Language Shift or Maintenance? A Sociolinguistic Analysis of the Ilwana Language of Tana River County

Abstract

Tana River County is home to a number of Bantu and Cushitic speech communities. The dominant groups are the Pokomo and the Orma, while other groups include the Waata/Sanye, Wardei, Ilwana/Malakote, Dahalo, Munyo-yaya, and some Somalis. Of significant interest to this study is the Ilwana language, which incorporates a unique linguistic blend of the Bantu and Cushitic languages. This paper presents research findings about the extent to which the Ilwana language has undergone language shift or maintenance. It focuses on Ilwana proficiency, the domain use of this language, and sociolinguistic indicators about language shift and/or maintenance. Findings suggest that the Ilwana language is gradually shifting towards Kiswahili, and that it is predominantly used at home and in a few communal gatherings and events. The results further reveal that there are significant linguistic similarities (cognates) with the neighbouring Pokomo and the Cushitic Orma languages. Some of the lexical items also show signification correlation with certain Kiswahili words. Lexical borrowing, language transfer and code-switching are thus considered clear indicators of the linguistic blending that characterises the many decades of language contact between the Ilwana and other Tana River ethnic groups. In this sense, this paper argues that indigenous languages demand greater documentation as they play a fundamental role in promoting cultural preservation, collective and individual identity, and regional and national cohesion.