English in Tanzania: A linguistic cultural perspective

Charles Bwenge

doi:10.12681/ijltic.18

Abstract

Talking about ‘English in Tanzania’ or what Schneider (2007) has in general categorized as postcolonial English for that matter instantaneously evokes notions pertaining to language contact as well as the fi eld of contact linguistics. It was the British colonization of East African territories in the fi rst half of the 20th century that brought English into the region and consequently set off the contact process with indigenous local languages that would subsequently shape and defi ne the dynamics of linguistic culture as still observed today. Of particular interest is the contact and subsequent coexistence between English and Swahili especially in Tanzania. There is no any country in sub-Saharan Africa other than Tanzania that provides a perfect illustration of the dynamics of language contact in the 20th century and beyond between a European language and an indigenous African language in the African setting – to the extent that a story of ‘English in Tanzania’ would blatantly appear incomplete without bringing in a story of ‘Swahili in Tanzania’ and vice versa. This is exactly what this paper has assigned itself to do – examining a linguistic culture that has evolved in a particular time and space with English and Swahili occupying the center. Nevertheless, the literature on the topic abounds; only that its linguistic cultural dimension has not been privileged enough. Linguistic culture encompasses dynamics related to language contact phenomena such as lexical and grammatical borrowings, code-mixing, bilingualism, language shift, development of pidgins and creoles, attitudes toward languages, linguistic stereotypes and prejudices, and the like. Contact linguistics as an analytical tool pertaining to the structural aspects of bilingual language production is not marginalized in linguistic cultural approach but rather it is highlighted in order to provide concrete evidence on the cultural dimension. In this regard, ‘English in Tanzania’ is explored by contextualizing it within the parameters of the dynamics of Tanzanian linguistic cultural landscape. Specifi cally the paper outlines the dynamics of Tanzanian linguistic culture evolving around the English language, of course, alongside Swahili in terms of distinct political periods between the British colonial era and today’s era of globalization; second, it concentrates on actual language use and related public discourse as observed in public space; third, it demonstrates communicative creativity arising from the coexistence between English and Swahili and, fi nally, it concludes with recapitulation regarding the signifi cance of linguistic cultural approach to sociolinguistics explorations.

Highlights

W hile language contact could be as old as human history and research into its related phenomena has been on the linguistic agenda as long as linguistics exists, there is a general consensus in the field that only the last two decades or so have witnessed an intensification of this research – the factor which is attributed to the intensified globalization processes (Hasselblat, et al 2011; Blommaert 2010; Coupland 2010; Clyne 2003)
The Institute of Kiswahili Research founded in 1964 in succession of the East African Inter-territorial Language Committee (ILC) was integrated into the University of Dar es Salaam in 1970 as its research organ responsible for researching and dissemination of research findings that pertain to Swahili phonology, morphology, syntax, lexicon, literature, sociolinguistics, and culture
The story of English in Tanzania provides a perfect illustration regarding linguistic cultural dynamics emanating from language contact

Summary

Introduction

W hile language contact could be as old as human history and research into its related phenomena has been on the linguistic agenda as long as linguistics exists, there is a general consensus in the field that only the last two decades or so have witnessed an intensification of this research – the factor which is attributed to the intensified globalization processes (Hasselblat, et al 2011; Blommaert 2010; Coupland 2010; Clyne 2003). Clyne (2003:1) provides the most insightful nature of the field that: language contact is a multidimensional, multidisciplinary field in which interrelationships hold the key to the understanding of how and why people use language/s the way they do. This includes interrelations between the structural linguistic, sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic; between typology and language use; between macroand microdimensions; between variations and change.... A linguistic cultural perspective emphasizes viewing a community of users of language(s) as existing in time and space – a political space that has evolved over a specific period of time in which a linguistic culture evolves with socio-political and economic changes

Dynamics of linguistic culture: an historical overview

The British colonial era and the advent of the English language

The Swahilization project: a linguistic-political landmark

English in secondary education

The demise of the ujamaa and rebounding of English in Tanzania

English-medium versus Swahili-medium schooling in Tanzania

The outcome

English and Swahili: a source of communicative innovations

Conclusion