DOCSLIB.ORG

A Semantic Analysis of Kikuyu Tense and Aspect

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Semantic Analysis of Kikuyu Tense and Aspect A SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF KIKUYU TENSE AND ASPECT DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of the Ohio State University By Marion Rose ^Johnson, M.A., M.A. The Ohio State University 1977 Reading Committee: Approved by: Arnold Zwicky David Dowty Robert Jeffers Adviser Department of Linguistics University of NAIROBI Library UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI. INST. OF AFRICAN STUO.ES i ir r a RY. ABSTRACT A SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF KIKUYU TENSE AND ASPECT By Marion Rose Johnson, Ph.D. The Ohio State University, 1977 Professor Arnold Zwicky, Adviser The major goal of this dissertation is to propose a model-theoretic treatment of tense and aspect, and to test the theory by applying it to Kikuyu, a Bantu language of Kenya with a particularly large and complex inflectional system for distinctions of this sort. The analysis of tense and aspect is based upon Reichenbach's theory of natural language time reference. Reichenbach claimed that time reference in a natural language involves three distinct time points: the "point of speech", the "point of reference", and the "point of the event". This basic analysis is translated into model-theoretic terms by proposing a semantic system in which the truth of a sentence is evaluated relative to an index consisting of a world, and three times: a moment of time, corresponding to the time of speaking; an interval of time, corresponding to the "reference-time"; and a set of intervals of time, which constitute "episode-time". The categories of tense and aspect - as these are expressed by particular classes of morphemes in Kikuyu - are characterized 1 within this system as follows. First, it is shown that the aspect categories of Kikuyu ("completive", "progressive" and "perfect" aspect) can be analyzed with a set of sentence operators which specify the relation of episode-time to reference-time. Secondly, the categories of tense are shown to specify the relation of reference-time to the time of speaking; in addition, it is demonstrated that the analysis accounts for the semantics of deictic time adverbs which co-occur with different tense forms. Finally, it is shown that the third logically possible set of relations in Reichenbach's system - namely, relations of episode­ time to speaking-time - also play a role in the analysis of Kikuyu. The semantic categories which involve such relations are called existential status categories, because they describe the stage of development of an episode, viewed in relation to the time of speaking. In Kikuyu, there are two such categories, which are designated "manifest action" and "imminent action". These categories are not expressed by any particular morphemes, but rather by a fundamental division in the formal organization of the verbal paradigm. Members of the "manifest action" sub­ paradigm of the verb share the feature that episode-time begins at least several hours earlier than the time of speaking. Hence, forms within this sub-paradigm describe episodes which are "manifest", in the sense that they have reached a relatively advanced stage of development. Forms in the "imminent action" sub-paradigm, on the other hand, describe episodes which either begin just before the time of speaking, or later than this time. 2 Hence, these forms describe episodes which are still in an early stage of development. The last part of the thesis provides a grammar of Kikuyu, based upon the grammar of English presented in Richard Montague's "The proper treatment of quantification in ordinary English". The purpose of this grammar is to show how sentences of Kikuyu can be related in a systematic way to formulae of intensional logic, thus demonstrating the relation between the semantic analysis of tense, aspect and status categories, and the syntax and morphology of Kikuyu. 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am pleased to acknowledge my gratitude to the many people and institutions who have contributed to the completion of this dissertation - to Arnold Zwicky, who has been my adviser and supporter for three years at Ohio State; to David Dowty, who taught me Montague Grammar and gave me many hours of advice on the present work; to Bill Harper, for his help in mastering formal semantics; .to the members of the logic and language group at the University of Western Ontario, especially Chet Creider and Peter Denny, for their interest and encouragement in my research; to the Department of Philosophy at Western Ontario, for providing office space during my dissertation year; to the Canada Council, for two years of support as a doctoral fellow, and for a travel grant to do field-work in Kenya; to the government of Kenya, for permission to do research there; to George Mathu, director of the Institute of African Studies in Nairobi, for his support of my project; to the Department of Linguistics at the University of Nairobi, for its hospitality; and to Kevin Ford of that department, for his invaluable practical aid. Most of all, I want to thank all of the Kikuyu people whom I have encountered in the course of this project, for their exceptional kindness and hospitality. I am indebted above all to Macaria and Gitau, who worked with me during the summer of 1976, and to Nyika and Tony, who worked with me in North America, for their patience and their persistent intellectual honesty in teaching me about the facts of their language. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS........................................... iii VITA...................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES............................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES........................................... viii INTRODUCTION.............................................. 1 Chapter I. GOALS OF THEDISSERTATION .......................... 8 1. An approach to tense and aspect............... 12 2. The Kikuyu inflectional system................. 25 , . -j o 3. Some further considerations................... II. VERB ASPECT...................................... Uo 1. Background to the problem..................... 1-7 2. Interval-based semantics...................... 3. The uninflected form of the verb.............. 4. Completive aspect............................. ( s C 5. Perfect aspect................................ III. PROGRESSIVE ASPECT.............................. 1. Interpretations of progressive aspect......... O J. 2. Previous model-theoretic approaches........... RR 3. The progressive operator...................... ipo 4. Independent motivation for PROG.,.............. v VI IV. THE MANIFEST ACTION SUB-PARADIGM................. 108 1. Past tense and time adverbs................... Ill 2. The category "manifest action"................ 120 3. Immediate past tense................. 131 V. THE IMMINENT ACTION SUB-PARADIGM................... 135 VI. A MONTAGUE GRAMMAR OF KIKUYU..................... 1^9 1. Intensional logic............................. 150 1 6 U 2. The syntactic categories...................... 3. The syntactic rules, and their translation rules...................................... 175 4. Examples.............. 185 appendix A. 191 195 LIST OF REFERENCES 199 LIST OF TABLES . Pb TABLE 1: Summary of time-related distinctions.............. TABLE 2: The manifest action sub-paradigm.................. in TABLE 3: The imminent action sub-paradigm......... ......... TABLE 4: Correspondence of semantic categories and sentence operators.................................. ...... TABLE 5: Summary of the semantic representations of members of the manifest action sub-paradigm............... ° TABLE 6 : Summary of the semantic representations of members of the imminent action sub-paradigm............... ^ 7 TABLE 7: Syntactic categories of Kikuyu.................... ±6 5 TABLE 8 : Output of the paradigmatic formation rules for hanyuka "run"..................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Relations among the temporal indices............. l9 Figure 2: Relation of episode-time to reference-time for the three aspect form categories.................... 20 Figure 3: Identification of inchoative verbs.............. 73 Figure 4: Identification of state, activity, and accomplish­ ment verbs....................................... 8U Figure 5: The syntactic mapping of forms in the tense and aspect paradigm.................................. 172 viii INTRODUCTION This dissertation provides a semantic analysis of tense and aspect in terms of temporal relations among three separate times involved in an utterance, the time of speaking, the time referred to, and the time at which the episode described took place. An informal exposition of the ideas is given, followed by an analysis in terms of the model-theoretic semantics developed by Richard Montague. This analysis is carried out for the tense and aspect inflectional system of Kikuyu, a Bantu language spoken primarily in Kenya. This language was chosen because it has a particularly large and interesting system, with considerable differences from certain features of the simpler English system. Some idea of the themes of the dissertation can be gathered if three of the main points are mentioned: a) aspect categories are separated from tense, by defining aspect in terms of relations between reference-time and episode­ time, while tense is defined as relations between reference-time and the time of speaking; b) in addition to tense and aspect, a third set of relations - those between speaking time and episode-time - are shown to play a role in the Kikuyu system; these relations are called existential status
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Scripture Translations in Kenya
    / / SCRIPTURE TRANSLATIONS IN KENYA by DOUGLAS WANJOHI (WARUTA A thesis submitted in part fulfillment for the Degree of Master of Arts in the University of Nairobi 1975 UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI LIBRARY Tills thesis is my original work and has not been presented ior a degree in any other University* This thesis has been submitted lor examination with my approval as University supervisor* - 3- SCRIPTURE TRANSLATIONS IN KENYA CONTENTS p. 3 PREFACE p. 4 Chapter I p. 8 GENERAL REASONS FOR THE TRANSLATION OF SCRIPTURES INTO VARIOUS LANGUAGES AND DIALECTS Chapter II p. 13 THE PIONEER TRANSLATORS AND THEIR PROBLEMS Chapter III p . ) L > THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRANSLATORS AND THE BIBLE SOCIETIES Chapter IV p. 22 A GENERAL SURVEY OF SCRIPTURE TRANSLATIONS IN KENYA Chapter V p. 61 THE DISTRIBUTION OF SCRIPTURES IN KENYA Chapter VI */ p. 64 A STUDY OF FOUR LANGUAGES IN TRANSLATION Chapter VII p. 84 GENERAL RESULTS OF THE TRANSLATIONS CONCLUSIONS p. 87 NOTES p. 9 2 TABLES FOR SCRIPTURE TRANSLATIONS IN AFRICA 1800-1900 p. 98 ABBREVIATIONS p. 104 BIBLIOGRAPHY p . 106 ✓ - 4- Preface + ... This is an attempt to write the story of Scripture translations in Kenya. The story started in 1845 when J.L. Krapf, a German C.M.S. missionary, started his translations of Scriptures into Swahili, Galla and Kamba. The work of translation has since continued to go from strength to strength. There were many problems during the pioneer days. Translators did not know well enough the language into which they were to translate, nor could they get dependable help from their illiterate and semi­ literate converts.
    [Show full text]
  • Kenya's Maligned African Press: a Reassessment
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 096 679 CS 201 571 AUTHOR Scotton, James F. TITLE Kenya's Maligned African Press: A Reassessment. PUB DATE Aug 74 NOTE 35p.; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism (57th, San Diego, California, August 18-21, 1974) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.75 HC-$1.85 PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS *African Histcry; Censorship; Colonialism; Content Analysis; *Freedom of Speech; *Government Role; Higher Education; *Journalism; *Newspapers;Press Opinion; Standards :nENTIFIERS *Kenya AeSTRACT Kenya's dozen or more newspapers and 50news sheets anted and published by Africans in the turbulent1945-52 preindependence period were condemnedas irresponsible, inflammatory, antivhite, and seditious by the Kenya colonialgovernment, and this characterization has been accepted bymany scholars and journalists, including Africans. There is substantial evidenceto show that the newspapers and even the mimeographed news sheets continued toargue for redress of specific African grievancesas well as for changes in social, economic, and political policies with responsiblearguments and in moderate language up until the Emergency Declaration proscribed the African publications in October of1952. This reassessment of Kenya's African press is based in parton examination of government records and interviews withsome African journalists of the period under study. The primarysources are clippings and tear sheets from the African press collected by Kenya'sCriminal Investigation Division. The material, along withcomments by colonial officials at the time, shows that the Africanpress of Kenya was by any reasonable standard responsible and moderate much of the time. (Author/RB) .41 SPEPAR :MEN? OF HEALTH EDUCATION ti*6LFARE NA TitNAL INISTiTuT OF EDUCATION -DC, Vt..' kEPQC t t c t Q,Oitt t.t.tnY k 16,(,AN % % T PO IE hCuCAP 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Eclectic Dance Music from Kenya | Norient.Com 7 Oct 2021 00:38:07
    Eclectic Dance Music from Kenya | norient.com 7 Oct 2021 00:38:07 Eclectic Dance Music from Kenya by Daniel Künzler https://norient.com/blog/bamzigi Page 1 of 4 Eclectic Dance Music from Kenya | norient.com 7 Oct 2021 00:38:07 Kenyan musician Bamzigi was flying ahead of the current electronic dance music craze from South Africa and Angola. However, his eclectic mix Mizuka resonates more abroad than in Kenya where he is not invited for performances. Southern Africa has its kwaito music, the lusophone countries their kudoro, and coupé décalé spread across West Africa. What about Kenya? Kenya is not known as a centre for electronic dance music (EDM). Of course, as elsewhere, Kenyan clubs jumped on the current wave of EDM that made a lot of famous artists from the West pimp their music by one of these producers en vogue. Kenyan DJ’s currently play Western EDM hits and spice their mix up with South African house music and kwaito. However, EDM has a longer history in Kenya. A group of mostly white Kenyans going to High Schools in the 1990s would listen to rave and later house music and organize raves. These circles were the nucleus of an underground deep house scene emerging ten years ago, as well as of a commercial house scene that would eventually start to produce music. Among the few non-white Kenyans growing up with these early forms of EDM was Harrison Munio. He started to rap under the name Bamzigi and was part of Necessary Noize, a group formed in 2000.
    [Show full text]
  • Euphemisms on Body Effluvia in Kikuyu
    International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education (IJHSSE) Volume 2, Issue 1, January 2015, PP 189-196 ISSN 2349-0373 (Print) & ISSN 2349-0381 (Online) www.arcjournals.org Euphemisms on Body Effluvia in Kikuyu Rita Njeri Njoroge Department of Linguistics and Languages University of Nairobi, Nairobi [email protected] Ayub Mukhwana Department of Kiswahili University of Nairobi, Nairobi [email protected] Abstract: The present paper on euphemisms on body effluvia in Kikuyu language aims at identifying the semantic and lexical processes involved in euphemism formation from taboo words on body effluvia in Kikuyu. This aim of study is necessitated by the fact that Kikuyu is a language characterized by linguistic taboos. For this reason, taboo words in Kikuyu have to be euphemized by use of emotional colourings that are different from what the words literally refer to. This study paper concludes that taboo words and their euphemized versions on body effluvia in Kikuyu provoke different responses among the Kikuyu language speakers. Using Politeness theory, the paper is significant in that it’s findings is of great importance to parents, teachers, court interpreters, media practitioners, counselors and sex educators using Kikuyu language. Data for the study was obtained from archival records, the internet and through interviews. Keywords: Euphemisms, Body effluvia, Kikuyu, Taboo words, Excretion. 1. INTRODUCTION In this paper, we discuss taboo words and euphemisms on body effluvia in Kikuyu language. Terms such as shit, bloody and piss refer to bodily effluvia and acts of excretion that are generally regarded as expletives. Although completely natural and ever present in our lives, these bodily emissions are an unwanted topic to openly discuss.
    [Show full text]
  • Journal of Arts & Humanities
    Journal of Arts & Humanities Volume 07, Issue 11, 2018: 58-67 Article Received: 06-09-2018 Accepted: 02-10-2018 Available Online: 23-11-2018 ISSN: 2167-9045 (Print), 2167-9053 (Online) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18533/journal.v7i10.1491 Pioneering a Pop Musical Idiom: Fifty Years of the Benga Lyrics 1 in Kenya Joseph Muleka2 ABSTRACT Since the fifties, Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have exchanged cultural practices, particularly music and dance styles and dress fashions. This has mainly been through the artistes who have been crisscrossing between the two countries. So, when the Benga musical style developed in the sixties hitting the roof in the seventies and the eighties, contestations began over whether its source was Kenya or DRC. Indeed, it often happens that after a musical style is established in a primary source, it finds accommodation in other secondary places, which may compete with the originators in appropriating the style, sometimes even becoming more committed to it than the actual primary originators. This then begins to raise debates on the actual origin and/or ownership of the form. In situations where music artistes keep shuttling between the countries or regions like the Kenya and DRC case, the actual origin and/or ownership of a given musical practice can be quite blurred. This is perhaps what could be said about the Benga musical style. This paper attempts to trace the origins of the Benga music to the present in an effort to gain clarity on a debate that has for a long time engaged music pundits and scholars.
    [Show full text]
  • (Kikuyu) Complex Sentences: a Role and Reference Grammar Analysis
    Aspects of Gĩkũyũ (Kikuyu) Complex Sentences: A Role and Reference Grammar Analysis Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung des Grades eines Doktor der Philosophie der,Philosophischen Fakultät der Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf vorgelegt von Claudius Patrick Kihara aus Nairobi, Kenya Gutachter: Prof. Dr Robert D.Van Valin, Jr. Gutachterin: Prof. Dr Laura Kallmeyer Düsseldorf, Dezember 2016 Tag der Disputation: 16 Februar 2017 Acknowledgements I acknowledge immense blessings I have received from the Almighty God, especially the gift of life and good health, family, friends and the many good people I met in the course of my studies. I wish to greatly thank Professor Robert D.Van Valin, Jr., first and foremost, for accepting to supervise my research; and secondly, for his kindness, patience, resourcefulness and the generosity he accorded me. Thank you so much for being available for consultation, even at very short notice. Thank you for your prompt email responses. Thank you also for never complaining even when I wrote unclear arguments; you always helped me clarify them through your questions. I will forever be grateful that I met you and learned from you. I also profusely thank Professor Laura Kallmeyer, the second reviewer of this dissertation. I am very grateful to the Kenyan government through the National Commission for Science and Technology (NACOSTI) and the German government through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for the scholarship. I thank Dr Helga Schröder and Dr Alfred Buregeya for writing references for me. It is Schröder who made me aware that RRG existed. Buregeya, my teacher and friend, has all along inspired me.
    [Show full text]
  • Harmonizing the Orthographies of Bantu Languages: the Case of Gĩkũyũ and Ekegusii in Kenya
    The University of Nairobi Journal of Language and Linguistics, Vol. 3 (2013), 108-122 HARMONIZING THE ORTHOGRAPHIES OF BANTU LANGUAGES: THE CASE OF GĨKŨYŨ AND EKEGUSII IN KENYA Phyllis W. MWANGI, Martin C. NJOROGE & Edna Gesare MOSE Kenyatta University Despite the multiplicity of African languages, available literature on the development of these languages points to the need to have their orthographies harmonised and standardised. This is because properly designed orthographies can play a monumental role in promoting their use in all spheres of life, and hence contribute to Africa’s socio- economic development. Such harmonisation is practical, especially among languages such as Gĩkŭyŭ and Ekegusii, two distinct Kenyan Bantu languages that are mutually intelligible. This paper examines how similar or dissimilar their phonologies and orthographies are, with a view to proposing how they can be harmonised. The paper concludes that there are benefits that can accrue from such harmonisation efforts, especially because there will be greater availability of literacy materials accessible to the speakers of the two languages. 1. INTRODUCTION Kioko et al. (2012a: 40) have noted that a number of scholars in Africa have conducted research on and advocated the harmonisation of orthography in African languages (also see Prah, 2003; Banda, 2003). Prah points out that one way to address the multiplicity of African languages is to capitalize on their mutual intelligibility by clustering them and harmonising their orthographies. This makes practical sense because, as Prah’s (2003: 23) research reveals, 85% of Africa’s total population speaks no more than 12 to 15 languages. To illustrate, many Kenyan languages fall under Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic language families.
    [Show full text]
  • An Analysis of Adaptation of the Loanwords in Kikuyu Technological Words
    An analysis of adaptation of the Loanwords in Kikuyu technological Words Gachau Elenah Nyaguthii;Dr. Anashia Nancy Ong’onda Abstract This paper examines loanwords adopted by native Gikuyu speakers to nativise English technological words using the theoretical framework of Optimality Theory as initiated by Prince and Smolensky (1993). Loanword adaptation is a linguistic phenomenon that occurs cross linguistically whenever one language interacts with another language. However, there are stipulations to borrowing because loanwords must be adapted to fit the second language’s Phonology system. Drawing from a sample of 80 words collected from the domain of technology, medicine, education and agriculture, the study found that Gikuyu speakers use processes such as insertion, deletion, vowel substitution and preservation to nativist borrowed word from English. The study also found out that this process occurs because of the tolerance threshold to segment preservation within a given constraint domain and due to distinctive features in English language and Gikuyu language. Keyword: Kikuyu language, English language, Loanword, borrowing, loan adaptation Published Date: 3/31/2018 Page.109-120 Vol 6 No 03 2018 Link: http://ijier.net/ijier/article/view/996 International Journal for Innovation Education and Research www.ijier.net Vol:-6 No-03, 2018 An analysis of adaptation of the Loanwords in Kikuyu technological Words Gachau Elenah Nyaguthii Associate Lecturer Department of Languages and Humanities School of Social sciences Mount Kenya University Thika, Kenya [email protected] Dr. Anashia Nancy Ong’onda Lecturer Department of Languages and Humanities School of Social sciences Mount Kenya University Thika, Kenya [email protected] Abstract This paper examines loanwords adopted by native Gikuyu speakers to nativise English technological words using the theoretical framework of Optimality Theory as initiated by Prince and Smolensky (1993).
    [Show full text]
  • [.35 **Natural Language Processing Class Here Computational Linguistics See Manual at 006.35 Vs
    006 006 006 DeweyiDecimaliClassification006 006 [.35 **Natural language processing Class here computational linguistics See Manual at 006.35 vs. 410.285 *Use notation 019 from Table 1 as modified at 004.019 400 DeweyiDecimaliClassification 400 400 DeweyiDecimali400Classification Language 400 [400 [400 *‡Language Class here interdisciplinary works on language and literature For literature, see 800; for rhetoric, see 808. For the language of a specific discipline or subject, see the discipline or subject, plus notation 014 from Table 1, e.g., language of science 501.4 (Option A: To give local emphasis or a shorter number to a specific language, class in 410, where full instructions appear (Option B: To give local emphasis or a shorter number to a specific language, place before 420 through use of a letter or other symbol. Full instructions appear under 420–490) 400 DeweyiDecimali400Classification Language 400 SUMMARY [401–409 Standard subdivisions and bilingualism [410 Linguistics [420 English and Old English (Anglo-Saxon) [430 German and related languages [440 French and related Romance languages [450 Italian, Dalmatian, Romanian, Rhaetian, Sardinian, Corsican [460 Spanish, Portuguese, Galician [470 Latin and related Italic languages [480 Classical Greek and related Hellenic languages [490 Other languages 401 DeweyiDecimali401Classification Language 401 [401 *‡Philosophy and theory See Manual at 401 vs. 121.68, 149.94, 410.1 401 DeweyiDecimali401Classification Language 401 [.3 *‡International languages Class here universal languages; general
    [Show full text]
  • Kikuyu Language
    Seth Cable Field Methods Fall 2010 Ling 404 Some Basic Facts about the Kikuyu Language 1. Genetic Grouping and Related Languages Kikuyu (or ‘Gikuyu’; Gĩkũyũ / ɤekojo / ) is a language from the Bantu language family. (1) The Bantu Language Family • One of the major language families of Africa; perhaps the most widely spoken. • Languages stretch across Central, East and Southern Africa. • Languages of the family share a number of phonological, morphological and syntactic similarities, including – most famously – an extremely rich ‘gender’ system Image taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:African_language_families_en.svg (2) Other Bantu Languages, Related to Kikuyu a. Closet Relatives: Embu, Kamba, Luhya b. Distant Relatives: Swahili, Shona, Zulu, Xhosa, Chichewa 1 Seth Cable Field Methods Fall 2010 Ling 404 2. Number of Speakers and Vitality of the Language Kikuyu is spoken by the nearly 6 million Kikuyu people of Kenya, the largest ethnic group of that country. It is by no means an endangered language. However, it has been relatively understudied by linguists, especially when compared to other major Bantu languages such as Swahili, Shona, Zulu, and Chichewa. 3. Location As stated above, Kikuyu is principally spoken in Kenya. More specifically, it is spoken in a region between and surrounding the cities of Nyeri and Nairobi in Central Province. Image taken from: http://kenya.africa-atlas.com/ 2 Seth Cable Field Methods Fall 2010 Ling 404 The following map provides a more detailed picture of where the language is spoken, and what languages it is surrounded by. Image taken from: http://www.mapsorama.com/linguistic-map-of-kenya/ 3 Seth Cable Field Methods Fall 2010 Ling 404 4.
    [Show full text]
  • ED265733.Pdf
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 265 733 FL 015 299 AUTHOR Bennett, Patrick R.; And Others TITLE Gikuyu ni Kioigire: A First Course in Kikuyu. 1: Wirute Gikuyu. INSTITUTION Wisconsin Univ., Madison. African Studies Program. SPONS AGENCY Department of Education, Washington, DC. PUB DATE 85 GRANT G008201052 NOTE 359p.; For volumes 2 and 3 of this course, see FL 015 300-301. AVAILABLE FROMAfrican Studies Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1454 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706 ($10.00). PUB TYPE Guides - Classroom Use - Guides (For Teachers) (052) -- Guides - Classroom Use - Materials (For Learner) (051) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC15 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Bantu Languages; *Conversational Language Courses; Course Descriptions; Educational Objectives; Foreign Countries; *Form Classes (Languages); *Grammar; Higher Education; Introductory Courses; Language Proficiency; Orthographic Symbols; *Pattern Drills (Language); *Phonology; Second Language Instruction; Uncommonly Taught Languages IDENTIFIERS Kenya; *Kikuyu ABSTRACT The first in a series of three volumes comprising a college-level course in Kikuyu, a Bantu language, this document contains the outline for a full-length course whose objective is to provide oral mastery of grammatical principlesnecessary for more than survival-level proficiency. The 20 units are organized into grammatical categories. Each unit includes a series of statements introducing the topics to be covered in the unit, 5 to 10 taped drills with full instructions and an example, anda set of assignment exercises to provide additional practice in manipulating the structures covered. The course is designed to be combined with a shorter, companion course, "Aria-i na Aagikuyu" (volume 2 in this series). (MSE) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
    [Show full text]
  • The Agĩkũyũ, the Bible and Colonial Constructs: Towards an Ordinary African Readers‟ Hermeneutics
    CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by University of Birmingham Research Archive, E-theses Repository THE AGĨKŨYŨ, THE BIBLE AND COLONIAL CONSTRUCTS: TOWARDS AN ORDINARY AFRICAN READERS‟ HERMENEUTICS. by JOHNSON KĨRIAKŨ KĨNYUA A thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Theology and Religion College of Arts and Law The University of Birmingham February 2010 . [1] ABSTRACT THE AGĨKŨYŨ, THE BIBLE AND COLONIAL CONSTRUCTS: TOWARDS AN ORDINARY AFRICAN READERS‟ HERMENEUTICS. By Johnson Kĩriakũ Kĩnyua February 2010 (346 Pages) Recognising the paradigm shift in African biblical studies where the image of a “decontextualized and non-ideological” scientific Bible reader is slowly being replaced with one of a “contextualized and ideological” reader, this research seeks to explore and understand the role of the “ordinary readers” in the development of biblical interpretation in colonial Kenya. It seeks to understand whether the semi- illiterate and illiterate can engage the Bible as capable hermeneuts. The study uses postcolonial criticism to recover and reconstruct the historical encounters of the Agĩkũyũ with the Bible. It reveals that ordinary African readers actively and creatively engaged biblical texts in the moment of colonial transformation using several reading strategies and reading resources. Despite the colonial hegemonic positioning, these Africans hybridised readings from the Bible through retrieval and incorporation of the defunct pre-colonial past; creating interstices that became sites for assimilation, questioning and resistance. The study proposes an African hermeneutic theory that accepts both scholarly readers and the ordinary readers with respect to biblical interpretation as constitutive of a community of readers positioned in a particular sociocultural milieu.
    [Show full text]