African language

Research conducted by the African language group focuses on the large family of Bantu languages. Regional priorities include Tanzania, Mozambique, Namibia, the Central African Republic, Rwanda, Uganda and Cameroon. Bantu languages that were or are studied are Kagulu, Kerebe, Ndengereko, Ng'hwele, Vidunda and Zaramo, Namibian languages, Rwanda, and, in Central Africa zone A, languages like Mpiemo and Ukhwejo. It goes without saying that research on Swahili plays an important role. Research is underway in the non-Bantu area as well, covering e.g. Sango and Cushitic languages. Endangered languages receive particular attention, from both the linguistic and the documentation perspective, as is the case with the Southern Nilotic Akie (60 speakers) and the Kami language.

The research is based on field work, which results in a broad collection of elicited and recorded/transcribed texts. Documentation of spontaneous speech, stories and texts is fundamental to subsequent language analysis (phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax), some of which is done by means of computer programs. The research has both a linguistic and a socio-linguistic perspective, the latter including language policy and language planning, e.g. in education, such as in Sudan, Rwanda or Uganda. Further research addresses cognitive processes, which are related to terminology development and typology. Similarly, lexicography -- including dictionary production based on text corpora -- plays an important role.