A History of African Linguistics

H. Ekkehard Wolff

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN:
  9781108417976
• eBook ISBN:
  9781108287210
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Languages
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

Bringing together a team of leading scholars, this volume forms the first global history of African linguistics as an autonomous academic discipline, covering Africa, America, Asia, Australia, and Europe. Defining African linguistics, the volume describes its emergence from a 'colonial science' at the turn of the twentieth century in Europe, where it was first established mainly in academic institutions of former colonial powers. Its riddance from the 'colonial project' is traced, following its 'de-colonialisation' and subsequent spread from imperialist Europe across all inhabited continents, with particular reference to its academic establishment in the various regions of Africa. Providing inside views of African linguistic research and its ramifications over time, active researchers in its various subfields present highly informative accounts of current and past research priorities and achievements. The twenty-six authors are themselves representatives of the various regions of both the world and Africa, in which African linguistics has become entrenched in academic institutions.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title page
• Imprints page
• Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• List of Contributors
• Preface
• List of Abbreviations and Acronyms
• 1 The History of African Linguistics
• 2 Western Europe: African Linguistics and the Colonial Project
• 3 African Linguistics in Central and Eastern Europe, and in the Nordic Countries
• 4 African Linguistics in North Africa
• 5 The Study of African Languages and Linguistics in North­Eastern Africa
• 6 African Linguistics in Southern Africa
• 7 African Linguistics in Eastern Africa
• 8 African Linguistics in Official English-Speaking West Africa
• 9 African Linguistics in Official French­Speaking West and Central Africa
• 10 African Linguistics in Official Portuguese- and Spanish­Speaking Africa
• 11 African Linguistics in the Americas
• 12 African Linguistics in Asia and Australia
• References
• Indexes