Linguistic Marginalization - Understanding the Process and Effects on Developmental Capabilities

The project is a sociolinguistic study that investigates language use from a development perspective, with a central aim of identifying the reasons behind code-switching, i.e. the alternation between Ngoni and Swahili, in the Ruvuma Region in southwestern Tanzania. In a language contact situation with the high status official language Swahili, a main question is if the Ngoni people no longer can express themselves adequately in Ngoni, - that is if the alternation between the two languages is used to fill linguistic gaps and achieving discursive aims, or if it expresses the shaping of identity.

In the recordings rural Ngoni farmers voice their ideas about their cultural heritage, with a special focus on attitudes towards Ngoni culture and cultural changes. The recordings deal with value systems, rituals, taboos and traditions, and naming traditions.

The data consists of 36 sound recordings in Ngoni with totally 27 informants/participants who are all bilingual in Ngoni and Swahili. The participants live in two villages outside Songea in the Ruvuma Region of Tanzania, Mhepai and Peramiho B. The

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The project is a sociolinguistic study that investigates language use from a development perspective, with a central aim of identifying the reasons behind code-switching, i.e. the alternation between Ngoni and Swahili, in the Ruvuma Region in southwestern Tanzania. In a language contact situation with the high status official language Swahili, a main question is if the Ngoni people no longer can express themselves adequately in Ngoni, - that is if the alternation between the two languages is used to fill linguistic gaps and achieving discursive aims, or if it expresses the shaping of identity.

In the recordings rural Ngoni farmers voice their ideas about their cultural heritage, with a special focus on attitudes towards Ngoni culture and cultural changes. The recordings deal with value systems, rituals, taboos and traditions, and naming traditions.

The data consists of 36 sound recordings in Ngoni with totally 27 informants/participants who are all bilingual in Ngoni and Swahili. The participants live in two villages outside Songea in the Ruvuma Region of Tanzania, Mhepai and Peramiho B. The sound recordings are 9 focus group recordings and 27 interviews with the participants of the focus group discussions. All participants have given their consent.

The focus group recordings are totally about 6 hours. The 9 focus groups were: 15 young persons between 15–20 years old (6 boys and 3 girls from Peramiho B and 3 boys and 3 girls from Mhepai), and 12 persons above the age of 60 (3 women and 3 men from Peramiho B and 3 women and 3 men from Mhepai).
All focus group recordings are transcribed and translated into Swahili and English. Code switching to Swahili is marked in bold, even in transcriptions and translations. The interviews were conducted in Swahili, sometimes with parts in ngoni, if needed. The English translations of the interviews are found in the data set, as well as the recordings in Swahili.

Each participant has additionally been interviewed after the focus group recording. The qualitative interviews with the 27 informants between the ages of 18 and 77 (13 hours of recordings in total) were conducted in Swahili by the researcher and a Tanzanian assistant. The recordings were conducted in August- September 2014.

A metadata sheet with anonymised participants is attached. The metadata consists among other of age, sex, educational level and profession. Additionally, information about the participants' bilingualism, as well as their self-estimation of proficiency in Swahili is given.

Background information about the area and participants:
The Ngoni speaking area is situated between Tanzania’s Mozambican border and
Lake Nyasa, around 1000 km from Dar es Salaam. See map. The area is rather isolated with poor roads. The village of Peramiho B is bigger and more urban than Mhepai, which is remote with hardly any vehicles for transport. Although Peramiho B has a more central and urban location, the living conditions in both villages are similar. People have no electricity, except for an occasional solar panel, and people living in the area are typically subsistence farmers growing maize and other crops. The informants were all farmers, except for 6 young people, from Peramiho B (2 motorcyclists transporting people, 2 masons, I technician and 1 nurse). This lifestyle in the villages implies hard work six days a week. People go to their farming plots in the morning and return at sundown. The villages only have some market stalls and outdoor bars where villagers meet to chat and drink local beer.

Purpose:

The project is a sociolinguistic study that investigates language use from a development perspective, with a central aim of identifying the reasons behind code-switching, i.e. the alternation between Ngoni and Swahili, in the Ruvuma Region in southwestern Tanzania. In a language contact situation with the high status official language Swahili, a main question is if the Ngoni people no longer can express themselves adequately in Ngoni, - that is if the alternation between the two languages is used to fill linguistic gaps and achieving discursive aims, or if it expresses the shaping of identity.

In the recordings rural Ngoni farmers voice their ideas about their cultural heritage, with a special focus on attitudes towards Ngoni culture and cultural changes. The recordings deal with value systems, rituals, taboos and traditions, and naming traditions.

The data consists of 36 sound recordings in Ngoni with totally 27 informants/participants who are all bilingual in Ngoni and Swahili. The participants live in two villages outside Songea in the Ruvuma Region of Tanzania, Mhepai and Peramiho B. The sound recordings are 9 focus group recordings and 27 interviews with the participants of the focus group discussions. All participants have given their consent.

The focus group recordings are totally about 6 hours. The 9 focus groups were: 15 young persons between 15–20 years old (6 boys and 3 girls from Peramiho B and 3 boys and 3 girls from Mhepai), and 12 persons above the age of 60 (3 women and 3 men from Peramiho B and 3 women and 3 men from Mhepai).
All focus group recordings are transcribed and translated into Swahili and English. Code switching to Swahili is marked in bold, even in transcriptions and translations. The interviews were conducted in Swahili, sometimes with parts in ngoni, if needed. The English translations of the interviews are found in the data set, as well as the recordings in Swahili.

Each participant has additionally been interviewed after the focus group recording. The qualitative interviews with the 27 informants between the ages of 18 and 77 (13 hours of recordings in total) were conducted in Swahili by the researcher and a Tanzanian assistant. The recordings were conducted in August- September 2014.

A metadata sheet with anonymised participants is attached. The metadata consists among other of age, sex, educational level and profession. Additionally, information about the participants' bilingualism, as well as their self-estimation of proficiency in Swahili is given.

Background information about the area and participants:
The Ngoni speaking area is situated between Tanzania’s Mozambican border and
Lake Nyasa, around 1000 km from Dar es Salaam. See map. The area is rather isolated with poor roads. The village of Peramiho B is bigger and more urban than Mhepai, which is remote with hardly any vehicles for transport. Although Peramiho B has a more central and urban location, the living conditions in both villages are similar. People have no electricity, except for an occasional solar panel, and people living in the area are typically subsistence farmers growing maize and other crops. The informants were all farmers, except for 6 young people, from Peramiho B (2 motorcyclists transporting people, 2 masons, I technician and 1 nurse). This lifestyle in the villages implies hard work six days a week. People go to their farming plots in the morning and return at sundown. The villages only have some market stalls and outdoor bars where villagers meet to chat and drink local beer. Show less..