A comparative study of bemba and mambwe at phonological, morphological and lexical levels.
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Date
2023
Authors
Lumwanga, Chibwe Ronald.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
The close proximity of the Bemba and the Mambwe speech communities was the prime motivation
of this study. The study sought to compare Bemba and Mambwe at phonological, morphological
and lexical levels.
The study used qualitative research design because its focus was on words rather than on numbers.
The methods were exploratory and descriptive: seeking to find out the opinions, thoughts and
feelings of the respondents. In this study, respondents were freely able to disclose their
experiences, thoughts and feelings without constraint. Semi-structured interviews and focus-group
discussions were the principal methods of collecting data. There was also some participant
observation. Through focus-group discussions, the responses given earlier by the key informant
were verified. All the informants are proficient in the languages under study. Collaboration of the
participants has made this study a success.
Two theoretical frameworks informed this study: Lexical phonology theoretical framework which
was developed by Kiparsky and others in 1980s. It is an approach to phonology that shows the
interaction of morphology and phonology in the word building processes. Comparative Bantu
morphology and phonology theoretical framework developed by Malcom Guthrie during the
period 1967-1971 was also applied. This theory is viewed from the perspective of historical
definition and typological characteristics, but the focus was on the latter to contextualise this study.
The typological characteristics are viewed in terms of phonology, morphology and syntax. Bantu
languages are known to share these typological chaaracteristics.
Anchored on these theories, the study has brought to the fore the differences and similarities
between Bemba and Mambwe in phonology, morphology and the lexicon. The findings show that
there are more differences than similarities in each of the three levels of linguistic analysis. By
implication of the study, something should be indicated with regard to mutual intelligibility
between Bemba and Mambwe. Seeing that differences and similarities have emerged, there is some
degree of mutual comprehensibility between the languages under study, but this is much lower on
the mutual intelligibility continuum than the 63% arrived at in a study done earlier.
Description
Thesis of Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistic science.