Mali linguistics: Perceptions of languages in the Mandingo Region of Mali

Posted by sociolingo on May 6, 2008

Canut C, (2002). Perceptions of languages in the Mandingo Region of Mali: Where Does One Language Begin and the Other End? in Long, Daniel and Dennis Preston, ed. (2002) Handbook of Perceptual Dialectology, Volume 2, John Benjamins Publishing Company. ISBN:9027221855

Read the chapter on Google Scholar

Available from Amazon UK

Review of book:

LINGUIST List 14.1383: Dialectology: Long and Preston (2002)

(2002) Handbook of Perceptual Dialectology, Volume 2, John Benjamins … The first volume of the Handbook of Perceptual Dialectology (Preston 1999) …

linguistlist.org

Mali: “Bambara” vs “Bamana” in English nomenclature

Please respond directly to Don (dzo(at)bisharat(dot)net

Cross-posted from H-West-Africa list

From: “Don Osborn”
Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 11:10:39 -0400

——————

A recent proposal on the Wikipedia article for “Bambara language” propts me to turn to this list for some feedback. It relates to the issue of where we are in the fashion of using “endonyms” for peoples and languages that was discussed on H-Africa & H-West-Africa in Dec. 2007 (”Names for African peoples & language”). The author of the request below makes a reasonable suggestion to consider changing the article name to “Bamana,” but makes the use of “Bambara” sound like an unqualified insult. My response follows. Any comments on the background, claims, or appropriate course of action would be appreciated.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Bambara_language#language_name :

The name of this article needs to be changed, please. The term ‘Bambara’ floating around in other articles as an alternative name can still link to the new correctly titled article. The name of the ethnic group is the BAMANA and the language is BAMANA (English, German) or BAMANANKAN (lit. ‘Bamana sound’) in the native language. The term BAMBARA is pejorative on several levels. It’s a mispronunciation by the Colonial French (and therefore smacks of colonialism) and has stuck in much of French literature as well as art circles. However, this article is English wiki, and Americans and British anthropologists, sociologists and LINGUISTS call the language BAMANA. The term BAMBARA meant ‘riverworking / hardworking *slave*’ during the slave trade in Senegal, used by the whites and the Wolof to refer to the Bamana, Boso, Kagoro, etc. And, BAMBARA literally means in Fula (and has connotations in other West African languages) ‘pagan, infidel’ as the Fula converted many other ethnic groups to Islam. Many Fula still consider the Bamana as ‘bad muslims.’ The term BAMBARA is tinted with racsim, colonialism, ethnic hatred/distrust and religious tension. Professionals call the language and its speakers the same term that those speakers do. The article’s name needs to be changes. Using BAMBARA in Wiki is like titling a page Beaner or Yank or Lapp or Polack or Limey. Change it. 71.210.91.4 (talk) 02:34, 3 May 2008 (UTC)

I’ll post this issue to the MANSA-L list (of the Mande Studies Association), because I think the issue may not be as clear cut as you imply. I think the case for endonyms - as you put it “Professionals call the language and its speakers the same term that those speakers do” - is sometimes overstretched and many now recognize that it is not always appropriate and sometimes even awkward. Where a pejorative association is clear, I think we’d all agree that the change should have no question - we say “Soninke” and have long before Wikipedia dropped “Saracolle” for this reason. I’m not arguing against the change so much as asking for more clarity before it be considered. My understanding is that “Bambara” came into the European languages via Fula <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fula_language>  pronunciation (Bammbaraajo/Bambaraa?e), but that it does not “literally mean in Fula (and has connotations in other West African languages) ‘pagan, infidel’” (although it sounds a bit like a derivative of the root for carrying on the back - wammb-). The history of the term is no doubt complex and I’d suggest more discussion before any attempt to move the articles.–A12n (talk) 14:56, 3 May 2008 (UTC)

Numeral systems of the Languages of the world

Numeral systems of the Languages of the world

(the link to the webpage is temporarily disabled because of work on the site. Please check back later to see if the link is live). Please send any enquiries to:

Eugene Chan, Hong Kong
eugenechans(at)hkbn(dot)net

See also http://www.eva.mpg.de/lingua/resources.php for more resources

World Atlas of Language Structures

Source: World Atlas of Language Structures

The Most Important Web Site on the World’s Linguistic Diversity

Already when it was published as a book in 2005, The World Atlas of Language Structures (WALS) represented a giant step forward in scientists’ access to information on the diversity of human languages.
On 142 maps displaying on average 400 languages from all over the world, it shows the geographical distribution of the most important patterns of sounds, word structure and sentence structure.

Through a joint effort of the Max Planck Digital Library and the Department of Linguistics of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, all the data and analytical texts from The World Atlas of Language Structures are now freely available online (”WALS Online”), at http://wals.info. The materials are published under a Creative Commons License, guaranteeing open access for users and inviting scientists to use them for their work. WALS Online is by far the most important web site on the world’s linguistic diversity.

The site shows data on over 2500 languages, for which more than 6500 references have been used. Searching and browsing is possible by structural feature, by language name or language family, by reference and by author. The analytical texts contain links to all the references and all the languages. The maps can be shown at any zoom level, and the map symbols can be displayed in various shapes and colours. A wide range of export options is available.

As in the book version, all languages are equal in WALS Online: each language, regardless of number of speakers, is represented on the map by the same circular symbol. For linguists, small and endangered languages threatened with imminent extinction are fully as interesting as large national languages.

WALS Online provides information on a vast range of structural
variables: number of consonants (from 6 to 122), presence of rare sounds like ö and ü, tone systems, gender categories, plural formation, number of cases, verbal future and past forms, imperatives, word order, passives, numerals, colour terms, writing systems, and more.

Check it out: http://wals.info

Nigeria: Hausa online grammar

Source: Hausa online grammar (UCLA)

This online grammar provides basic information about the structure of the Hausa language explained in a relatively non-technical way.

http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/humnet/aflang/Hausa/Hausa_online_grammar/grammar_frame.html

What about the “Declaration of Linguistic Rights”?

A new article by Don Osborn at Multidisciplinary Perspectives

There are probably not many people who have heard of the Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights (UDLR). The whole concept of linguistic rights is not widely known or discussed outside of some “MINEL” (minority, indigenous, national, endangered, local) language communities and language experts and activists. During this International Year of Languages, and with an upcoming Symposium on Linguistic Rights in the World (Geneva, 24 April), it would seem to be an ideal moment to ask where we are going with the UDLR and the whole concept.

Read the full article 

Ghana: Summer School on Documentary Linguistics in West Africa

Posted on March 31, 2008.

Summer School on Documentary Linguistics in West Africa

University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

16-27 July 2008

A 10-day summer school on language documentation will be held prior to the 26^th West African Languages Congress (WALC) of the West African Linguistics Society (WALS/SLAO) at the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, 28^th July to 3^nd August 2008. The theme of the Congress is “Language Documentation in Support of West African Languages”.

The goal of the Summer School is to provide training for linguists and graduate students in the West African region in language documentation theory and practice.

Pending final approval, the 2008 Summer School on Documentary Linguistics in West Africa will be sponsored by the Endangered Languages Documentation Programme (ELDP) of the Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project (HRELP), SOAS, London.

 

Participants:

The maximum number of participants is 30 and they will be selected so that each country in the region will be represented.

How to apply:

 

Applicants must reside and study/work in West Africa.

They should have a minimum of BA or its equivalent involving some linguistic training.

They should have some fieldwork experience or have concrete plans for doing documentation work.

They should be committed to and have a plan for transferring the knowledge they acquire to others in their universities and countries.

The general lectures will be given in English, hence all participants should be able to read and understand basic English. Workshops and tutorials may be offered in French as well, when necessary.

 

Interested persons should send an application via e-mail or fax to the following address:

 

Felix K. Ameka

African Languages and Cultures

Leiden University Centre for Linguistics

P. O. Box 9515

2300 RA Leiden

The Nehterlands

 

Tel: + 31 – 71 – 527 2243

Fax; + 31 – 71- 527  7569

 

e-mail: f.k.ameka@let.leidenuniv.nl

 

 

Your application must include:

 

A. Personal background Information

 

Full name

Position

Affiliation

Address

 

Telephone, fax, e-mail

 

Country

 

First language(s):

 

Other West African languages you know:

 

B. Curriculum Vitae and Motivation

 

1.     Give a brief statement of your University studies involving linguistics (including degrees obtained). Indicate the courses you have followed.

2.     What experience do you have in linguistic description (e.g. fieldwork)? Indicate whether the languages you have worked on, are your first or other language. 

3.     What experience do you have in language documentation including the use of any tools?

4.     Which language(s) are you working on or plan to work on? Provide information on their geographical location and genetic affiliation. 

5.     Explain your commitment as well as how you plan to transfer the knowledge you would acquire to     others in your institution and/or country.

6.     Provide the name and contact details of your Supervisor or an academic who would like to serve as a referee for you. Explain why you have nominated this person.

C Travel information

 

7.     There will be travel bursaries to supplement the travel costs of participants (mostly by road) from country of residence to Winneba, Ghana. Provide an estimate of the cost of travel from your residence to Winneba.

Send your application in to the address provided above not later than April 30^th, 2008.

Applications received will be acknowledged immediately.

Decisions on the applications will be made by the Organising Committee and communicated to the applicants by 15^th May 2008.

 

The resource persons include:

 

Firmin Ahoua, Université de Cocody, Abidjan

Felix Ameka, Leiden University

Bruce Connell, York University and University of Kent

William Foley, University of Sydney

Dafydd Gibbon, University of Bielefeld

Birgit Hellwig, RCLT, La Trobe, Melbourne

David Nathan, ELAR, SOAS

Sophie Salffner, ELAP, SOAS

Eno-Abasi Urua, University of Uyo

 

 

The topics to be covered are:

 

• What is language documentation (including planning a language documentation project)
• Ethical and methodological issues in language documentation (including fieldwork)
• Techniques and methods of data collection
• Transcription and annotation and their tools (Transcriber, Praat, ELAN)
• Audio and video recording
• Principles of archiving and dissemination: metadata, media, file formats
• Ethnography in language documentation
• Lexicography and tools (Toolbox)
• Field Semantics
• Field phonetics
• Grant application writing

 

—————————————-

Felix K. Ameka

African Languages and Cultures

Leiden University

PB 9515

2300 RA Leiden

The Netherlands

 

e-mail: f.k.ameka@let.leidenuniv.nl

tel: + 31 (0)71 527 2243

fax: + 31 (0)71 527 7569

 

Visit the website of the Journal of African Languages and Linguistics (JALL) at

www.degruyter.de

Ghana: West African Languages Congress 2008

Posted on March 18, 2008.

Activities in Summer 2008 in Ghana

(i)    There will be a Summer School on Documentary Linguistics in West Africa 16^th to 27^th July 2008, preceding the 26^th West African Languages Congress, University of Education at Winneba. A call for applications for participation in the school will be sent out shortly. Registered participation is limited to graduate students and professionals resident in the West African region. The Summer School is supported by the Endangered Languages Programme (ELDP) of the Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project, (HRELP), SOAS London.

(ii)  The 26^th West African Languages Congress will be held at the University of Education, Winneba from 28^th July till 3^rd August 2008.  I paste the Call for abstracts below.

(iii) The 2008 International Workshop on the Ghana-Togo-Mountain (GTM) Languages

(Sponsored in part by the Endangered languages Programme of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO))

Date:              3-8 August 2008.

Venue:      Bishop Konings Social Centre, Ho, Ghana

Theme:      KA- and NA- GTM Languages Forty Years On

Featured Speakers include:

                   Kevin Ford, Australia

Bernd Heine, University of Cologne

              Mary Esther Kropp Dakubu, University of Ghana, Legon

      Contact:  Felix  Ameka (e-mail: f.k.ameka@let.leidenuniv.nl)

 

The 26th West African Languages Conference and

The First Summer School of Linguistics

University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.

July 16– August 03, 2008.

SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS

Due to numerous requests, the deadline for submission of abstracts for the 26^th West African Linguistics Congress (WALC) has been extended to Monday, March 31, 2008. The date for the Summer School has also been modified. Below are the details.

The 26^th West African Linguistics Congress (WALC) will be held on July 28-August 3, 2008 at the University of Education, Winneba Campus, Ghana.

The conference will be preceded by a Summer School to be held from Monday, July 15 to Saturday July 26, 2008.

The conference theme is Language Documentation in Support of West African Languages.

 

The organizers of the conference would like to invite papers that address the conference theme, or any other topic relating to West African Languages and Linguistics.

Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

·      Endangered Languages

·      Language and Culture

·      Language and Education

·      Language and Technology

·      Language Planning

·      Morphology

·      Phonology

·      Pragmatics

·      Psycholinguistics

·      Semantics

·      Sociolinguistics

·      Syntax

·      Typology

Abstracts may be submitted in either English or French by email (word attachment is preferred) to the following email address: walc2008winneba@yahoo.com. The abstract should not be more than one page of A4 paper in word using 12 pt of Times New Roman font. If you do not have regular access to e-mail, you may submit one copy of your abstract by regular mail on a CD or 3.5 floppy disk (Microsoft Word document only) to the following postal address:

The Chairman

WALC 2008 Local Organizing Committee

Departments of Ghanaian Languages Education

University of Education, Winneba

P. O. Box 25

Winneba

Ghana.

Deadline for submitting abstracts is March 31, 2008.

Notification of acceptance of abstracts will be sent out by Tuesday, April 15, 2008.

 

THE SUMMER SCHOOL OF LINGUISTICS

The Summer School will commence from 15^th to 27^th July, 2008 at the South Campus of the Winneba Campus of the University of Education, Winneba. Interested participants should apply separately for the Summer School.

REGISTRATION

Registration and payment of fees shall be made concurrently at the registration desk from July 28 through July 31, 2008.

Conference Fees:

Participants from outside of Africa: USD 25

Participants from Africa and students: USD 10

Membership fee: USD 10

Excursion and dinner fees will be communicated to participants in due course.

LOCAL Organizing Committee

Emmanuel Nicholas Abakah     Tel.    + 233 244 73 21 72 or +233 208 76 77 83)

Ephraim Avea Nsoh          + 233 207 31 01 93

Samuel Atintono A.          + 233 244 22 56 97

Francisca Adjei          + 233 242 15 11 52

Dominic Amuzu          + 233 244 73 98 42

Philip K. Geraldo   + 233 208 47 11 32

Louisa Koranteng          + 233 244 58 46 79

C. B. Buachie          + 233 208 22 76 38

South Africa: Dr. Neville Alexander of South Africa is the recipient of the 2008 Linguapax Prize

Posted on March 1, 2008.

Source: Don Osborn

Dr. Neville Alexander of South Africa is the recipient of the 2008 Linguapax Prize:

  22.02.2008

The South African linguist Neville Alexander will receive the Linguapax Award today in Barcelona, on the occasion of the Mother Language Day. The ceremony is framed in the Intercultural Week organised by the Ramon Llull University. Alexander, who coordinates the Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa has devoted more than twenty years of his professional life to defend and preserve multilingualism in the post-apartheid South Africa and has become one of the major advocates of linguistic diversity.

http://www.unescocat.org/en/serveis/premsa.php

  For more information on the Prize, see:

http://www.linguapax.org/en/premisLPXang.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguapax_Prize

2008, International Year of Languages - Languages matter!

Posted by sociolingo on January 4, 2008

Source: UNESCO

2008, International Year of Languages

Languages matter !

On 16 May 2007, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2008 to be the International Year of Languages. As language issues are central to UNESCO’s mandate in education, science, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information, the Organization has been named the lead agency for this event.

To celebrate the International Year of Languages, UNESCO invites governments, United Nations organizations, civil society organizations, educational institutions, professional associations and all other stakeholders to increase their own activities to promote and protect all languages, particularly endangered languages, in all individual and collective contexts.

To facilitate partnership and monitoring, a communication tools kit is available, as well as a list of possible action fields and a list of the projects currently undertaken in the framework of the International Year of Languages. To submit your project to the list, please fill in the project outline form.