lexical morphemes.1 Some languages show this fact more transparently than others. For example, Sebba (1997) observes that creoles and pidgins often use lexi- cally contentful elements with the meaning of ‘finish’ or ‘done’ as functional markers signaling that the event described by the sentence occurs before the time of utterance: (1) mo fin mahze (Mauritian Creole) I finish eat ‘I ate.’ (2) me waka kba (Sranan Tongo) I walk finished ‘I had walked.’ (3) mipela I ting olsem i mas dai pinis (Tok Pisin) we him think anyhow him must die finish ‘We think he must have died.’ (4) a don kom (Pidgin of West Africa) I done come ‘I have come.’ Similar examples from other spoken languages are offered by Pfau and Steinbach (2006). In Rama (a spoken language of Nigeria), the verb aktul meaning ‘finish’ is now used as a completive marker, and in Lhasa (spoken in Tibet), the verb tshaa meaning ‘finish’ marks perfective aspect.2 Examples of this sort are also quite common in sign languages.3 For instance, the signs FINISH and FATTO belonging, respectively, to American Sign Language 197 198 Sign Languages (ASL) and Italian Sign Language (LIS), can both occur as lexically contentful main verbs with the meaning of ‘finish’ (or ‘done’) and as aspectual/temporal mor- phemes. Both signs, when acting as grammatical morphemes, also exhibit a pecu- liar behavior with negation and negative quantifiers.
    [Show full text]
  • Using Eidr Language Codes
    USING EIDR LANGUAGE CODES Technical Note Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Recommended Data Entry Practice .............................................................................................................. 2 Original Language..................................................................................................................................... 2 Version Language ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Title, Alternate Title, Description ............................................................................................................. 3 Constructing an EIDR Language Code ......................................................................................................... 3 Language Tags .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Extended Language Tags .......................................................................................................................... 4 Script Tags ................................................................................................................................................ 5 Region Tags .............................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Emanuel Foukou
    Leave no one behind; C4D and the Humanitarian Sector’s Involvement with the Deaf Community in Sub Saharan Africa. Focus on the Republic of Congo and Senegal. How is the Humanitarian sector making use of C4D in projects dealing with deaf individuals? What can be done to enhance the communication strategies and make them more effective, inclusive and beneficial? Emanuel Foukou Communication for Development One-year master 15 Credits [2019] Supervisor: [Oscar Hemer] Abstract This paper deals with the Deaf community in sub-Saharan Africa, with particular focus on the Republic of Congo, and Senegal. It explores how the humanitarian sector is reaching out to this community, especially regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health. Projects set up by UNFPA Congo and Senegal’s ONG Jeunesse Et Dévelopment, are examined within the framework of communication for development. By researching the nexus between the international organizational world and the deaf community, the plan is to gain understanding through methodological approaches such as semi structured interviews, a focus groups and document analysis including videos, that eventually will provide input that can lead to a more comprehensive and informative communication strategy for this group. As a large part of the Deaf community in the developing world isn’t able to read and write, their fundamental human rights are undermined, this is especially true when it comes to Sexual and Reproductive Health. Research from Kenya and Senegal have shown that people living with disabilities got slightly higher HIV seroprevalence compared to the rest of the population, while a study from Cameroon demonstrates that deaf individuals are three times more likely to contract an STI.
    [Show full text]
  • WALC2017 Plenary 1 KAMEI Nobutaka August 1, 2017 University
    WALC2017 Plenary 1 August 1, 2017 KAMEI Nobutaka University of EduCaon, Winneba, Ghana The 30th West African Languages Congress (WALC2017) organized by the West African Linguistic Society (WALS/SLAO) August 1, 2017, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana } Cultural anthropologist / linguistic anthropologist } Doing fieldwork in West and Central Africa since 1996 } Doctoral thesis: hunter-gatherer children in the tropical rain forest of Cameroon KAMEI Nobutaka, Dr. } Research topics: minorities in African societies Professor, Aichi Prefectural University, Japan (hunter-gatherers; children without school Visiting Professor, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Côte d'Ivoire education; people with disabilities; Deaf communities…) } Certified Japanese Sign Language interpreter } Husband of the Deaf partner } This presentation shows the general } In the first part, I show the outline of the situations of sign languages in West Africa distribution and the history of sign languages and the role of sign language research based in West Africa. on my long-term fieldwork in nine countries (in Senegal, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, } In the second part, I show the on-going Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon and research activities on sign language and Deaf Gabon) since 1997. communities with focusing on the examples of collaborative research in French-speaking areas. } In the third part, I mention the importance of } In Africa, it is said that American Sign the research on the local sign language with Language (ASL) is widely diffused. the Deaf community. } Not only in Anglophone } As a conclusion, I present the role of sign } But also in Francophone language research for the integration and the development of Deaf communities in West Africa and future research issues.
    [Show full text]
  • Programme WOCAL10 (All Times in CEST) Monday 7 June 2021
    Programme WOCAL10 (all times in CEST) Monday 7 June 2021 Welcome (14:45-15:00) Keynote address Dorothy Gordon “Reverse Babel Technology: New roles for linguists” (15:00-15:45) author ID title A ASMO introduction workshop) Roland Kießling 206 Straightening homewards hither, grating on one’s way thither – tracking down the associated locomotion component in the Datooga lexicon Stefan Bruckhaus 217 Associated motion derivations in Barbayiiga Datooga Joseph Lovestrand 297 Associated motion and directionals in Chadic languages B Policy 1 Christiane Alexandra Nsom 273 Linguistic landscapes and entities: The case of the University of Yaounde I and the University of Douala Souhaila Khamlichi 50 Redefining the Status of African Mother Tongues at the Age of Globalization: The Case of Darija in Modern Morocco Abdellah Idhssaine 177 Family Language Policy in Morocco: The Case of the Amazigh Language Jesse Ndabakurane 256 Language Supportive Pedagogy for Teaching and Learning Science Content in Secondary Schools in Tanzania 16:00- C PRAG Mark Dingemanse 281 From liminal signs to phatic interjections 18:00 workshop) Chrispina Alphonce 62 Human-animal communication in the Iraqw Language Azeb Amha 293 Human-domesticated animal communication in Zargulla Aisha Umar Adamu 180 Masking emotions: a study of Hausa women’s expression of kunya D Copula 1 Heidrun Kröger 14 Copulas in Xingoni Isabelle Roy and Siaka Sangare 41 Inverse copular sentences in Bambara E Morphology Guillaume Guitang 29 Frozen reduplication and repetition in Gizey 1 Matthew Ajibade 78
    [Show full text]