ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES, LANGUAGE STUDIES, JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE PHD PROGRAM IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS AND DEVELOPMENT Causes and Remedies of Language Endangerment: The Case of Zay By Negash Getachew Woldeamanuel Advisor: Dr. Ronny Meyer Addis Ababa, Ethiopia February 2020 CAUSES AND REMEDIES OF LANGUAGE ENDANGERMENT: THE CASE OF ZAY Negash Getachew Woldeamanuel A thesis Submitted to The School of Graduate Studies and Department of Foreign Languages and Literature Presented in fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics and Development Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia February 2020 i Declaration of Originality I, the undersigned, declare that this thesis is my own original work and has not been presented for the qualification of degree or diploma in any other university or institution, and that all other resources used for the thesis have been duly acknowledged. I, therefore, certify that the present work contains no plagiarism and is the result of my own investigation, except where otherwise stated. Name of the Candidate: Negash Getachew Signature: __________________________ Date of Submission: __________________ ii Abstract Causes and Remedies of Language Endangerment: The Case of Zay Negash Getachew W/Amanuel Addis Ababa University This study was conducted with the purpose of looking into the causes and remedies of the endangered minority Zay language. With this end in view, mixed methods design was used in the study. In fact, the study is more of qualitative, and the quantitative method was used for triangulation purposes. Quantitative data was gathered using questionnaires. Participants who filled out the questionnaire were drawn from the island and mainland residents via quota- sampling technique. The qualitative data was collected by means of key informant interview, in- depth interview and FGDs. Apart from this, ethnically Oromo people were interviewed to find out their attitudes towards Zay language. In all cases, informants were selected through purposive sampling technique. Further, observation was conducted to confirm the soundness of data procured by the use of other qualitative tools. While the qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis, the quantitative one was dealt with using statistical techniques. The study found out that both the external and internal factors accounted for the shortfall of mother tongue speakers of Zay, particularly in the younger generation. The Zay confronted a problem of making living in their traditional settlement areas, because of which a sizeable number of people left the islands for the nearby lakeshore villages and towns. The other was absence of willingness from part of the government to recognize Zay as a distinct ethnic group, as well as exclusion of the language from any secondary domains. Part of the people tended to develop low opinion of themselves and their language as a result. No less important were historical factors, such as recurrent conflict with the dominant Oromo people over land and water which was said to have pushed part of the Zay people, who already settled along the lake shores, back to the islands. This situation caused the introduction of late marriage (in order to control population boom) as the resources on the islands were limited. Cultural and linguistic factors were also found to contribute to the diminution of the language. These external forces appeared to put pressure on the attitudes of the Zay and their language use behavior. There were people who developed low opinion of their ancestral language where, in iii some cases, the pride in being Zay seemed to be fading. In the same way, the finding emerged from the respondents of Oromo people revealed the presence of negative attitudes towards Zay language. However, the majority were still found to maintain their loyalty to their language. They regarded their distinctive language as a central part of their identity. When it comes to language use, almost all people on the islands of Lake Zway have still used the Zay language; in the rest of the areas where Zay people live, the shift to Afan Oromo has been progressing. The change in speech behavior, particularly on the mainland, resulted in structural consequences. That is, change in Zay‟s lexicon, phonology, morphology, and in rare case syntax is noticeable. The results of the study show the presence of strong desire among the Zay to see their ethnic language reinvigorated. There was a strong belief among the respondents that changing the attitudes of the Zay and Oromo people who developed low impression of the language, improvement of the poor living standards of the people, establishment of Zay-medium primary school and creation of mother tongue based literacy education, above all, official recognition of Zay would be the possible restorative strategies. A further major finding was that the Zay were waking up to the threat and gradually being more adamant in their demands for greater official recognition and support of their language. The Zay have been struggling for official ethnic recognition and political representation because they believed that achieving this opportunity could certainly pave the way for changes in their overall economic, political and social lives which would in turn lead to reinvigoration of their language. The Zay community also established a self-help association (ZDA) with the purpose of solving its economic and social problems, thereby protecting its language and culture. On the basis of the findings, the researcher recommended that community members as well as out-group members‟ threatening attitude should be changed since it is a cornerstone for the success of all actions. The regional government should ensure sedentary settlement on the islands through building the capacity of the people to achieve a self-sustaining economic unit. Mother tongue primary education and Zay Cultural Center should also be made available to the Zay if the language and culture are to survive into the next generation. iv Acknowledgments First and foremost, I would like to glorify the Almighty God who has provided me the patience and willpower to devote my entire time to this study. He is the very reason for the successful accomplishment of the work. Let His name be glorified forever! Next, my sincere thank goes to my advisor, Dr. Ronny Meyer, for his unreserved scholarly support and guidance as well as for his unlimited patience and heaps of tolerance to offer support in the course of this study. Had it not been for his professional support, this paper would have not taken the present shape. His constructive comments added a considerable value to it. I am also deeply indebted to my friends, Seyoum Haile, Dr. Yonattan Araya, Goitom Abraha and Getaneh Haile for their tremendous support and encouragement from the beginning to the end of this study. Their unconditional support, particularly in instrument validation, has been myriad. Besides, I would like to forward my heartfelt thanks to the Financial Departments of Addis Ababa and Mizan Tepi Universities for their monetary support. Without their financial aid, the completion of this study might be unthinkable. Moreover, I owe a special appreciation to the island-dwellers for their incredible generosity and hospitality during my stay on the islands. With all the words at my command, I am not able to express their heartfelt treatment. Nothing I can say will ever convey the amount of gratitude I owe to them for getting me feel at home. Furthermore, my deepest gratitude goes to my late father, Getachew W/Amanuel and my mother, Gifti Biratu, for giving me all paternal and maternal love during their lifetime. I am also grateful to my brothers and sisters for their unlimited support and encouragement all the way through. Finally yet importantly, I am highly indebted to my beloved wife, Genet Birhanu and cherished sons, Kirubel and Surafel Negash, for their understanding during my absence from home for the study. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration of Originality ............................................................................................................ i Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ iii Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................ v TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ vi LIST OF FIGURES........................................................................................................................xiii LIST OF ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................. xiv CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1 1.1 Description of the Study Area ............................................................................................ 1 1.1.1 Geographical Location ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.2 Historical Origin of the Zay People ............................................................................................. 2 1.1.3 The Zay Language .............................................................................................................................