Digital Communication in Indigenous Languages

2010 ◽  
pp. 564-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fúnmi O. Olúbòdé-Sàwè
Keyword(s):  
Cell Phone ◽  
Digital Communication ◽  
Indigenous Languages ◽  
Information Superhighway ◽  
African Languages ◽  
Loan Words ◽  
Computer Based

This chapter looks at how the demands of modern day discourse behavior may impact upon and/or transform the use of indigenous African languages, as their speakers try to cope with and/or utilize computer-based communication gadgets and access/publish information on the information superhighway. It also presents a critique of one such effort at translating information on one brand of cell phone into major Nigerian languages. Drawing from the Yorùbá option, the authors show that new terminology has been created using the strategies of Terminologization, composition and translingual borrowing, but there are problems of inaccurate translation, use of non-standard orthography and non-indigenization of loan words. The chapter therefore proposes further refinement in subsequent terminology projects, especially the possibility of producing one-key symbols to represent the distinctive graphological symbols of indigenous African languages.

A hitchhiker’s guide to microscopy and microanalysis using telecommunications, e-mail, and the Internet

1994 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 390-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nestor J. Zaluzec
Keyword(s):  
The Internet ◽  
Information Superhighway ◽  
The World ◽  
Exchange Information ◽  
On Line ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Software And Hardware ◽  
Communication Software ◽  
Basic Ideas ◽  
E Mail

The Information SuperHighway, Email, The Internet, FTP, BBS, Modems, : all buzz words which are becoming more and more routine in our daily life. Confusing terminology? Hopefully it won't be in a few minutes, all you need is to have a handle on a few basic concepts and terms and you will be on-line with the rest of the "telecommunication experts". These terms all refer to some type or aspect of tools associated with a range of computer-based communication software and hardware. They are in fact far less complex than the instruments we use on a day to day basis as microscopist's and microanalyst's. The key is for each of us to know what each is and how to make use of the wealth of information which they can make available to us for the asking. Basically all of these items relate to mechanisms and protocols by which we as scientists can easily exchange information rapidly and efficiently to colleagues in the office down the hall, or half-way around the world using computers and various communications media. The purpose of this tutorial/paper is to outline and demonstrate the basic ideas of some of the major information systems available to all of us today. For the sake of simplicity we will break this presentation down into two distinct (but as we shall see later connected) areas: telecommunications over conventional phone lines, and telecommunications by computer networks. Live tutorial/demonstrations of both procedures will be presented in the Computer Workshop/Software Exchange during the course of the meeting.

Rethinking Language Use in Digital Africa

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Digital Communication ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
African Languages

This book challenges the view that digital communication in Africa is relatively unsophisticated and questions the assumption that digital communication has a damaging effect on indigenous African languages. It offers a paradigm of language merging that provides a blueprint for the decolonization of African languages through digital platforms.

scholarly journals Ìgbélárugẹ Èdè: Akinwumi Isola’s Model for Promoting African Languages

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1.2) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Akinloye Ojo
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Languages ◽  
African Languages ◽  
Language Choices ◽  
Linguistic Justice ◽  
And Performance ◽  
African Writers ◽  
Yoruba Language ◽  
Literary Circles

 The ever-popular discussion in African literary circles is critically about language choices that African writers make in their creative endeavors. This is part of this write-up’s focus plus the plight of African languages with attention to the benefit and challenges for their empowerment. We set out to achieve two goals in this essay; first contributing to the ongoing discussions on African mother tongues, their vital roles in African literatures while characterizing pointers on proficiency and performance. Second, considering the use of Yoruba language in creative works of late Akínwùmí Oròjídé Iṣọ̀lá. Expectedly, the latter goal will exemplify the importance of indigenous languages to African writers. In pursuance of these dual goals, it is critical to highlight areas in which African writers, especially those writing in their native African languages, have endured to play crucial roles in promotion of African languages. These highlighted areas go beyond now fashionable and expressed goal of focusing on literature in African languages (splendor in African languages) onto push for fairness for languages and their speakers (linguistic justice).

Vernacularization, globalization, and language economics in non-English-speaking countries in Africa

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nkonko M. Kamwangamalu
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Preservation ◽  
Indigenous Languages ◽  
Symbolic Language ◽  
Language Policies ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
African Languages ◽  
Successful Case ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Theoretical Developments

Research into language policy in Africa has addressed the impact of colonial language policies on efforts to formulate and implement post-colonial language policies aimed at vernacularization, defined as the use of indigenous African languages in higher domains such as education. What seems to have received very little attention to date, however, is the effect of globalization, through the medium of English, on vernacularization not only in Anglophone but also in non-English-speaking countries in the African continent. Focusing on the latter territories, this paper explores this issue from the perspective of recent theoretical developments in the field of language economics, an area of study whose focus is on the theoretical and empirical ways in which linguistic and economic variables influence one another. It argues that the spread of English to these historically non-English-speaking territories in Africa represents the second challenge to largely symbolic language policies aimed at promoting vernacularization, the first one being other western languages (e.g. French, Portuguese, Spanish). Drawing on language economics, the paper argues that the prospects for the indigenous languages will continue to be bleak, especially in the era of globalization, unless these languages are viewed as a commodity rather than as a token for cultural preservation, and are associated with some of the advantages and material gains that have for decades been the preserve of western languages. Resistance against, and successful case studies of, vernacularization informed by language economics in various parts of the world are presented in support of the proposed argument for the promotion of Africa’s indigenous languages in education.

scholarly journals EMF Pollution – Causes, Effects and Protection

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (9S3) ◽  
pp. 1166-1168
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Digital Communication ◽  
Cell Phones ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Communication Devices ◽  
Electro Magnetic ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Electromagnetic Pollution

In modern day’s high tech world, all of us are constantly experiencing EM radiation from almost all sources. Each and every source introduce its own EMF. At this very moment as you are reading this paper, you are probably being exposed to many electro-magnetic fields. The situation is no different while we are at play, travelling, at work, reposing at home, and even sleeping on bed. Practically there is an increase in EMR pollution with the increase in every new invention. EMR of all frequencies serve as one of the fastest growing and most common environmental impacts, about which speculation and anxiety are growing. The digital communication devices which we use emit digital pulsed radio-frequency EMFs which are perhaps one of the most harmful kind for human health. In today’s world use of cell phone has become ubiquitous with an estimated subscription of 6.9 billion globally. In modern day telecommunication cell phones play a very crucial role. It is not astonishing that the level of invisible electromagnetic pollution on our planet is tremendously high. As a result it is essential to examine, discern and check any possible impact on public health. The leading aim of this paper is to examine the harmful impacts of the electromagnetic radiation, survey the regulations which are in place to keep a check on the levels of radiations and to suggest a few daily habits which will help to reduce one’s exposure to such harmful radiations..

scholarly journals Gastronomic Vocabulary as a Feature of Nigerian English

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 820-836
Author(s):  
Anna A. Borisova ◽  
Yulia N. Ebzeeva
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
Indigenous Languages ◽  
African Languages ◽  
Cultural Codes ◽  
Research Material ◽  
Cultural Systems ◽  
History Of

The World Englishes Paradigm studies various aspects of the English language characterized by specific peculiarities and changing as a result of contacts with indigenous languages and cultures. The history of English in Nigeria embraces 500 years of an interaction between highly different cultural systems and civilizations. Language contacts between English and the indigenous languages of Nigeria have led to its linguistic, cultural and intrastructural diversity. The aim of this article is to analyse the gastronomic vocabulary of Nigerian English influenced by the Nigerian worldview and culture. The research is focused on borrowings from African languages (mainly Yoruba and Igbo) that play a vital role in forming the culturally important lexicon of Nigerian English. The sources of the research material are dictionaries, as well as books by Nigerian writers composed in English. The analysis carried out in the course of the research allowed us to discover secondary nominations that denote Nigerian flora and cuisine, to reveal their metaphorical usage and to study corresponding figurative comparisons, idioms, proverbs and sayings. The investigation of gastronomic symbols in Nigerian speech shows universal processes of employing common gastronomic lexical units from real-life discourse as a basis for symbolization. The results of the study show that the gastronomic vocabulary and the images it creates constitute one of the most impressive Nigerian cultural codes. The knowledge of this vocabulary is instrumental in understanding those codes.

scholarly journals Towards Development of an Indigenous African Language-based Programming Language

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ezekiel K Olatunji ◽  
John B Oladosu ◽  
Odetunji A Odejobi ◽  
Stephen O Olabiyisi
Keyword(s):  
Programming Languages ◽  
Programming Language ◽  
Native Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Indigenous Students ◽  
African Languages ◽  
European Languages ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
To Come

Programming languages based on the lexicons of indigenous African languages are rare to come by unlike those based on Asian and / or European languages. It is opined that an African native language-based programming language would enhance comprehension of computer-based problem solving processes by indigenous students and teachers. This study intends to attempt a design and implementation of an African native language-based programming language using Yoruba as case study. Yoruba is the first language of over 30 million people in the south-west of Nigeria, Africa; and is spoken by over one hundred million people world-wide. In preparation towards actual implementation of a prototype of the intended programming language, a mini token recognizer has been developed in QBasic. Keywords— Native language-based programming languages, Yoruba language, Digital divide, Information and communication technology, prototype implementation. 

The Problem of Meaning

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Farriss
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Languages ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Loan Words ◽  
Gospel Message ◽  
Christian Discourse

Missionaries and Indian elites cooperated in translating the gospel message into the indigenous languages. They faced an inevitable trade-off between fidelity to Christian orthodoxy and intelligibility within the alien Mesoamerican culture. The result was either a deficit of meaning for the neophytes or a surplus of meaning created by attaching alien indigenous connotations to the Christian discourse. Zapotec and other indigenous doctrinal texts reveal a range of choices: at one extreme, terms deemed untranslatable, like “God” and “soul,” were imported as loan words; at another extreme, difficult terms were given elaborate explanatory glosses (periphrasis) in the target language, which elucidated meaning but at the expense of economy and fluency of expression.

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