Lexical change: a case of the Hehe language

IF 0.4 0 LANGUAGE & LINGUISTICS

South African Journal of African Languages Pub Date : 2023-05-04 DOI:10.1080/02572117.2023.2248746

Ernest Mapunda, Chrispina Alphonce

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Abstract

AbstractThe article reports the results on the lexical change in Hehe, grounded in substratum theory. This exploration focused on the extent of lexical change. The qualitative data were collected in Kilolo District through reversetranslation and documentary-review methods. Forty-eight purposively selected informants were asked to interpret 120 lists of words and 10 phrases written in both English and Kiswahili. The qualitative analysis of the data, using descriptions, informants’ quotations and tables, revealed continuous lexical change in Hehe through time. The changes are both swift and sluggish. The results revealed that the Hehe language has undergone lexical borrowing, loss, replacement, maintenance and the change of meaning. The data obtained also revealed that lexical change is as a result of language contact. The non-linguistic factors are corrosion of generational transmission of the language, deterioration of socialisation intervals between elders and youths, education, and the advancement of science and technology. Every identified lexical change was classified based on its lexical class and other patterns. The lexical class with the highest number of affected items was the nouns. The authors opine that lexical change in Hehe language has been strongly affected by Kiswahili, the national language, as well as Bena and Kinga, the languages of neighbouring ethnic groups.

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词汇变化:以禾语为例

摘要本文以基础理论为基础，报道了河河语词汇变化的研究结果。这一探索的重点是词汇变化的程度。通过逆向翻译和文献回顾的方法收集了基洛洛地区的定性数据。有目的挑选的48名被调查者被要求解释用英语和斯瓦希里语写的120个单词和10个短语。对资料进行定性分析，采用描述、举报人引用和表格等方法，揭示了河文词汇随时间的持续变化。这种变化既迅速又缓慢。结果表明，鹤和语经历了词汇的借用、流失、替换、维持和意义的变化。获得的数据还表明，词汇的变化是语言接触的结果。非语言因素是语言代际传承的腐蚀、老年人和年轻人之间社会化间隔的恶化、教育和科学技术的进步。每一个确定的词汇变化都是根据其词汇类和其他模式进行分类的。受影响词汇数量最多的词汇类是名词。作者认为，赫赫语的词汇变化受到民族语言斯瓦希里语以及邻近民族的贝纳语和金加语的强烈影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

South African Journal of African Languages LANGUAGE & LINGUISTICS-

CiteScore

0.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： The South African Journal of African Languages is a peer-reviewed research journal devoted to the advancement of African (Bantu) and Khoi-San languages and literatures. Papers, book reviews and polemic contributions of a scientific nature in any of the core areas of linguistics, both theoretical (e.g. syntax, phonology, semantics) and applied (e.g. sociolinguistic topics, language teaching, language policy), and literature, based on original research in the context of the African languages, are welcome. The journal is the official mouthpiece of the African Language Association of Southern Africa (ALASA), established in 1979.