Assessment Of Language Endangerment In Tanzania: A Case Of Matengo In Mbinga District

ABSTRACT

This study assessed language endangerment in Tanzania with a focus on Matengo language, an Ethnic Minority Languages spoken in Mbinga District in Ruvuma region. The research used qualitative approach and both ethnographic and phenomenological research designs. Also, the research employed interview and observation methods in the data collection. The study had three objectives which were to: identify patterns of Matengo endangerment, to analyse causes of Matengo endangerment and examine the effects of Matengo endangerment. The assessment was rated against UNESCO‟s factors for Language Vitality and Endangerment Assessment Guideline.

The findings, from this study, revealed that Matengo language is unsafe. It has been endangered because of its contact with Kiswahili, lack of intergenerational language transmission, shifts in domains, speaker‟s negative attitude towards Matengo, urbanisation, lack of governmental and institutional support, lack of materials for language education and literacy, lack of documentation, failure to respond to new domain and media and decreasing number of its speakers.

In addition, the findings showed that Matengo endangerment has effects on environment, social-economic and cultural aspect of the community. Following these findings, therefore, it has been suggested that speakers should cultivate positive attitude towards the Matengo language. Likewise, the government should lay policies which will protect Matengo and other ethnic minority languages (EMLs) in Tanzania. Similarly, linguists should document the language. Otherwise, the survival of such languages is threatened.