Linguistics As A Sources of Writing African History

Main Topic: LINGUSITICS AS A SOURCE OF WRITING AFRICAN HISTORY

Sub Topic 1: Definition of Linguistics

Sub Topic 2: Advantages/Merits of Linguistics as a source of African history

Sub Topic 3: Disadvantages/Demerits of Linguistics as a source of African history

 

Objectives (By the end of the Lesson students will be able to):

1.     explain Linguistics as a source of African history

2.     discuss the advantages/merits of Linguistics as a source of African history

3.     discuss the disadvantages/demerits of Linguistics as a source of African history

 

Definition of Linguistics

Linguistics is the scientific study of the origin, structure and changes that occur in a language over a period of time. Languages do change in vocabulary and grammar over periods of time. Such changes can tell the historian about the adoption of new ideas by people. Some languages, when studied closely relate to the other. Examples are Ga and Adangbe, Wali and Dagari, Ewe and Fon, Fante and Bono, Dagomba and Mossi etc. One could project that those languages may have developed from one single parent language. The comparative study of such related languages can provide useful information. 

Merits/Advantages of Linguistics as a source of African history

Linguistics study has several advantages and importance in the reconstruction of African history. Some of these are;

1.     Origin of ethnic group

Linguistics helps us to trace the origin of people and peopling of places e.g. Ewe, Akan, and Bantu etc. Studies conducted by one linguist J.H.Greenberg into the origin of the Bantu and other West African languages have helped to arrive at the conclusion that the then Bantu speakers dispersed throughout the eastern and southern Africa originate from the Nigerian Cameroon border region.

2.     Confirmation of Origin

Linguistic studies can help confirm or question stories of origin e.g. Ewe as against Ga stories of origin from east of Ghana. In reconstructing Africa’s history, linguistics has confirmed the established facts that Ewes once stayed with the Yoruba at Ketu, Benin and Togo before settling in Ghana. This can be found in the language of Ewe speakers in the West African countries.

3.     Identification of ethnic groups

Linguistics helps in identifying people into ethnic groups e.g. Ewe, Akan, and Ga-Adangbe. Indeed language plays very key role in identifying a group of people. For instance, it is the Ewe people that speak the Ewe language. Also Twi is spoken by the Asantes.

4.      Borrowing of words

Linguistics again helps to throw light on the relationships that have existed between peoples e.g. existence of common words would point to exchanges between people otherwise not related. Also, a good example is the Akan words for political and other affairs in the Ga language, and words of Mande origin in Twi and other West African languages. Furthermore, linguistics enlightens us on the influences that have come to people from outside, e.g. the existence of Portuguese words in Ghanaian languages like paano (bread), bokiti (bucket), asopatre (slippers), krataa (paper) and prete (plate).

5.      Emergence from the same source

Linguistic studies of the Bantu and West African languages have established that the ancestors of modern Bantu speakers originated from the Nigeria-Cameroon border area. The study of related languages may show that they emerged from the same source, probably a proto-language called ‘Kwa’

6. Related languages

Through the study of linguistics, historians can establish whether speakers of closely-related languages have a common root e.g. Ga and Adangbe, Wali and Dagari; Ewe and Fon; Fante and Bono; and Dagomba and Mossi. Professor Abena Dolphyne of the University of Ghana has studied Akan languages of the Asante, Fante and Bono. She concluded that the Bono language is more related to the Fante language than any of the two of the Asante language. This is confirmed by the oral tradition of the Fante that they stayed at Takyiman before moving to their present home. 

Demerits/Limitations of Linguistics as a source of African history

1.     Difficult to study

It is difficult to study and analyze a particular language if the researcher does not have fore knowledge about it. Linguistics is such a complex study that there is very little unanimity or agreement among even the linguists themselves on their conclusions.

2.     Changes may not help

Linguistics cannot clearly point out changes in language over a period of time. This can lead to misrepresentation, loss or distortion of reality in history, thus making it very difficult to know the true origins or events needed by the writer.

3. Less developed in Africa

Linguistics fell short in reconstruction of African history, because as a discipline it is less developed in Africa. Hence, it does not contribute very much like other sources in the writing of African history. That notwithstanding, in recent times, linguists in USA and elsewhere are researching on African history.

4. Rely on other sources

Linguistics in most cases, the historian has to largely rely on the other sources for validation and collaboration of information obtained.

5. Coincidence in word usage

Some conclusions drawn by linguists based on words similarities may be sheer coincidence. In such cases, finding conclusive evidence remains difficult.

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