"When Four Elephants Fight in a Tourist Capital”: Linguistic Space Sharing Among Nyanja, Bemba, Tonga and Lozi Languages in Livingstone, Zambia

Abstract

This study investigated sociolinguistic patterns of language use in Livingstone urban, Zambia. It was motivated by the fact that four geographically recognised regional official languages by government linguistic zoning have converged in a single space where one of them, Tonga has traditionally been predominant in line with government prescription. The three languages which have extended their tentacles to Livingstone, which is Zambia's tourist capital, are: Nyanja (zoned for Lusaka and Eastern Province), Bemba (zoned for Northern, Luapula, Muchinga, Copperbelt and parts of Central provinces) and Lozi (zoned for Western Province). The main objective of the study was to investigate how these languages share the available linguistic space in both formal and informal domains in the urban setting of Livingstone. The specific domains were: the markets, churches, learning institutions, health centres and community gatherings. The study employed primarily the qualitative approach with limited aspects of quantitative data in form of frequency tables. The data were collected from the observation of the speech behaviour exhibited by the speakers and listeners in the respective speech domains. In addition, in each of the speech domains, interviews were conducted using interview guides. The study found that the four languages were used in different speech domains and that each was more dominant than the others in specific domains. For example in market places and schools the use of Nyanja appeared to be more dominant while that of Bemba was more dominant in Pentecostal churches. The use of Tonga and Lozi was more prominent in the Seventh Day Adventist congregations. At funeral gatherings, the ethnic group to which the bereaved family belonged dictated the choice of language to use. However, in some instances, the speakers used English, especially when dealing with the representatives of the company or department where the deceased used to work. The understanding was that these, though attending an informal programme, were actually on formal duty where whatever they said was conveyed in English the national formal language. If any of the languages was used other than the four, translation was provided for into the bereaved family's language.

"When Four Elephants Fight in a Tourist Capital”: Linguistic Space Sharing Among Nyanja, Bemba, Tonga and Lozi Languages in Livingstone, Zambia