International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume VI, Issue XII, December 2022|ISSN 2454-6186
The Evolution and Sociolinguistic aspects of Kaonde-Ila Language of Mumbwa District of Zambia
Elliot Machinyise (Linguistics), Martin Chabu (PhD History)
David Livingstone College of Education, Zambia
*Correspondent Author
Abstract: In this research an attempt has been made at taking a sociolinguistic view of the Kaonde-Ila language of Mumbwa district of Central Province of Zambia. Particular attention was spent on the manner in which the ever-changing circumstances in life put pressure on the Kaonde-Ila language. This pressure is a social demand that emanates from sociolinguistic factors such as language contact and language shift found within and outside the speech community of its speakers. This paper also deals with the historical background of the Kaonde-Ila people. An attempt has been made to differentiate between the various types of the Bantu botatwe languages to which Kaonde-Ila language belongs by tracing the origins of the Kaonde-Ila people and also to give a somewhat accurate definition of the most common words which are usually confused in the analysis of the Bantu botatwe group of languages.
Keywords: Kaonde-Ila, Bantu botatwe, language shift, language contact, intermarriages
I. INTRODUCTION
The dawning of Bantu migration that took place approximately in the 13th century has had remarkable effects in the evolution of Zambian languages. This migration of different ethnic groups resulted into ethnic associations and tribal wars in their new localities, and this gave birth to new linguistic characteristics of their languages. Naturally, the birth of new languages meant new identity. It cannot be argued any further that the above given explanation on ethnic migration and association could be some of the ways that led to the association of the Kaonde and the Ila resulting in the birth of a new language called Kaonde-Ila spoken in Mumbwa district particularly in Chief Mumba, Mulendema, Chibuluma, Moono and Kaindu chiefdoms.