Vol. 22 No. 3 (2013): Nordic Journal of African Studies
Back Issues

Grammatical and Lexical Comparison of the Greater Ruvu Bantu Languages

PDF
  • Malin Petzell,
  • Harald Hammarström
Malin Petzell
University of Gothenburg
Harald Hammarström
Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
Nordic Journal of African Studies
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53228/njas.v22i3.159

Published 2013-09-30

How to Cite

Petzell, M., & Hammarström, H. (2013). Grammatical and Lexical Comparison of the Greater Ruvu Bantu Languages. Nordic Journal of African Studies, 22(3), 29. https://doi.org/10.53228/njas.v22i3.159

Abstract

This article discusses lexical and grammatical comparison and sub-grouping in a set of closely related Bantu language varieties in the Morogoro region, Tanzania. The Greater Ruvu Bantu language varieties include Kagulu [G12], Zigua [G31], Kwere [G32], Zalamo [G33], Nguu [G34], Luguru [G35], Kami [G36] and Kutu [G37]. The comparison is based on 27 morphophonological and morphosyntactic parameters, a lexicon of 500 items and the speakers’ self-assessment of linguistic similarity. In order to determine the relationships and boundaries between the varieties, grammatical phenomena constitute a valuable complement to counting the number of identical words or cognates. We have used automated cognate judgment methods, as well as manual cognate judgments based on older sources, in order to compare lexical data. Finally, we have included speaker attitudes (i.e. self- assessment) in an attempt to map whether the languages that are perceived by speakers as being linguistically similar really are closely related.

PDF