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Waci Speakers in Togo and Benin; a Sociolinguistic Survey

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DigitalResources Electronic Survey Report 2018-003 Waci Speakers in Togo and Benin A Sociolinguistic Survey Gabriele R. Faton Waci Speakers in Togo and Benin A Sociolinguistic Survey Gabriele R. Faton SIL International® 2018 Electronic Survey Report 2018-003, March 2018 © 2018 SIL International® All rights reserved Abstract SIL personnel conducted a sociolinguistic survey in the Waci language community (Kwa language family) of the Republic of Togo and the Republic of Benin in 2002, and the report was written in October 2006. Waci is part of the Gbe language continuum and is related to both Ewe and Gen. The researchers conducted informal interviews with various subjects and administered questionnaires to village chiefs, elders, and others. By these means they collected data concerning the geographic location of the Waci language area, the comprehension of Ewe and Gen by the Waci population, language use patterns, language vitality, language attitudes toward the use of Ewe and Gen, attitudes toward Waci language development, the religious situation, language use in the religious domain, and the state of nonformal education in the language area. Results of the interviews indicate that the Waci in Togo have a high level of comprehension of both Ewe and Gen. They identify with the Ewe people and display overtly positive attitudes toward the use of Ewe. In contrast, attitudes toward the use of Gen are overtly negative. In Benin the Waci have a high level of comprehension of Gen, whereas comprehension of Ewe appears to be low. Attitudes towards the use of Gen are overtly neutral, whereas attitudes towards the use of Ewe were not investigated. This survey report written some time ago deserves to be made available even at this late date. Conditions were such that it was not published when originally written. The reader is cautioned that more recent research may be available. Historical data is quite valuable as it provides a basis for a longitudinal analysis and helps us understand both the trajectory and pace of change as compared with more recent studies—Editor. Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Language and classification 1.2 Language area 1.3 Presence of other ethnic groups 1.4 Regional language use 1.5 Population 1.6 History of migration 1.7 Religion 1.7.1 Traditional religion 1.7.2 Christian churches 1.7.3 Islam 1.8 Literacy and Waci language development 2 Previous linguistic research 3 Research questions 4 Methodology 4.1 Informal interviews 4.2 Questionnaires 5 Implementation of the interviews 5.1 Informal interviews with linguists and church workers 5.2 Questionnaires for traditional leaders and religious leaders 5.3 Questionnaires for literacy coordinators 6 Results 6.1 Waci language varieties 6.2 Comprehension of Ewe and Gen 6.3 Waci language vitality 6.4 Language attitudes 6.4.1 Attitudes towards the written development of Waci 6.4.2 Attitudes towards the use of Gen and Ewe 6.5 Literacy 6.5.1 Classes offered 6.5.2 Motivation for literacy 6.5.3 Difficulties in literacy programs 6.6 Language use in the religious domain 6.7 Ethnic identity, group cohesion, and social relationships 7 Summary and conclusions 7.1 Comprehension of Ewe and Gen 7.2 Language vitality 7.3 Language attitudes 7.4 Literacy 7.5 Ethnic identity, group cohesion and social relationships 8 Recommendations Appendix A: Maps of the Waci language area Appendix B: Lexical similarity Appendix C: Questionnaires Appendix D: Suggested readings References iii 1 Introduction A sociolinguistic survey was conducted among the Waci 1 language community of the Republic of Togo and the Republic of Benin in February and March 2002 by Gabriele Faton and Katharina Wolf, researchers from the Togo-Benin branch of SIL International 2 (SIL Togo-Benin). It was supervised by Dr. Deborah H. Hatfield. The survey is part of a larger study of the Gbe communities of Togo and Benin and is designed to provide the administrators of SIL Togo-Benin with information about the Waci language area in order to determine the need for SIL involvement in Waci language development and the priority and strategy for such involvement. We include in this report survey data derived from individual interviews and interviews with government officials 3 in the sub-prefecture of Comè, 4 the sub-prefecture of Grand-Popo, Benin, the prefecture of Yoto, Togo and the sub-prefecture of Afanyan, Togo. The researchers also interviewed community leaders in the villages of Oumako (sub-prefecture of Comè, Benin), Ahépé (prefecture of Yoto, Togo) and Atitogon (sub-prefecture of Afanyan, Togo). In the Introduction (section 1) we present pertinent background information gathered during preliminary research and during field interviews with members of the Waci language community. Subsequent sections contain information on previous linguistic research, the research questions, and a description of the assessment techniques used in this survey. Next, we discuss the results of the interviews, both formal and informal. The report ends with a summary, conclusions, and recommendations, followed by appendices and references. We are grateful to the local authorities and citizens for the authorization and assistance that made this research possible. 1.1 Language and classification Williamson and Blench (2000:18) have classified the Kwa language group as follows: Proto-Niger-Congo, Proto-Mande-Atlantic-Congo, Proto-Ijo-Congo, Proto-Dogon-Congo, Proto-Volta-Congo, East Volta-Congo, Proto-Benue-Kwa, Kwa. From pers. comm., they also cite Stewart’s (1989) revised and then current classification of the Gbe language group: Proto-Kwa (New Kwa), Gbe. 5 According to his interpretation of linguistic evidence, Stewart divides the Gbe language cluster into two branches: Fon-Phla-Phera on the one hand and the two subgroups—(a) Ewe and Gen and (b) Aja—on the other hand (Williamson and Blench 2000:29). Dr. Hounkpati B. C. Capo, an expert on the Waci language family (1986:101), (see section 5.1) divides the Gbe languages into five groups: Vhe (Ewe), Gen, Aja, Fon, and Phla-Phera (Xwla-Xwela). He puts Waci in the Vhe (Ewe) group, together with Towun, Awlan, Gbín, Peci, Kpando, Vhlin, Ho, Avɛ́no, Vo, Kpelen, Vɛ́, Dayin, Agu, Fodome, Wancé, and Adángbe. 1 In general, language names are spelled using the English alphabet. 2 SIL is affiliated with the Direction de Recherche Scientifique in Togo and with the Centre National de Linguistique Appliquée in Benin. It has been accorded nongovernmental organization status in both countries. 3 See Appendix C for questionnaires which correspond to the various interviews. 4 Place names are spelled according to maps of Togo and Benin (Institut Géographique National 1977; 1992), where possible. At the time of the survey, Benin was divided into twelve governmental provinces called départements, each of which was composed of a varying number of sub-prefectures, which encompass various communes (rural communities and urban districts). The départements were reorganized in 1999. With decentralization in 2002, sub- prefectures became communes and communes became arrondissements. Togo consists of five provinces (régions). Each province is divided into a varying number of prefectures and sub-prefectures. 5 Stewart formerly classified Gbe as (New) Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe. 1 2 Alternative spellings of the language name are Watyi, Wotsi, or Ouatchi (Capo 1986:13). Interviewees in villages in the language area unanimously referred to their language as Waci [watʃi]. 1.2 Language area Waci villages are located in southeastern Togo and in southwestern Benin. For maps of the area, see Appendix A. Because of the migration pattern of the Waci people (see section 1.6), most Waci live in southeastern Togo. According to the language map of Benin (CENALA 1990) and the Atlas sociolinguistique du Bénin (CNL du Bénin 1983:67f.), Waci villages in Benin are located in the département of Mono. According to the Atlas, Waci is spoken in the following places, listed in order from north to south: • the sub-prefecture of Athiémè: Ahoho and Dedokpo • the sub-prefecture of Comè: Comè (the whole urban community and rural district) and in the rural community of Oumako • the sub-prefecture of Grand-Popo: Dévikanmè, Vodomè and Sazué in the Djanglanmè rural community and Kpovidji, Todjohounkouin, Sého-Condji, Gbéhoué-Ouatchi and Sohon in the Adjaha rural community. This information was confirmed by Capo (pers. comm.) and others. Capo further indicated that these areas are also Waci-speaking: two villages within the rural community of Dedokpo6; the villages of Atitoedomin, Tala7 and Agoutomè (southeast of Comè); and Dimado 8 I and II and Kpablè (west of Gbéhoué-Ouatchi). According to certain sources, the borders of the Waci language area in Togo are roughly the line between Gboto Zévé and Tokpli to the north, the Mono River to the east, the line between Vogan and Aklakougan to the south and within the vicinity of Tsévié to the west. This information was confirmed during interviews with community leaders in the language area and refined as follows. The villages north of the line between Gboto Zévé and Tokpli up to the classified forest of Togodo are Aja villages. It is not quite clear whether Tokpli, a village that was founded by the Germans during their colonial rule, is a Waci village, as there is a significant presence of other ethnic groups such as Aja, Ana (Ifè) and Gen there. The line between Vogan and Aklakougan is only a rough approximation of a border of the language area to the south. Because people move around and mix, there is no clear-cut border between Waci and Gen areas. Vogan is a Waci village with a mixture of ethnic groups. In the area around Aklakougan, Waci speakers seem to be mixed mostly with speakers of Gen, but also with Fon and Kotafon speakers.
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