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British Academy UK-Africa Partnership
Language and linguistic studies of Southern African languages
SOAS, University of Botswana, University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Namibia
The project provides a collaborative framework for research on the linguistics of Southern African languages with a particular focus on the description and theoretically informed analysis of Southern African Bantu languages. Topics include the description and analysis of grammatical agreement systems, verb phrase syntax and semantics, and complex clauses. The project also addresses the wider research context in which linguistic work on Southern African languages is conducted: questions of language and identity, language use and endangerment, as well as linguistic training of postgraduate students and young researchers, data collection and methodology.
Over the course of the project from 2008 to 2010, four meetings are planned. Meetings at SOAS and in Windhoek have been held in 2008, and the next meeting will take place at the University of Botswana in September 2009. The final meeting is planned to take place in Durban in 2010.
Meetings combine project meetings as well as wider workshops. Researchers interested in Southern African linguistics are welcome to attend meetings, please email Lutz Marten for further information.
Below are the programmes of the first two meetings which provide an idea about the activities and topics of the project.
Meeting 1, 27 January to 2 February 2008, SOAS
Sun 27 Jan 2008
Arrival and welcome
Mon 28 Jan 2008
9-11 Dynamic Syntax class (Participants attended)
1-3 Introduction meeting: Perspectives in Southern African Linguistics
3-4 Break and Introduction meeting continues
4-5 Reception
Tue 29 Jan 2008
10-12: Presentations/Discussion (network internal) (Participants present an informal paper)
3-7 British Academy Workshop on Bantu Languages and Linguistics (jointly with Department of Linguistics, Department of Africa and the Centre for African Studies, University of London) (workshop page)
Session 1, Room G57
3.00 – 3.15 Welcome
3.15 – 3.55 Jochen Zeller, Agreement in Bantu: Anti-focus marking
3.55 – 4.35 Rose Lestholo: The structure of WH constructions in Ikalanga:
A Re-analysis
5 Break and Session 2, Room B102
5.20 – 6.00 Herman Batibo: Southern Bantu features in Kiswahili
6.00 – 6.40 Jekura Kavari: The special high tone in Otjiherero
7 Reception
Wed 30 Jan 2008
11-1 Language in Africa class (Batibo, Kavari)
4-6 UCL Linguistics Seminar Series: Nancy Kula, The prosody-syntax interface: Relative clauses and tonal interaction in Bemba
Thurs 31 Jan 2008
10-12 Presentations/Discussion: Issues arising from papers
Fri 1 Feb 2008
9-11 Bantu Languages class (Letsholo, Zeller)
11-1 Discussion of research interests
2-5 Discussion of teaching and concluding discussion, preparation for the next meeting
Meeting 2, 21 to 25 September 2008, University of Namibia, Windhoek
Sun 21 Sept 2008
5 pm Welcome and meeting overview: review of London meeting, planning of
Windhoek and future meetings, publications and outcomes
Mon 22 Sept 2008
9-12 Lutz Marten and Nancy Kula, Affectedness and agency in Bemba passives
12-1 Lunch
1-5 Jochen Zeller, A low focus phrase in Southern Bantu
Herman Batibo, The evolution of Bantu tone systems and the tone behaviour of
Botswana Bantu languages
Tue 23 Sept 2008
9-12 Nancy Kula, Focus positions in Bantu
12-1 Lunch
1-5 Karsten Legere, Survey and data collection for plant names in Rukwangali
Jekura Kavari, Tone in Otjiherero
Wed 24 Sept 2008
9-1 Wilfried Haacke, Khoekhoegowab: Overview of grammatical structure
1-2 Lunch
2-5 Herman Batibo, A survey of Setswana dialects
Jekura Kavari, Herero dialects
Thurs 25 Sept 2008
10-12 Final meeting and summary, overspill, and future planning
Meeting 3, 16 to 23 September 2009, University of Botswana, Gaborone