2011
XII, 203 pp.
5 colour illustrations, 1 figure
Text language: English
The present collection of papers is a fine contribution towards demonstrating how the cooperation between linguists and language experts from Nordic countries and their partners in Africa results in substantial academic achievements. The papers in this volume address African languages and language problems that pertain to the position and function of national languages in sub-Saharan countries. Given the legacy of foreign rule on the African continent, half a century after the famous Africa Year of 1960 the empowerment of national languages in sub-Saharan Africa is still a demanding challenge as shown in this volume.
The origin of this collection was the 2007 Gothenburg Symposium Nordic Contributions to African Languages in support of the Year of African Languages 2007–08 that was formally launched by the African Union in June 2007. The symposium convenors at Gothenburg University succeeded in bringing together a good number of colleagues from all Nordic countries and Northwest Russia as well as partners from Cameroon (representing the African Academy of Languages of the African Union), Namibia, South Africa and Tanzania. The papers that were subsequently submitted for publication emanated from this meeting.
CONTENTS
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir: Foreword
Christina Thornell / Karsten Legère: Introduction
Beban Sammy Chumbow: The African Academy of Languages and the continental language development programme
Assibi A. Amidu: African language teaching and research with emphasis on Swahili
Dorothee Beermann: Typecraft – Language annotation in the context of African linguistics
Carol Benson: African languages, educational quality and the issue of parent choice
Øyvind Dahl: Linguistic policy challenges in Madagascar
Niklas Edenmyr / Hélène Fatima Idris / Karsten Legère: Endangered languages – Examples from Tanzania and Sudan
Rikka Halme: Creating a common orthography for Nyaneka-Nkumbi
Arvi Hurskainen: Some Finnish contributions to African linguistics
Daniel J. Mkude: The impact of Swahili on other languages in Tanzania – An illustration from Luguru
Robert Munganda: Subject glossaries for Mbukushu – Development and future prospects
Christina Thornell / Carl E. Olivestam: Central African multilingual learning environment with neuroscience underpinnings
Valentin Vydrine: South Mande lexicology project
Åsa Wedin: Language attitudes and schooled education – The case of Karagwe
Alexander Zheltov: African language studies in St. Petersburg
Under these links you will find publications of the volume editors and the contributors:
