The multi-ethnic and multi-lingual society of Islamic boarding school students ("santri") involves the occurrence of code switching. This research aims to reveal the code switching patterns by female students in daily communication in Islamic school Al-Mukmin Ngruki Islamic Boarding School and Assalaam Islamic Modern Boarding School in…

In discussions of cross-linguistic influence (also known as language transfer), the focus is usually on the influence of a particular structure in a particular instance of language contact, for instance, the negative transfer of serial verbs by Vietnamese learners of English: "She has managed to rise the kite fly over the tallest…

THE APPLICATION OF TAGMEMIC AND MATRIX TECHNIQUES TO SOME PROBLEMS IN AFRICAN DESCRIPTIVE LINGUISTICS, AND THE ILLUSTRATION OF THIS APPLICATION WITH DATA SOURCES (RESTATED IN TAGMEMIC TERMS) WERE PRESENTED. (TAGMEMIC AND MATRIX TECHNIQUES REFER, RESPECTIVELY, TO THE STUDY OF (1) ONE-WORD OR MULTIWORD GRAMMAR UNITS AND THE FUNCTIONS OF THESE UNITS…

The representation of labiovelars in feature geometry is discussed, using primarily evidence from Konni, a Gur language of northern Ghana, and data from some other languages. The discussion is based on an observation that place assimilation of a nasal consonant to labiovelars does not result universally in a labiovelar nasal, as has been theorized…

Noun classes are said to have semantic content and be organized on a semantic basis. The system of organization is drawn up showing that divisions are made between unit and mass; under unit, shape and non-shape; under mass, liquid, lumpy, etc. Shape is divided into extended, curved, non-extended, etc. (SC)

Research supported by the Ford Foundation and the American Association of University Women. (DD)

The African concept of time is reinterpreted, emphasizing aspect rather than tense. Examples are taken from Black English. (MC)

This contribution investigates the frequency patterns of the modal verbs as they occur in the one-million-word corpus of Cameroon written English. An analysis of dominant senses of some of the modals is also attempted. I have used results and statistical figures from British and American English (as reported in studies such as Biber et al. 1999…

A study examined the pattern of formation of glides in a sample of 18 Niger-Congo languages that have substantial glide formation. It is noted first that four basic pattern dualities exist, with language-specific variations, determine by whether or not: (1) glide formation applies to both front and round first vowels or round first vowels only;…

The author outlines recent work in sociolinguistics dealing with problems of language and national development, arguing that in the Nigerian debate over retaining English or substituting a Nigerian language, sociological and linguistic factors must be considered along with the present political and administrative arguments for one language or the…

Africanisms are characteristics occurring frequently in African languages but rarely elsewhere. This paper reviews Africanisms presented by Greenberg and Larochette and submits a number of others with sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic relevance. Items are grouped according to phonology, morphology, syntax and lexicon. (CK)

Under continued oppression, Haitian blacks have kept alive the memory of Africa, which pervades the most diverse aspects of popular culture. An understanding of this is the first step toward understanding the mythological structure of Haitian Voodoo. Analysis of the Haitian language, the peasant family housing, and the vocabulary of the Haitian…

A study of tone and accent in Qafar, a Cushitic language characterized by tonal rather than stress accent, modifies an earlier claim made about the relationship between accent and gender. The newer study makes a proposal that simplifies the account of gender in that this category is seen as determined rather than determining. This further suggests…

An analysis of the Dinka (Sudan) vowel system consists of: (1) an overview of Dinka phonological structure, including the phonological sentence, the phonological word, the syllable, and the consonantal and vocalic features of the sound system; (2) an examination of breathy versus nonbreathy vowels, including a review of previous research using a…