Is Tanzania diglossic? The status and role of ethnic community languages

Abstract

This paper argues that the relationship between Kiswahili and ethnic community languages in Tanzania is not diglossic. The first part considers the definitions and redefinitions of diglossia and how they describe the Tanzanian sociolinguistic profile. The second part considers language policy in Tanzania and its implications, especially for the coexistence of Kiswahili and ethnic community languages. The third part argues that some of the basic tenets of diglossia and its redefinitions—such as functional specialisation, the High/Low distinction, the harmonious coexistence of the languages and the stability of the sociolinguistic profile—do not apply to the relationship between Kiswahili and other languages in Tanzania. The final part proposes the use of another term to describe the relationship.