Maxwell Kadenge

Hiatus contexts and hiatus resolution strategies in Zezuru

Abstract This article examines the morphosyntactic environments in which vowel sequences occur in Zezuru and explains the synchronic hiatus resolution strategies that are employed in this language. The findings of this study show that Zezuru relies on glide formation, glide epenthesis, vowel elision and vowel coalescence to resolve hiatus. This investigation demonstrates that the major motivation for resolving hiatus in Zezuru is to maintain its preferred consonant–vowel (CV) syllable structure. The data used in this study are both intuitive and naturalistic and their analysis is mainly couched within the generative CV-phonology model of syllable structure. This study is expected to broaden and deepen our understanding of hiatus resolution strategies in Zezuru and Southern Bantu languages in general.

Prosodic stems in Zezuru Shona

Abstract In the traditional Prosodic Hierarchy, the Prosodic Word is the lowest level of the hierarchy defined in terms of the interface between morphosyntactic and prosodic constituents. Recent work by Itô and Mester reaffirms this, defining Prosodic Word as matching the syntactic category X (N, V, and offering no sub-lexical constituents. In this article, we present empirical arguments in favour of the Prosodic Stem as a level of the Prosodic Hierarchy, immediately dominated by Prosodic Word. Minimality effects, tone and vowel hiatus resolution processes in Zezuru demonstrate that Prosodic Stem and Prosodic Word levels play distinct roles; they are domains for different phonological processes. Thus, we argue that more constituents of the Prosodic Hierarchy are needed, where the Prosodic Stem domain is distinct from the Prosodic Word.

Vowel hiatus resolution in ciNsenga: An Optimality Theory analysis

Abstract This article examines patterns of vowel hiatus resolution in ciNsenga, using Optimality Theory (OT). We present a formal analysis of the morphosyntatic and phonological contexts in which potential vowel hiatus occurs and the strategies that are utilised to resolve it. In this language, hiatus resolution is a function of whether V2 is an affix vowel, a nominal root initial vowel or a verbal stem initial vowel. The language has a complete ban on vowel hiatus in nominals. In verbs, it is prohibited when V2 is an affix vowel but is allowed when V2 is a verb stem-initial vowel. Thus, when V2 is a prefix or nominal stem-initial glide formation, secondary articulation and vowel elision are triggered to resolve hiatus. The main challenge is to account for the fact that in this language vowel hiatus is tolerated in one domain and is banned in another. Drawing on insights from OT we argue that, in ciNsenga, hiatus resolution is blocked when V2 is verb stem-initial because the morphoprosodic alignment constraint ALIGN (ROOTVERB, L,σ,L) outranks ONSET in the verbal domain.

Complexity in phonology: The complex consonants of simple CV-syllables in Zezuru

Abstract The main objective of this article is to investigate the interplay of simplicity and complexity in the phonological structure of Zezuru. The article argues that Zezuru affricates, prenasalised consonants (NCs) and velarised consonants (Cws) are subsegmentally complex segments which function as simple onsets. Treating them as heterosyllabic clusters suggests that they are complex onsets (CC) which presents challenges for the simple CV-syllable structure of the language. In order for these consonants to fit into the CV syllable template, they have to be analysed as complex consonants that occupy a single C-slot (simple onsets). The study considers phonological, morphological and distributional evidence and concludes that these consonants are best analysed as monosegments (one-root analysis) rather than heterosyllabic clusters. The argument that NCs are simple onsets is further supported by native speaker intuitions about syllabification. Complexity in phonology is thus not necessarily an overall tendency of the language but is defined per hierarchical level of phonological structure and in the case of Zezuru the syllable structure is simple, but the subsegmental representations are highly complex. This suggests that there is a trade-off between complexity at the subsegmental level and simplicity at the syllable level. The article scrutinises this interplay of simplicity and complexity in the complex consonants of Zezuru. Perhaps, the occurrence of highly complex consonants in Southern Bantu languages such as Zezuru is a result of obeying the cross-linguistic tendency to have a simple syllable structure.

Comparing vowel hiatus resolution in ciNsenga and chiShona: An Optimality Theory analysis

This article seeks to contribute to typology by presenting a formal comparative analysis of repair strategies used to resolve vowel hiatus in ciNsenga and chiShona. In these two languages, hiatus resolution is sensitive to phonology and morphosyntax such that hiatus resolution strategies apply differently depending on the phonological and morphosyntactic context. Across the prefix + noun stem boundary and within the Inflectional Stem, V 1 undergoes “resyllabification” (Myers 1987:222) in the form of glide formation, secondary articulation and elision. An interlinguistic difference occurs when V 2 is MacroStem-initial: in ciNsenga, hiatus resolution is blocked but in chiShona spreading is triggered. We follow Mudzingwa (2010) in proposing that resyllabification in chiShona is blocked at the Prosodic Stem edge by an alignment constraint (AlignL-PStem) that requires the left edge of a Prosodic Stem to align with the left edge of an onset-full syllable. We argue that resyllabification and glide epenthesis in ciNsenga are blocked when V 2 is MacroStem-initial because Align (root verb , l,σ,l) outranks Onset and AlignL-PStem. Crucially, this article demonstrates that whilst vowel hiatus resolution is categorical in chiShona, it is domain-specific in ciNsenga.

An analysis of the ghost augment in chiShona

There are two positions regarding the augment in chiShona. Doke (1931), Marconnès (1931), Fortune (1955) and Harford (1997) use vowel coalescence as the evidence for the existence of a ‘ghost’ augment (‘augment hypothesis’). They, however, provide no formal analysis. In contrast, Odden (1981) and Myers (1990) explain the same phenomenon as assimilation – an implicit denial of the existence of an augment (‘no augment hypothesis’). This article presents new evidence in support of the ‘augment hypothesis’, provides an Optimality Theory (hereafter OT) analysis and demonstrates that the ‘no augment hypothesis’ is indefensible.

‘Declaration without implementation’: An investigation into the progress made and challenges faced in implementing the Wits language policy

Abstract This article examines the progress made and the challenges faced in implementing the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) language policy (2003). Structured interviews were the main source of data. The interviewees constituted three administrators who were involved in formulating the language policy and three lecturers in the Department of African Languages who, by virtue of their profession, are responsible for the implementation process. While the Wits language policy recognises Sesotho as an official language of the institution, the findings of this study show that there are no initiatives to ensure compliance with this policy requirement. Contrary to policy stipulations, efforts are being made to promote the development and use of isiZulu at Wits. Conceptual flaws within the language policy, financial constraints and lack of political will are some of the challenges that are militating against the successful implementation of the language policy. The findings thus confirm Taylor, Rizvi, Lingard and Henrys (1997) observation that policy is largely an object of political symbolism.

Diphthong simplification through spreading: An Optimality Theory account

Abstract This article examines diphthong simplification in the English speech of Shona L1 speakers, focusing on glide epenthesis, which is analysed as spreading, and substitution. Previous researches of African varieties of English have repeatedly shown that most of these varieties, like many indigenous African languages, do not tolerate complex syllable nuclei such as diphthongs and triphthongs. Consequently, all English diphthongs and triphthongs are prone to monophthongisation through simplification strategies such as glide epenthesis, glide formation, deletion and substitution. Our analysis employs analytical tools from the Unified Feature Geometry (UFG) model and Optimality Theory (OT). Glide epenthesis involves spreading of place features from input coronal or labial vowels resulting in homorganic oral glides: [j] and [w] respectively. This pattern of diphthong simplification is in keeping with the processes of Shona native phonology, which spread V-Place features to create hiatus breakers such as [j, w, ].

Coalescence as a hiatus resolution strategy in chiKaranga – a dialect of chiShona

This article focuses on how chiKaranga resolves vowel hiatus through coalescence. ChiKaranga has an absolute ban on vowel hiatus and it employs five strategies, namely, glide formation, secondary articulation, elision, spreading and coalescence to resolve it. These strategies occur in phonologically and morphosyntactically determined complementary distribution. Glide formation, secondary articulation, elision and spreading operate within a Prosodic Word (Lexical Level). Glide formation, secondary articulation and elision have a unique relationship; they occur in nominals at the prefix-stem boundary. Spreading occurs in verbs at the Prosodic Stem boundary. Coalescence is the preferred strategy across a Prosodic Word boundary, precisely across a host-clitic boundary (Postlexical Level), and it involves the elision of V1 with the preservation of the feature [open] that is passed onto the following vowel. In chiKaranga, coalescence occurs when the clitic is minimally a CV syllable. When the clitic is monosegmental, coalescence is blocked and spreading, which preserves the identity of the monosegmental clitic operates.

The politics of the English language in Zimbabwe

This article explores the politics of the English language in Zimbabwe, as reflected in the countrys language policy, language practices and language scholarship. English is the countrys sole official language. The majority of Zimbabweans who speak it learn it as an additional language. Those who are incompetent in it are disadvantaged because the language is the main medium of instruction throughout the education system, a measure of educational achievement and an important qualification for higher education and employment. With notable exceptions, mainstream language planning scholarship regards English as the medium of oppression and a killer language as far as indigenous languages are concerned, subsequently pushing for the status elevation and development of the latter as the only possible solution to the countrys language problems. The authors suggest that a multilingual language policy will also need to devise strategies of directly addressing problems associated with English, in addition to promoting indigenous languages as alternatives.