The Kemantney Language: A Sociolinguistic and Grammatical Study of Language Replacement

330 Pages·2000·17.015 MB·

by  Leyew, Zelealem

THE KEMANTNEY LANGUAGE:
A SOCIOLINGUISTIC AND GRAMMATICAL
STUDY OF LANGUAGE REPLACEMENT
A DISSERTATION
SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES OF
ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN LINGUISTICS
ZELEALEM LEYEW TEMESGEN
OCTOBER, 2000
ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
THE KEMANTNEY LANGUAGE: A SOCIOLINGUSITC AND GRAMMATICAL STUDY
OF LANGUAGE REPLACEMENT
BY
ZELEALEM LEYEW
Approved by: Name and Signature of Members of the E
^-7
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A number of individuals have contributed for the successful completion of this study. I
would like to gratefully acknowledge with sincere appreciation the guidance of my
supervisors, Prof. Bernd Heine and Prof. Baye Yimam. Their close reading and profound
comments contributed in various ways to have the dissertation in its present shape. Prof.
Heine’s boundless help ranges from facilitating my scholarship to providing me all-rounded
unforgettable assistance during my stay in Cologne. As his student, Prof. Baye has introduced
me to linguistics, influenced me to develop interest in it and directed me the ways how to
become a linguist.
I wish to thank Prof. H.-J. Sasse, Prof. G. J. Dimmendaal and Dr. Orin Gensler for their
valuable comments and suggestions in spite of their several and more pressing commitments. I
am especially indebted to Dr. David Appleyard for placing his materials on Agaw languages
available at my disposal and for his valuable comments on the first draft of the dissertation. I
thank all members of the Institute of African Studies of the University of Cologne for their
consistent help while I was with them.
I cannot mention all the Kemant people who have shown their brotherly and parental
affection during my fieldwork. I thank them all. There are two persons, however, who must be
specifically mentioned: Womber Muluneh Mersha and W/ro Yelfign Mekete who were
outstanding informants and care-takers. I thank all students and teachers of the Aykel Senior
Secondary School who were friendly and co-operative. Teachers Yeshiwas Mesfin and
Kefyalew Mamo and Ato Nega Getu deserve special gratitude for their all-rounded assistance.
I am most grateful to my friend Meseret Abeje for taking care of my family during my
absence. He has been a friend in need and a friend indeed.
Last, but by no means least, I wish to express my deep appreciation to my wife, Serawit
Tekeba, whose unfailing and consistent help has a special place in this study. Her forbearance
and assistance contributed in no small measure for the completion of this dissertation at the
right time. It would have been extremely difficult for me to finish this study without her
untiring encouragement and the involvement of her expert’s knowledge in statistics and
computers. I thank our daughter Edilawit Zelealem for her patience of a father whose study
took him away from home for a relatively long time.
Finally, I take this opportunity to acknowledge with deep sense of gratitude the Deutsche
Akademische Austauschdienst (DAAD) for the unfailing financial support from the beginning
to the end of my study. Their authentic support has enabled me to conduct two field-trips
which resulted in a treasure of data of an endangered language. Their contribution is not only
limited to the completion of this dissertation but also to the documentation of the language.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER
1.1 Theoretical Framework 1
1.1.1 Language Death: Definition 1
1.1.2 Types of Language Obsolescence 3
1.1.3 Levels of Language Obsolescence 4
1.1.4 Causes of Language Obsolescence 5
1.1.5 Language and Ethnicity 7
1.1.6 The Semi-speaker 8
1.1.7 Sociolinguistic vs. Linguistic Change 9
1.1.8 Approaches of Language Obsolescence Studies 17
1.2 Methodology 19
1.3 Significance of the Study 20
1.4 The Present Study 23
1.5 The Related Literature 23
1.6 The Informants: Some Background Information 24
CHAPTER TWO: THE HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE EXTERNAL
SETTING
2.1 Introduction 28
2.1.1 The People 29
2.1.2 The Language 3 0
2.2 Causes of the Shift from Kemantney to Amharic 32
2.2.1 The Strategic Nature of Chilga and Gondar 32
2.2.2 The Sensitive Nature of Chilga as a Zone of Contention 36
2.2.3 The Spread of Christianity and the Introduction of Modem Education 37
2.2.4 Political Involvement and Intermarriage 39
2.2.5 The Movement of the Falasha to Israel 43
2.2.6 The Stigma of the Name Kemant 46
2.2.7 The Geographical Location of the Kemant Land 51
2.2.8 Religious Conversion, the Prime Cause 53
CHAPTER THREE: THE SOCIOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE SPEECH
BEHAVIOR
3.0 Introduction 61
3.1 Demographic Information 62
3.1.1 Number of Respondents (Sample Size) 62
3.1.2 Sex 62
3.1.3 Age 63
3.1.4 Educational Background 63
3.1.5 Place of Birth and Residence 64
3.1.6 The Linguistic Repertoire 64
3.1.7 Occupation 65
3.2 Language Use 65
3.2.1 Generational Comparison of Mother-Tongue 65
3.2.2 Bilingualism and Bilinguals 69
3.2.3 Proficient Speakers 71
3.2.4 Spheres of Usage 75
3.3. Language Attitude 79
3.3.1 Attitude towards Amharic 80
3.3.2 Attitude towards Kemantney 81
3.4 Language and Identity 87
3.4.1 The Kemant identity and Religion 87
3.4.2 Manifestations of Identity 88
3.5 Revival (Prospects) 94
CHAPTER FOUR: THE LEXICON
4.0 Introduction 104
4.1 Vocabulary Test 107
4.2 Words with Different Equivalents (Semantic Collapse) 108
4.3 Lexical Accommodation 110
4.3.1 Borrowing 110
4.3.1.1 Direct Borrowing 111
4.3.1.2 Borrowing with Modification 113
4.3.1.2.1 Morphological Modification (Stem Borrowing) 113
4.3.1.2.2 Phonological Modifications 114
4.3.1.2.2.1 Unpredictable Sound Modification 114
4.3.1.2.2.2 Predictable Sound Modification 116
4.3.2 Semantic Load (Polysemy) 118
4.3.3 Semantic Shift 119
4.3.4 Coinage of New Words 119
4.4. Parts of Speech 120
4.4.1 Verbs 120
4.4.2 Nouns 123
4.4.2.1 Action Nominals 123
4.4.2.2 Abstract Nominals 124
4.4.2.3 Agent Nominals 124
4.4.3 Adjectives 125
4.4.4 Other Parts of Speech and Elements of Discourse 127
4.5 Names of Persons, Places, Rivers and Mountains 134
4.5.1 Proper Names 134
4.5.2 Names of Places 135
4.5.3 Names of Rivers 137
4.5.4 Names of Mountains 137
4.6 The Rate of Loss and Retention of the Parts of Speech 139
4.7 Areas of Lexical Resistance and Loss 141
CHAPTER FIVE: THE DESCRIPTION OF THE STRUCTURAL
CONSEQUENCES: PHONOLOGY, MORPHOLOGY AND
SYNTAX
5.0 Introduction 148
5.1 Phonology 151
5.1.1 Segments 151
5.1.1.1 Consonants 151
5.1.1.1.1 Phonetic Inventory 151
5.1.1.1.2 Positions of Occurrence 152
5.1.1.1.2.1 Stops 152
5.1.1.1.2.2 Labialized Consonants 153
5.1.1.1.2.3 Fricatives 154
5.1.1.1.2.4 Affricates 155
5.1.1.1.2.5 Nasals 156
5.1.1.1.2.6 Ejectives 157
5.1.1.1.2.7 Liquids 158
5.1.1.1.2.8 Semi-vowels 158
5.1.1.1.3 Minimal and Near-Minimal Pairs 158
5.1.1.1.4 The Phonemic Inventory
5.1.1.2 Vowels 160
5.1.1.2.1 The Vowel Inventory 160
5.1.1.2.2 Occurrence of Vowels 160
5.1.1.2.3 Minimal and Near-Minimal Pairs 161
5.1.1.3 Suprasegmentals 161
5.1.1.3.1 Gemination 161
5.1.1.4 The Syllable Structure 162
5.1.1.5 Phonotactics 163
5.1.1.6 Morphophonemic Processes 166
5.1.1.6.1 Insertion 166
5.1.1.6.2 Deletion 166
5.1.1.6.3 Vowel Change 167
5.1.1.6.4 Consonantal Change (Devoicing) 167
5.1.1.6.5 Assimilation 167
5.2 Morphology 170
5.2.1 Pronouns 170
5.2.1.1 Subject Personal Pronouns 170
5.2.1.1.1 Terminal Speakers and the Subject Pronouns 174
5.2.1.2 Object Pronouns 174
5.2.1.2.1 Terminal Speakers and Object Pronouns 175
5.2.1.3 Possessive Pronouns 176
5.2.1.3.1 The Independent Possessive Pronouns 176
5.2.1.3.1.1 Terminal Speakers and Independent
Possessive Pronouns 177
5.2.1.3.2 The Bound Possessive Pronouns 178
5.2.1.3.2.1 Terminal Speakers and Bound Possessive
Pronouns 179
5.2.1.4 Demonstratives and Deictic Pronouns 180
5.2.1.4.1 Terminal Speakers and Demonstratives 181
5.2.1.5 Reflexive Pronouns 182
5.2.1.5.1 Terminal Speakers and Reflexive Pronouns 182
5.2.2 The Verb 184
5.2.2.1 The Stem 184
5.2.2.2 Verb Conjugation 185
5.2.2.2.1 Verb Inflections 185
5.2.2.2.1.1 Person, Number and Gender Inflections 185
5.2.2.2.2 Terminal Speakers and the Verb Conjugation 188
5.2.23 The Verb to‘be’ 191
5.2.2.4 Tense and Aspect 193
5.2.2.4.1 The Perfect Aspect 194
5.2.2.4.1.1 The Simple Past 194
5.2.2.4.1.2 The Present Perfect 194
5.2.2.4.13 The Remote Past 196
5.2.2.4.2 The Imperfective Aspect 196
5.2.2.4.2.1 The Present/Future 196
5.2.2.4.2.2 The Progressive (Durative) 197
5.2.2.43 Terminal Speakers and the Tense/Aspect Marking 197
5.2.2.5 Verbal Extensions 198
5.2.2.5.1 The Passive 198
5.2.2.5.1.1 Terminal Speakers and the Passive 199
5.2.2.5.2 The Causative 200
5.2.2.5.2.1 Terminal Speakers and the Causative 201
5.2.2.53 The Adjutative 202
5.2.2.53.1 Terminal Speakers and the Adjutative 203
5.2.2.5.4 The Frequentative 203
5.2.2.5.4.1 Terminal Speakers and the Frequentative 204
5.2.2.5.5 The Reciprocal 205
5.2.2.5.5.1 Terminal Speakers and the Reciprocity 206
5.2.2.5.6 Emphatic 208
5.2.2.6 Mood 209
5.2.2.6.1 The Gerundive 209
5.2.2.6.1.1 Terminal Speakers and the Gerundive 211
5.2.2.6.2 The Jussive 212
5.2.2.6.2.1 Terminal Speakers and the Jussive 213
5.2.2.63 The Imperative 213
5.2.2.63.1 Terminal Speakers and the Imperative 214
5.2.2.6.4 The Conditional 215
5.2.2.6.4.1 Terminal Speakers and the Conditional 216
5.2.2.7 The Interrogative 218
5.2.2.7.1 Terminal Speakers and the Interrogative 221
5.2.2.8 The Negation 221
5.2.2.8.1 Terminal speakers and the Negation 224
5.2.2.9 Embedded Verbs 224
5.2.2.9.1 The Relative Paradigm 224
5.2.2.9.1.1 Terminal Speakers and the Relative Verb 225
5.2.2.9.2 The Subordinator /-ija/ 226
5.2.2.93 The Subordinator/-ti’z/ 227
5.2.2.9.4 The Subordinator /-rjw/ 227
5.2.3 The Noun 228
5.2.3.1 Gender 228
5.2.3.2 Number 229
5.2.3.2.1 Plural Marking 229
5.2.3.2.1.1 Terminal Speakers and the Plural Forms 232
5.2.3.2.2 Numerals 234
5.2.3.2.2.1 Cardinal Numerals 234
5.2.3.2.2.1.1 The Tens 234
5.2.3.2.2.1.2 The Hundreds 236
5.2.3.2.2.1.3 The Thousands 236
5.2.3.2.2.2 Ordinal Numerals 237
5.2.3.3 The Case System 238
5.2.3.3.1 Nominative Case 238
5.2.3.3.1.1 Terminal Speakers and the Nominative Case 240
5.2.3.3.2 Accusative Case 240
5.2.3.3.2.1 Terminal Speakers and the Accusative Case 242
5.2.3.3.3 Genitive Case 242
5.2.3.3.3.1 Terminal Speakers and the Genitive Case 244
5.2.3.3.4 Oblique Case 245
5.2.3.4 Nominal Derivation 246
5.2.3.4.1 Infinitival Nominal 246
5.2.3.4.1.1 Terminal Speakers and the Infinitive 248
5.2.3.4.2 Agentive Nominal 248
5.2.3.4.2.1 Terminal Speakers and the Agentive Nominal 249
5.2.3.4.3 Abstract Nominal 249
5.2.4 Adverbs 250
5.2.4.1 Terminal speakers and the Adverb 250
5.2.5 Question Words 251
5.2.5.1 Terminal speakers and Question Words 252
5.3 Word Order 253
5.3.1 Simple Sentences 253
5.4 The Noun Phrase 254
5.5 Embedded Clauses 256
5.6 Connectives 259
CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION 265
REFERENCE
APPENDIX 1
APPENDIX 2
APPENDIX 3
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
ACC Accusative OCC Occupation
ADV Adverb P Postposition
ADJ Adjective PASS Passive
AG Agent PB Place of Birth
Amh/A. Amharic Pe Peasant
ATS Active Terminal Speaker PL Plural
AUX Auxiliary POL Polite
B Bilin POSS Possessive
BEN Benefactive PP Postpositional Phrase
BL Borrowed Lexicon PR Place of Residence
COND Conditional PROG Progressive
CAUS Causative PS Past
COM Comitative PTS Passive Terminal Speaker
COMP Comparison P(W) Peasant (Widow)
DIR Directional R Rural
F Female/Feminine RDL Replaced Language
GEN Genitive Re Religion
GER Gerundive RED Reduplication
Ge Government Employee REL Relative
H Hybrid Ret Retention
IF Indigenous Form RGL Replacing Language
IL Indigenous Lexicon S Sex
IMP Imperfect SG Singular
IMR Imperative SUB Subordinator
INF Infinitive TS Terminal Speaker
IMPV Imperative U Urban
JUS Jussive V Verb
Kem/K Kemantney Vd Voiced
M Male/Masculine VI Voiceless
MAL Malefactive VP Verb Phrase
w
MT Mother Tongue Widow
N Noun X Xamt’arja
NEG Negative
NOM Nominative
NP Noun Phrase