Gorwaa (Tanzania) - Language Contexts

Titelangaben

Harvey, Andrew:
Gorwaa (Tanzania) - Language Contexts.
In: Language Documentation and Description. Bd. 16 (2019) . - S. 127-168.
ISSN 1740-6234

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Abstract

Gorwaa is a South Cushitic language, spoken in north-central Tanzania. The number of speakers is approximately 132,748, and though used frequently in rural areas, many speakers are shifting to Swahili for everyday use, especially in the larger towns. Gorwaa is the name of the ethnic group, as well as the name of the language.
Gorwaa is closely related to the other South Cushitic languages of Tanzania, namely: Iraqw, Alagwa, and Burunge; there is a high degree of mutual intelligibility between Gorwaa and Iraqw. That being said, speakers from both communities consider themselves as two separate ethnic groups, and there are several salient lexical and morphosyntactic differences between Gorwaa and Iraqw. This paper provides an overview of the larger context in which Gorwaa is spoken. Section 2 sketches the history of its speaker community. Section 3 outlines the relationships (both genetic and areal) that exist between Gorwaa and other languages in the area. Section 4 provides details on language use and language attitudes (including speaker numbers, language vitality, and how speakers perceive Gorwaa). Section 5 explains the different names used (and currently in use) to label the Gorwaa language. Section 6 mentions important works about Gorwaa which precede this one. Section 7 provides some in-depth analysis of important facets of Gorwaa culture and society, and how in turn this is manifested in the Gorwaa language. Section 8 concludes the discussion.

Abstract in weiterer Sprache

Kazi hii ni jaribu la mwanaisimu kueleza lugha ya Kigorowa kwenye mazingira yake iliyeongelewa. Kwa kiasi kubwa, Kigorowa kinazungumzwa na watu takriban 133,000 wilayani Babati. Sio adimu kwamba wazungumzaji wa Kigorowa waweza kuongea Kiiraqw, Chasi, Kirangi, na moja au zaidi ya lahaja za Kidatooga, lakini karibu watu wote wanaoongea Kigorowa huongea Kiswahili pia. Tena, lugha ya Kiswahili inaendelea kuingia mahali pa Kigorowa kama lugha mkuu mjini, pamoja na vijijini. Kwa mfano, huko Babati mjini, watoto hawaongei lugha ya Kigorowa tena. Na hata kama mpisho wa Kigorowa kutoka wazazi kwa watoto unaendelea kijijini, bado Kigorowa kinapotea mawanda ya matumizi kwa Kiswahili. Wakati wazee wanaendelea kuona thamani ya kuongea Kigorowa, vijana wengi hawakithamini Kigorowa kama lugha ya ajira au nafasi ya kujiendeleza, mpaka huona aibu kukiongea Kigorowa kati ya watu wasiye wa jamii. Hatari ya Kigorowa kupotezwa inazidishwa kwa kuwa hakiandikwi kwa kawaida, na hifadhi yake pekee ni kongoo ya sauti na video ambaye mwandishi huyu ameunda yenyewe. Pia, kazi hii inasimulia kuhusu sura kadhaa za utamaduni wa Wagorowa, hasa zile zinazohusika na hali ya lugha. Sura hizi zinahusu: rasilimali na imani, uchumi, elimu, utaratibu wa uongozi na jamii, pamoja na udugu na ndoa. Kuonyesha upana wa lugha hii, namna mbalimbali ya kutumia Kigorowa zinaangaliwa kwenye kila kifungu. Kama mgeni, mawazo yangu yametegemea na uangalizi wangu pamoja na data zilizokusanywa kwa ajili ya utafiti wangu wa isimu. Kwa hiyo, somo hili ingeboreshwa tele kama, siku moja, mwanaisimu Mgorowa akisahihisha kazi yangu na ujuzi kutoka mazoezi ya maisha yake.