Linguistic landscapes and the sociolinguistics of language vitality in multilingual contexts of Zambia

Abstract

The article illustrates a sociolinguistics of language vitality that accounts for ‘minority’ and unofficial languages across multiple localities in dispersed communities of multilingual speakers of Zambia where only seven out of seventy-three indigenous languages have been designated official and ‘zoned’ for use in specified regions. Using signage and narratives of place from selected rural and urban centres of the City of Lusaka and the City of Livingstone, we show how minority and non-official languages (some of which are unofficial and minor in region, but official in other regions) come to be part of the semiotic landscapes and social narratives of place outside legislated language ‘zones’. We problematize intergenerational language vitality and endangerment frameworks and notions of linguistic performative identities and reciprocal bilingualism to suggest that the presence of ‘out of place’ languages in dispersed communities of speakers in multiple localities is indicative of the vitality of the languages concerned. We conclude that language revitalisation frameworks need to consider alternative ways of language transmission focusing on mobile

Legitimization and recontextualization of languages

“…From this, the study partly contests Cenoz and Gorter's (2006) view on official language policy of minority languages as indigenous languages in this LL have not gained any currency from language policy to the extent that they can appear on signage. While Banda and Jimaima (2017) locate multiple indigenous languages some of which are 'minority' and unofficial languages across the LLs of Zambia, the same is not the case in this LL. However, thanks to recontextualization, the indigenous languages have been used together with English in the naming of hostels, froming a semiotic gestalt.…”

“…Zambia is divided into ten provinces with each province having been legislated an indigenous language as a lingua franca except for North-Western province which has three, bringing the total to seven regional languages. As such, Zambia has been divided into seven linguistic zones (Banda & Jimaima, 2017). Bemba is the regional language designated for the Copperbelt, Luapula, Northern, and some parts of Muchinga and Central provinces; Nyanja for Lusaka and Eastern provinces; Tonga for the Southern and parts of Central provinces; Lozi for the Western province; and Lunda, Kaonde, and Luvale for the North-Western province (Mambwe, 2014;Simungala et al, 2022).…”

English versus Zambian Languages: Exploring some Similarities and Differences with their Implication on the Teaching of Literacy and Language in Primary Schools

“…Zambia has a long history of multilingualism due to the presence of multiple languages in the country (Tambulukani, 2001;Simwinga, 2014;Banda & Jimaima, 2017;Iversen & Mkandawire, 2020). "The exact number of languages is not known although many texts claim that Zambia has 73 languages or 73 languages and dialects.…”

Communicative Practices from the Margins: The Multilingual and Multicultural Repertoires on University Spaces

“…The students belong to well over 72 ethnic groups representing between 15 and 20 distinct (non-mutually intelligible) language groupings (Jimaima, 2016; Jimaima et al, 2019; Simungala, 2020; Spitulnik, 1998). The English language is Zambia’s national official language with seven other indigenous languages legislated as regional languages in Zambia’s 10 provinces (Banda and Jimaima, 2017; Jimaima and Banda, 2019a). Bemba is the regional language for the Copperbelt, Luapula, Northern and some parts of Muchinga and Central provinces; Nyanja is designated for Lusaka and Eastern provinces while Tonga for the Southern province and parts of Central province; and Lozi for the Western province and Lunda, Kaonde and Luvale for the North-Western province (Jimaima and Simungala, 2019; Simungala, 2020).…”