Factors influencing language shift from Gorowa to Kiswahili: a case study of Babati district
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Date
2013
Authors
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Publisher
The University of Dodoma
Abstract
This study examines patterns of language use among a group of Gorowa children, youths
and elders to establish whether Kiswahili is thriving or the local languages are
threatened by a potential shift. This study was intended to investigate the factors
influencing language shift from Gorowa to Kiswahili and the importance it has, and the
negative effects of language shift or Kiswahili usage on Gorowa community in Babati
district. The main techniques employed in data collection are questionnaires,
sociolinguistic interview and participatory technique. The findings from these techniques
were integrated in categories of interest when an analysis of the data was done manually
by the means of qualitative, it also involved with simple use of (spss) as a quantitative
method.
The findings of this study indicated steady language shift from Gorowa to Kiswahili
whereby seven domains were investigated only one was still reserved for Gorowa by at
least 15% of the informants that was 02 informants among 40 informants. The results
show that, while most users still consider themselves bi / multilingual and therefore
supporting the argument for a thriving Kiswahili situation, the functions these users
allocate the indigenous languages are quite limited. The factors influencing the shift of
indigenous language include, among others, national language policies, educational
levels, marriages (inter-ethnic or intra-ethnic) and users‘ attitudes towards the languages,
the amount of pressure or attraction from the new language in question.This study
revealed that language shift do not necessarily die just because their speakers die but
language also die, and often so,as a result of shift of allegiance by their speakers to other
languages. How fast shifts depends on the amount of pressure or attraction from the
language that receives allegiance.
The extent to which Kiswahili has penetrated Gorowa community though makes it
difficult to put a clear boundary between domains which Gorowa is solely used and which
Kiswahili is used. It was also evident that, there was a speed grew negative and
indifferent attitude among the people towards Gorowa, especially among younger and
educated speakers leaving alone poor transmition of language among children. The extent
of language shift was also demonstrated through aspects of negative attitudes and
language used in different domains which are more obvious among younger generation
and educated speakers. In the light of such results it was concluded that Gorowa is in
worse situation as its speakers, especially the linguistically influential young and educated
gradually shift to Kiswahili.
Though this study focused specifically on one language (Gorowa) similar shift is
presumably found in most Tanzanian ECLs due to ‗Swahilization‘the big presuure of
Kiswahili over ECLs as national language policy especially in education, administration
and media. The researcher recommands strategic measures and efforts be applied to go
about language and cultural distraction that the community is in.
Description
Dissertation (MA Linguistics)
Keywords
Babati district, Kiswahili, Language shift, Gorowa community, Gorowa language, Language transformation
Citation
Sarwatt, B.A. (2013). Factors influencing language shift from Gorowa to Kiswahili: a case study of Babati district. Dodoma: The University of Dodoma