Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2021)

Swahili and English Sell, But What About Iraqw and Sukuma? Tanzanian Native Languages and Ethnic Affiliations In Bottom-Up Commercial Signage

https://doi.org/10.56279/jhss.v10i1.75
Amani Lusekelo
Adventina Buberwa
Institute of Kiswahili Studies University of Dar es Salaam

Corresponding Author(s) : Amani Lusekelo

amani.lusekelo@duce.ac.tz

Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS), Vol. 10 No. 1 (2021)

Abstract

Policy statements in Tanzania forbid the use of ethnic community languages but permits
Swahili and English in the public space. In this paper, we question the total absence of ethnic
community languages in signposts in which previous studies of linguistic landscape attested
the presence of unpermitted languages of Arabic, Chinese and Hindi. Under the auspices of
the social identity theory, we envisaged the investigation and analysis of personal and placenames on privately-owned commercial signposts. It has come out clearly that owners of the
businesses represented would no doubt hope that the names they include in their signage
would appeal to potential customers because of a shared home area or ethnic affiliation.
This is in line with the principle of self-identification in the social identity theory that helps
substantiate that Tanzanians recognize and cherish names from their ethnic groups.
Irrespective of the choice of names affiliated to ethnic groups and homes of origin, the
abundance of both English and Swahili names cannot be ignored. Both Swahili and English
hold a prestigious position in Tanzania.

Keywords

cultural policy, ethnic identity, linguistic landscape, names, urban Tanzania
Swahili and English Sell, But What About Iraqw and Sukuma? Tanzanian Native Languages and Ethnic Affiliations In Bottom-Up Commercial Signage . (2021). Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS), 10(1). https://doi.org/10.56279/jhss.v10i1.75
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Author Biography

Adventina Buberwa, Institute of Kiswahili Studies University of Dar es Salaam



How to Cite

Swahili and English Sell, But What About Iraqw and Sukuma? Tanzanian Native Languages and Ethnic Affiliations In Bottom-Up Commercial Signage . (2021). Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS), 10(1). https://doi.org/10.56279/jhss.v10i1.75
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