Collaborative Research: Descriptive and Theoretical Studies of N|u

Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

With National Science Foundation support, Drs. Amanda Miller-Ockhuizen, Chris Collins, and Bonny Sands will conduct two years of research on N|u, an endangered Khoesan language spoken in South Africa. In studying the sounds of N|u, the research team will focus on issues such as the physical properties of clicks and typologically rare vowels. The team will also document basic morphological and syntactic structures of N|u, and they will produce a quadrilingual dictionary of the language (N|u-English-Afrikaans-Khoekhoe). The data for the project will be obtained by recording the speech of the approximately 20 remaining speakers of N|u. The documentation of endangered languages is critical because every language reflects a unique culture and contains a wealth of scientific information. Empirically adequate theories depend on representation of the full range of languages. This project will contribute new information on a language with some rare properties. The dictionary resulting from this project will be provided to the N|u community for their literacy and language planning activities. Copies of all the materials collected and the results of the various investigations will be made available to the community, local linguists, and relevant governmental and non-governmental organizations in the region. The research team will collaborate with scholars of Khoesan languages from the University of Namibia, the University of Cape Town, and the University of Toronto. The project also includes research training for a young Namibian linguist and a graduate student at Cornell University