The purpose of this study was to investigate how African heritage language learners in Grade 3 constructed their language identity in a culturally diverse urban classroom. The data reflects the Grade 3 learners’ beliefs and feelings toward being educated in an English-medium school instead of attending a school where they were taught in their home language. A theoretical framework, based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system informed my study. The framework provides a holistic picture of how the Grade 3 learners constructed their language identity, as it did not only focus on the learners as such. The ecological system examined the unique aspects of the learners within their microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem and chronosystem. In this exploration of multiple cases studies from a social constructivism perspective, the researcher collaborated with two Grade 3 teachers, seven parents and six Grade 3 African heritage language learners, to create a mosaic by using semi-structured interviews, documents, observational field notes, narrative reflections, photographs, drawings and a reflective journal. Participants’ perceptions of attending an English-medium school revealed how the Grade 3 learners constructed their language identity through assimilation. The findings revealed that the Grade 3 participants did not favour their home language or heritage culture as much as they favoured the Western culture. The following factors influenced the construction of the Grade 3 learners’ language identity: their environments, the school setting, their teachers’ attitude toward teaching in a culturally diverse classroom, their parents’ attitude toward their attending an English-medium school and lastly their friends. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Early Childhood Education / MEd / Unrestricted

In 2001, an estimated 50 Indigenous languages were spoken in California, USA; none had more than 100 speakers. Through statewide efforts by Indigenous language workers and their allies, revitalization strategies have since proliferated, many highlighting immersion learning and linguistic documentation. In their homeland in Tehachapi, California, two fluent Elders and five learner/teachers designed this study as co-researchers to reflect on the effects of strategies we had implemented to support new speakers of nuwä abigip (Kawaiisu), a polysynthetic Uto-Aztecan language. Our community-based team used methods of dialogic inquiry including the conversational method and a graphic language mapping technique. We videotaped remembered stories of our varied language acquisition experiences, focusing especially on the 15 years after community language revitalization was initiated. The collection of videotaped narratives and the graphic language maps were analyzed to understand how the new adult second-language speakers believed our learning experiences had enabled us to use nuwä abigip. Co-researchers remembered nuwä abigip competencies believed to have been gained though a sequence of strategies, some overlapping, that featured immersion learning complemented by linguistic analysis. Common patterns in language development were explored, especially as they related to learners’ unfolding understanding of the language’s rich morphology. The team concluded the study by reflecting on how the two research methods of dialogic inquiry had aided them in expressing the culmination of their experiences. / Graduate

Language planning and policy formulation is a complex exercise. The purpose of this research was to explore and expose the challenges of language planning and policy formulation in Africa, with specific reference to Zimbabwe as the case study. To carry out the study, critical stages, approaches, theories and models of language planning were used. This analysis further established the attitudes of indigenous communities towards the use of indigenous languages in major domains of life. The study revealed the dilemma African Governments face in ‘officializing’ indigenous languages. The study proposes that in a multilingual nation like Zimbabwe, there is strong need to provide legal recognition to African languages as both official and national languages within Zimbabwe’s constitution. The research comprises six chapters. The conclusion restates the problem identified at the beginning and summarizes the findings. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)

This dissertation is a comprehensive description of the grammar of Sierra Popoluca (SP, aka Soteapanec), a Mixe-Zoquean language spoken by approximately 28,000 people in Veracruz, Mexico. This grammar begins with an introduction to the language, its language family, a typological overview of the language, a brief history of my fieldwork, and the methodology undertaken in this study. The grammar continues with a description of the phonology of SP, followed by an overview of the word classes, including verbs, nouns, relational nouns/postpositions, adjectives, adverbs, and numbers, and formative types. The bulk of this grammar is devoted to the morphosyntax of Sierra Popoluca, including nouns and nominal morphology, verbs and verbal morphology, and the mechanisms for expressing tense, aspect, mood, and modality. The grammar also describes the complex predicate formation strategies and sentence-level syntax. A compilation of interlinearized texts appears in the appendix. Sierra Popoluca is an agglutinating, polysynthetic, head-marking language with a complex verbal system. It has ergative-absolutive alignment and its grammar is sensitive to animacy and saliency hierarchies, evident in the case marking and `split' plural systems. Its constituent order is verb-initial, although word order is pragmatically determined. Sierra Popoluca has a number of strategies to form complex predicates, which include verb serialization, noun incorporation, and dependent verb constructions. The data available in this grammar contributes a body of data and descriptive analysis to broad theoretical areas of linguistics as well as existing research on the Mixe-Zoquean language family, languages throughout Mesoamerica, and especially the Gulf branch of the Zoquean family. / text

Submitted by Rosivalda Pereira (mrs.pereira@ufma.br) on 2017-06-13T19:19:18Z No. of bitstreams: 1 EdsonPereira.pdf: 2711659 bytes, checksum: ba8a70353cbf78b60434a5fb7efc06b7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-13T19:19:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 EdsonPereira.pdf: 2711659 bytes, checksum: ba8a70353cbf78b60434a5fb7efc06b7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-04-20 / The occupation of determined physical space by the human being and the need of localization in the geographic space perform that the man names spaces, ensuring his survival. So, by means of toponymic studies, knowledge which composes the Onomastic, it is verified the relationship established between the naming and culture and the history. The Toponymy occupies it studies in the names of places, cities, villages etc., besides of geographical elements. The research approaches the toponymy from the Brazilian State of Maranhão, specially focused in the hydronymia from indigenous origin related to the region comprised for the North Mesoregion from Maranhão that is located inside the hidrographic region of the western northest ocidental. This area, also known as Frente Litorânea de expansão do espaço maranhense, represents a dense water network (rivers, lakes, lagoons, streams, igarapes, swamps) that allowed/allows the displacement and the survival of the man in the Maranhão territory, as integrant part of the territory which belonged, in the eighteenth century, to the Maranhão Colonial State which possessed an indigenous population composed by 30 peoples, approximately 250.000 individuals, being one of the Brazilian centers with a huge density of indigenous speaks which belongs to two language trunks – Macro-jê and Tupi-Guarani or Macro-Tupi. Currently, Maranhão has an indigenous self-declared population of 37,272 individuals (IBGE, 2010). Considering this reality, we aim to delineate general trends of the Maranhão hydronymy, with emphasis on the names of indigenous origin that fall within the area delimited for this study. For collecting the data, we performed na indirect research in the public collection, intending to collect old maps, besides of research in documents and official sites, for the search of current maps. To the achievement of the corpus, it was realized the survey of: (i) the whole hydronymia of the mesoregion from the North of Maranhão, by means of current maps from IBGE and (ii) hydronymia in maps from the territoty of Maranhão from seventeenth, eihteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries and in works of chroniclers as Claude d’Abbeville, Yves d’Évreux and Frei Francisco de Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres Maranhão The studies of Dauzat (1926), Vasconcelos (1931), Dick (1990, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007), Isquerdo (2006, 2009, 2011), Seabra (2006, 2008, 2012), Isquerdo e Seabra (2010), Rosselló i Verger (2010) and Mujika Ulazia (2010) based this research. With this material we constitute the corpus of the research with: (i) current maps that are inserted in six microregions and total 60 municipalities in Maranhão and correspond to a total of 823 hydrographies, of which 233 are of indigenous origin (more specifically Tupi - LT), 551 (NE), and (ii) ancient maps whose data reveal a considerable indigenous presence in the Maranhão hydronymy of the region investigated. Some rather emblematic examples can be noticed in Itapecuru-Mirim, Icatu, Pindaré and Mearim. The data presented the phytotopyms and zootopony taxa of physical nature as the most recurrents, so that the influence of the environment (vegetables and animals) was significant on the nomination of the hydronymies collected. According to the data, it was possible to understand the relationship that the man establishes with the language, culture and environment, since the toponym, as a part of the lexicon of a language, reflects values and beliefs of a linguistic community. / A ocupação de determinado espaço físico pelo ser humano e a necessidade de se localizar no ambiente geográfico fazem com que o homem nomeie esses espaços, garantindo assim sua sobrevivência. Desse modo, por meio dos estudos toponímicos, área do conhecimento que compõe a Onomástica, verifica-se a relação que se estabelece entre o ato de nomear e a cultura e a história. A Toponímia se ocupa do estudo dos nomes de lugares, cidades, aldeias etc., além de elementos geográficos. Esta pesquisar se volta, portanto, para a toponímia maranhense, com foco precisamente na hidronímia de origem indígena relativa à região compreendida pela Mesorregião Norte Maranhense que se situa dentro da Região Hidrográfica do Atlântico Nordeste Ocidental, na parte maranhense. Essa área, também conhecida como Frente Litorânea de expansão do espaço maranhense, reúne uma densa rede hídrica (rios, lagos, lagoas, riachos, igarapés, brejos) que permitiu/permite o deslocamento e a sobrevivência do homem na região. O Maranhão, como parte integrante do território que pertenceu, no século XVIII, ao Estado Colonial do Maranhão, possuía uma população indígena formada por cerca de 30 povos, aproximadamente 250.000 indivíduos, sendo assim um dos centros brasileiros de maior densidade de falares indígenas pertencentes a dois troncos linguísticos – Macro-Jê e Tupi-Guarani ou Macro-Tupi. Atualmente o Maranhão conta com uma população autodeclarada indígena de 37.272 indivíduos (IBGE, 2010). Considerando essa realidade, objetivamos delinear tendências gerais da hidronímia maranhense, com ênfase nos nomes de origem indígena que se inserem na área delimitada para este estudo. Para coleta dos dados realizamos, pesquisa indireta, nos acervos públicos do Estado do Maranhão, com vista à recolha de mapas antigos. Ainda, em documentos e em sites oficiais, para a busca de mapas atuais. Para obtenção do corpus, foi realizado o levantamento de: (i) a hidronímia da Mesorregião Norte Maranhense, por meio de mapas atuais do IBGE (2010) e (ii) da hidronímia em mapas do território maranhense dos séculos XVII, XVIII, XIX e XX, e em trabalhos de cronistas, como Claude d’Abbeville, Yves d’Évreux e Frei Francisco de Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres Maranhão. Os estudos de Dauzat (1926), Vasconcelos (1931), Dick (1990, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007), Isquerdo (2006, 2009, 2011), Seabra (2006, 2008, 2012), Isquerdo e Seabra (2010), Rosselló i Verger (2010) e Mujika Ulazia (2010) fundamentaram esta pesquisa. Com esse material constituímos o corpus da pesquisa com: (i) mapas atuais que estão inseridos em seis microrregiões e somam 60 municípios maranhenses e corresponde a um total de 823 hidrônimos, sendo 233 de origem indígena (mais especificamente tupi – LT), 551 de origem portuguesa (LP) e 38 de origem desconhecida, que foram por nós considerados como não encontrados (NE), e (ii) mapas antigos cujos dados revelam uma considerável presença indígena na hidronímia maranhense da região investigada. Alguns exemplos bastante emblemáticos podem ser notados em Itapecuru-Mirim, Icatu, Pindaré e Mearim. Os dados ainda apresentaram as taxionomias Fitotopônimos e Zootopônimos, de natureza física, como as mais recorrentes. Desse modo a influência do ambiente (vegetais e animais) foi significante na nomeação dos hidrônimos coletados. Com base nesses dados, foi possível entender a relação que o homem estabelece com a língua, a cultura e o ambiente, uma vez que o topônimo, como parte do léxico de uma língua, reflete valores e crenças de uma comunidade linguística.

The research described in this thesis examines indigenous language usage in a digital library environment that has been accessed via the Internet. By examining discretionary use of the Māori Niupepa and Hawaiian Nūpepa digital libraries this research investigates how indigenous languages were used in these electronic environments in 2005. The results provide encouragement and optimism to people who are striving to retain, revitalise and develop the use of indigenous languages in information technologies. The Transaction Log Analysis (TLA) methods used in this research serve as an example of how web logs can be used to provide significant information about language usage in a bilingual online information system. Combining the TLA with user feedback has provided insights into how and why clients use indigenous languages in their information retrieval activities. These insights in turn, show good practice that is relevant not only to those working with indigenous languages, indigenous peoples or multilingual environments, but to all information technology designers who strive for universal usability. This thesis begins by describing the importance of using indigenous languages in electronic environments and suggests that digital libraries can provide an environment to support and encourage the use of such languages. TLA is explained in the context of this study and is then used to analyse aspects of te reo Māori usage in the Niupepa digital library environment in 2005. TLA also indicates that te reo Māori was used by international clients and this usage differed to te reo Māori usage by national (Aotearoa) clients. Findings further reveal that the default language setting of the Niupepa digital library had a considerable impact on te reo Māori usage. When the default language was set to te reo Māori not only were there more requests in te reo Māori but there was also a higher usage of te reo Māori in the information retrieval activities. TLA of the Hawaiian Nūpepa digital library indicated that the Hawaiian language was also used in a digital library. These results confirm that indigenous languages were used in digital library environments. Feedback from clients suggests reasons why indigenous languages were used in this environment. These reasons include the indigenous language content of the digital library, the indigenous language default language setting of the digital library and a stated desire by the clients to use the indigenous language. The key findings raise some interface design issues and support the claim that digital libraries can provide an environment to support the use of indigenous languages.

This dissertation, based on pilot research in the U.S. and Kenya in 2002 and fieldwork in two secondary schools in Kenya in 2004, has a twofold focus. First, it examines language ideologies of English, Kiswahili, and Kenya's 53 indigenous languages, in particular Gikuyu [Kikuyu], in the context of Kenyan discourses of nationalism, education, and development. Second, it shows how these language ideologies are contributing to the language endangerment of Kenya's indigenous languages.The stable trilingualism enjoyed by the parents of today's young Kenyans is not shared by their children. The research question that drove this dissertation was, Why are trilingual parents raising bilingual children? This dissertation seeks to answer that question by drawing on ethnographic observations, consultant interviews, and newspaper data from Kenya's largest newspapers, the Nation and the Standard. Rapid language shift, occurring in just the past 20 years in Kenya, has put even large languages like Gikuyu into an endangered status. A historically contextualized understanding of the reasons behind the shift is necessary in order for the trend to be reversed.

The Sahtúgot’ı̨nę have lived in the Sahtú Region around Great Bear Lake since time immemorial. Our Elders believe that spirituality is the foundation for our language, culture and worldview and that it is essential for our language and culture to be taught in the context of spirituality. This thesis provides a description and a definition of spirituality from the perspective of the Sahtúgot’ı̨nę, distinguishing spirituality from concepts such as worldview, culture and medicine power. In keeping with our traditional ways of preserving and transmitting knowledge to future generations, the paper relies heavily on stories passed on to us from our Elders. The paper elaborates on key concepts of Sahtúgot’ı̨nę spirituality. First, like human beings, all animals on this earth have a living spirit or bets’ı̨nę́. Other entities on this earth - plants and trees, the water and the wind - are also living beings with their own yǝ́dı́ı. Specific geographic sites with a special significance to the Sahtúgot’ı̨nę are also said to be yǝ́dı́ı. The other key concept is the existence of three dimensions of existence and their inter-relationship which is crucial to the understanding of Sahtúgot’ı̨nę spirituality. / Graduate

Nahuatl is one of the indigenous languages in Mexico that is at risk of falling out of use. The research in the last years have showed that this occurs due to the low amount of Nahuatl speakers and the social stigma and discrimination towards the indigenous peoples, among other factors.The studies of language attitudes are relevant when making attempts to revitalize a language. As Mexico City authorities have considered to implement a revitalization project, we wanted to approach the real situation of Nahuatl in that city. Our purpose was to measure the attitudes of young people towards this language. By using a direct method –a questionnaire- we asked two groups of students if they agreed or disagreed with some items about Nahuatl and its speakers. One group had contact with Nahuatl speakers and but not the other one. We compared the results and they showed that the students who have contact with Nahuatl have more positive attitudes than those who don’t have any contact with it. This study also revealed that the reason why the first group showed positive attitudes was solidarity with the Nahuatl speakers. However, the both groups considered that speaking or learning Nahuatl cannot contribute to raise their status in the Mexican society.

Language planning and policy formulation is a complex exercise. The purpose of this research was to explore and expose the challenges of language planning and policy formulation in Africa, with specific reference to Zimbabwe as the case study. To carry out the study, critical stages, approaches, theories and models of language planning were used. This analysis further established the attitudes of indigenous communities towards the use of indigenous languages in major domains of life. The study revealed the dilemma African Governments face in ‘officializing’ indigenous languages. The study proposes that in a multilingual nation like Zimbabwe, there is strong need to provide legal recognition to African languages as both official and national languages within Zimbabwe’s constitution. The research comprises six chapters. The conclusion restates the problem identified at the beginning and summarizes the findings. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)