Aspects Of Phonology Of Atsam Language
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Aspects Of Phonology Of Atsam Language
Chapter one
INTRODUCTION
1.1 General Introduction.
Language can be defined in a variety of ways, since various scholars in the field of language have investigated it in different ways. It is a well-known truth that every people on the planet speaks or signs at least one language, necessitating the study and comprehension of those languages.
Linguistics has thus been described as the study of language, comprising sounds, words, and grammar rules. It should be noted that while words in languages are finite because they are the primary component of sentences, sentences themselves are not finite.
This creative feature of human language (i.e., man’s ability to employ words to form sentences) distinguishes it from animal language, which is mostly responses to inputs (Fromkin & Rodman undated).
The rules of a language, often known as grammar, are learnt when one learns the language. These rules include phonology, the sound system that we focus on, morphology, the structure of words, syntax, the arrangement of words into sentences, semantics, the relationship between sounds and meanings, and the lexicon, or mental dictionary of words.
There are currently over 5,000 languages in the world (and likely many more), and linguists have determined that these languages are more similar than dissimilar.
There are universal notions and features that all languages share, and these principles are contained in the Universal Grammar, which serves as the foundation for all human languages.
Nigeria is the most difficult country in Africa in terms of language, and one of the most complex in the world. Crozier and Blench (1992) describe this uncertainty as being mostly about status and nomenclature, which continues rife, and the inaccessibility of many minority languages as a barrier to research.
There are around 521 languages in Nigeria today, which have been estimated and classified. This figure includes 510 live languages, two (2) second languages that lack native speakers, and nine (9) dead languages. In various parts of Nigeria, ethnic groups speak many languages. The major languages spoken in Nigeria belong to three major groups of African languages: Niger-Congo, Afro-Asiatic, and Nilo-Saharan.
Kaduna State has 57 languages spoken as first languages. Gbari and Hausa are prominent languages, with the majority of other languages being little and endangered as a result of Hausa’s impact. The studied language, Atsam, is spoken by the Atsam people of southern Kaduna, specifically in Kauru LGA, Kaduna state.
Historical Background.
Kaduna State contributes to the country’s cultural variety by housing representatives from each of the country’s six major ethnic groups. Aside from these, there are more than twenty additional ethnic minority groups, each with their own language, art, or religion.
The works of art and pottery (such as the “Nok Terracotta”) discovered in Kaduna State’s southern regions indicate that it is a major cultural centre. In the west, the largest ethnic groups are Kamuku, Gwari, and Kadara
while Hausa and Kurama are in the north and northeast. The word “Nerzit” has replaced the disparaging phrase “southern Zaria people” to characterise the Jaba, Kaje, Koro, Kamanton, Kataf, Morwa, and Chawai (study group).
Furthermore, the name “Hausawa” is used to characterise the people of Igabi, Ikara, Giwa, and Makarti LGAs, where a considerable number of rural dwellers are exclusively “Maguzawas.”
In the north, the Hausa and some southern immigrants practise Islam, whereas the bulk of people in the southern LGAs are Christians. The “Salah” celebrations of “ldeIfitri” and “ldeIkabir” are the major Muslim festivals, while Christians mark Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter.
“Tukham” and “Afan” are two significant traditional festivities in Jaba and Jama’a LGAs, respectively. Leatherwork, ceramics, and in-dig-pit dyeing are among the most prominent traditional arts, with Zaria serving as the primary centre.
1.2.2 Population Structure and Distribution: According to the 2006 census provisional results, Kaduna State has a population of 6,066,562. Although the majority of people live and work in rural areas, Kaduna and Zaria are home to around one-third of the state’s population.
However, except in the northwestern quadrant, rural population density is low, with over 500 people per square kilometre in Kaduna/Zaria and the surrounding villages, 350 in Jaba, Igabi, and Giwa, and 200 in Ikara LGAs.
Despite the provisional nature of the census results, observations of large numbers of young able-bodied male labourers moving from rural villages to towns during the dry season and back to rural agriculture fields during the wet season indicate a significant seasonal labour force migration in the state.
Seasonal labour migration has no influence on agricultural labour demand in rural traditional settings. Indeed, some of these seasonal migrants come to town to study a specialised trade or receive special training before returning to rural areas to establish themselves as skilled workers.
Another notable element of the state’s demographic structure is the nearly 1:1 male/female ratio, which exists not just throughout the state but also in all LGAs.
This may have a positive impact on the future social and economic growth of the rural sector, particularly in agro-allied rural sectors. The significant number of secondary school dropouts, polytechnic and university graduates creates a growing trained labour force for the state’s expanding industries.
1.2.3 Urban and Rural Development, Human Settlement Patterns:
The pattern of human settlement in the state is linked to the historical, political, and social dynamics that have influenced the region from pre-colonial to post-colonial times. Prior to the British conquest, the extended family compound served as the primary unit of human settlement.
As compounds expanded, the requirement for protection and defence necessitated a higher hierarchy of settlements known as “Garuruka” (towns). These settlements were fortified with walls and a titled/administrative head selected by higher political authorities, known as the “Sarki”.
This style of habitation dominated the Hausawa cultural groups to the north (Giwa, Igabi, Zaria, Sabon Gari, Kudan, Makarfi, and parts of Ikara LGAs).
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