Date of Award

12-2008

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Linguistics

First Advisor

John M. Clifton

Abstract

A recurring theme among linguists is the need for more languages to be analyzed and more descriptions to be available for a variety of reasons. The main purpose of this thesis is to provide essential information on the Daju Dar Daju language of Chad, Africa that will assist in future language development work among the Daju Dar Daju people as well as to provide additional information for possible future work among related languages.

Very little work has been done on the Daju languages as a whole and to date almost nothing on the Dar Daju Daju. The Dar Daju Daju of Chad are a traditional oral society who have, in recent years, expressed a strong desire to see their language developed in print form. In the past two years a working orthography has been established and a limited number of publications printed. During this time literacy work also began among the three language varieties of the Dar Daju Daju. The information provided by this thesis will likely prove helpful in current and future literacy work being done as well as in future publications.

The description I will present is limited to the phonology and morphology of the Dar Daju Daju language and is not intended to be an exhaustive presentation of its grammar. The morphology discussed includes the morphology of pronouns and demonstratives, nominal morphology and lastly, verbal morphology. Information as to its relationship with and similarities to other Daju or Eastern Sudanic language varieties is included where applicable.

Though a limited amount of linguistic information has been published in other Daju language varieties, no publication of linguistic work has been previously made available on the Dar Daju Daju language.

Included in

Linguistics Commons

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