Chapter
1 REVIEW OF THE RELEVANT LITERATURE ON DIGLOSSIA
1.1. Introduction
The term «diglossia» was first used in English by
Charles Ferguson in 1959 (the word «diglossie», which inspired
Ferguson's coinage, had earlier been used by the French Marçais).This
present study will take into account Ferguson's description of diglossia that
will be adapted to the situation of Swahili spoken in Bukavu. The account
hereafter provides an idea on diglossia according to Ferguson.
1.2. Ferguson's description of diglossia.
Ferguson's attention had been drawn to the general fact that
speakers in multilingual communities often use more than one language variety
in one kind of circumstance and another variety under other conditions. He also
noticed that there was a special case of this «where two varieties of a
language exist side by side throughout the community, with each having a
definite role to play» (Ferguson 1972:2332, quoted by Fasold 1984:34).
This special case, which he called «diglossia», was to distinguish
from the alternate use of a standard language and regional dialect, and also
the case «where two distinct...languages are used...throughout a speech
community each with a clearly defined role» (Ferguson 1972:233, quoted by
Fasold 1984:34). Ferguson proceeded to explain diglossia under nine rubrics:
function, prestige, literary heritage, acquisition, standardization, stability,
grammar, lexicon, and phonology.
1.2.1.
Function.
Function is the most crucial criterion for diglossia. In
Ferguson's concept, there are two moderately distinct varieties of the same
language, of which one is called the «High variety» (or simply H) and
the other the «Low variety» (or L). As far as Swahili spoken in
Bukavu is concerned, the»High variety» has been matched with
«Sarufi» (or S) and the «Low variety» with «Bukavu
Swahili» (or B.S., for short). In Bukavu, S is mostly used in the Bible,
the Koran, religious documents, news broadcasts and literature. This makes
clergymen, journalists, writers and others resort to S so that they master it
for communication and/or professional purposes. It is also noteworthy
mentioning that there are some mid-class citizens who also resort to S in order
to identify themselves or sound as foreigners (especially from one of the
East-African Swahili speaking countries) or simply as people of the uncommon
social stratus. The functional distribution for B.S. and S means that there are
situations in which only S is appropriate and others in which only B.S. can be
used, with very little overlap. It does not spare the fact that some S elements
are frequently used in B.S. The functions calling for S are decidedly formal
and guarded; those calling for B.S. are informal, homey and relaxed. The
following table inspired by Ferguson distinguishing the typical situations in
which the two varieties are used has been adapted to the case of Swahili spoken
in Bukavu.
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Situations in Bukavu
|
S
|
B.S.
|
|
Sermon in church
|
ü
|
|
|
Instructions to servants, waiters, clerks, workmen
|
|
ü
|
|
Personal letter
|
|
|
|
ü Political speech
|
|
|
|
ü Grammar tuition of Swahili in early grades of primary
schools
|
ü
|
|
|
Conversation with family, friends, colleagues
|
|
ü
|
|
News broadcasts
|
|
|
|
ü Radio «soap opera» («Kapalata»)
|
|
ü
|
|
Newspaper editorial, news story, caption on picture
|
ü
|
|
|
Caption on political cartoon
|
|
ü
|
|
Poetry
|
ü
|
|
|
Folk literature
|
|
ü
|
Source: Fasold, R (1984:35).
It is a social gaffe to use the wrong variety in an
inappropriate situation. If a journalist were to broadcast news in B.S., s/he
would be considered very foolish, or perhaps a political radical .A speaker who
used S in an informal conversation would either be made fun of or avoided as
someone who is unbearably pompous. For the sake of argument, a Bukavu speaker
of Swahili would be linguistically fit if s/he used S in church sermon and
prayers and B.S. when bargaining in Kadutu market or chatting with peers.
As for poetry and folk literature, some poetry in B.S. is
common, but only S poetry is thought of as genuine and real. In Bukavu, S is
officially the language of formal education (see the media and church
principally), but a good deal of B.S. is used in early grades of primary
schools. The reason for this is that facility in S is often restricted to small
elite whereas everyone in the community speaks B.S. Educators, then, have to
spend time explaining in B.S. material that has been presented in textbooks in
S.
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