e d u c a t i o n a c a d e m i c a s s i g n m e n t s · international symposium, january 4-8,...

M A T T H I A S B R E N Z I N G E R CALDi - Centre for African Language Diversity University of Cape Town

Beattie B22 & B23 Private Bag X3 Rondebosch 7701 Cape Town South Africa

Tel.: (+27) 21 650 5172 Email: [email protected]

E D U C A T I O N

1993 PhD in African Linguistics, University of Cologne (Germany)

Dissertation title: Sprachwechsel afrikanischer Minoritäten aus

soziolinguistischer Sicht. [Language shift of African minorities from

sociolinguistic perspectives].

1987 MA in African Linguistics, University of Cologne (Germany)

Dissertation title: Die sprachliche und kulturelle Stellung der Mbugu

(Ma'a). [On the linguistic and cultural classification of the Mbugu (Ma'a)].

A C A D E M I C A S S I G N M E N T S

2014/01 – Head of Linguistics, School of African & Gender Studies, Anthropology

and Linguistics, University of Cape Town, South Africa

2013/07 – Mellon Research Chair: African Language Diversity

2012/11 – Curator of TALA – The Language Archive, University of Cape Town, South

Africa

2012/11 – Director of CALDi – Centre for African Language Diversity, University of

Cape Town, South Africa

2012/01 – Senior Lecturer in Linguistics, School of African & Gender Studies,

Anthropology and Linguistics, University of Cape Town, South Africa

1988 – 2011 Tenured Senior Researcher at the Institut für Afrikanistik, University of

Cologne, Germany

1983 – 1988 Tutorial Assistant at the Institut für Afrikanistik, University of Cologne,

Germany

R E S E A R C H F O C U S ( a t U C T )

Major projects

2012 – present The Centre of African Language Diversity (CALDi)

I was awarded the Mellon Research Chair: African Language Diversity and received a Mellon

grant for establishing CALDi, the Centre for African Language Diversity at UCT in June 2013.

CALDi has initiated the transformation of the study of African languages, a discipline

established and dominated by non-African linguists, into a new knowledge area, i.e. African

linguistics. African linguistics is the study of languages on the African continent by African

scholars.

Being fully engaged in the global scholarly discourse and seeking to achieve international

standards in academic outputs as well as in training and supervision, African linguistics will

surpass previous efforts of studies of African languages as a result of two reasons: firstly,

mother tongue competence in African languages will add new dimensions and a much deeper

understanding of the languages studied, and secondly, due to the familiarity of the scholars

CV: Matthias Brenzinger, July 2014

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with specific language and cultural environments as well as their knowledge of practical

needs, African scholars will produce more locally relevant outcomes.

Main foci of CALDi activities in the initial phase were on Non-Bantu Click languages, spoken

by former hunter-gatherers but also pastoralists. Launched on March 24, 2014, a practical

community orthography of N|uu developed by Dr Sheena Shah, transformed this previously

oral into a written language.

More recently, the scope of CALDi has expanded to also focus on the study of Southern Bantu

languages, i.e. the majority of the languages spoken in South Africa and the neighbouring

SADC countries. The Southern Bantu Language Network (SBL-Net) is a CALDi initiative that

will actively involve emerging African scholars in forming an academic online as well as a

physical forum that will cater specifically for the needs of young African linguists. SBL-Net

will be hosted at CALDi and will be managed by two young scholars from Malawi.

On the African continent, CALDi identified Cameroon and Ghana as priority countries for

scholarly collaboration in postgraduate supervision and research projects.

CALDi has its presence in six offices on the Upper Campus at UCT and received substantial

logistic and administrative support from the university. CALDi members include four

postdocs from Malawi, UK, Germany and Cameroon, four PhD candidates from Malawi,

Kenya, Zimbabwe and Ghana, as well as one research Master‘s student from Botswana.

In the first one and a half years, three international conferences (two of them on Non-Bantu

click languages) and two orthography workshops have been organized by CALDi. CALDi

members have presented papers at international conferences. The CALDi webpage and

facebook page have made CALDi globally known. CALDi has received visiting scholars for

short term stays from various universities in Germany, Japan, Finland, UK and the USA.

2012 – present The African Language Archive (TALA)

In September 2012, I organized a training seminar with the director of The Language Archive

of the Max Plank Institute for Psycholinguistic in Nijmegen. TALA is the first (and most likely

only) regional archive on the African continent of the worldwide network MPI satellite

language archives. I made sure that TALA is connected internationally (for example with the

language archive at the University of Cologne) in order to ensure that our data on African

languages will be available for future generations.

Research projects

2014 – present The CALDi Bantu Language Network (CBL-Net)

CBL-Net promotes African Linguistics among African students and emerging African scholars

to expand on the cohort of non-African scholars. This will facilitate knowledge mobilization as

often the dominance of non-African scholars in the study of African languages has led to a

widespread ignorance of the importance of these languages in formal and health education,

economic activities, etc. To implement policies that are promoting African languages

efficiently, expert African linguists need to be trained and engaged in South Africa. Held on 3-

5 September 2014 at UCT, the founding workshop of the CALDi Bantu Language Network

(CBL-Net) was organized and headed by Atikonda Mtenje and Winfred Mkochi from CALDi.


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2013 – 2014 Westphal holdings at UCT’s special collections

Humanitec funds 2013 & 2014: The E.O.J. Westphal audio recordings are a cultural treasure

hosted at the UCT Special Collections. Humanitec grants awarded in 2013 and 2014 allow for

the digitizing of the tapes and also manuscripts. The focus in the first phase (2013) was on the

recordings of non-Bantu click languages; some of these recorded languages are no longer

spoken. The sound files have been analysed by expert linguists and their findings have been

incorporated into the metadata.

The second phase (present) of this project will finalise the digitising of the remaining audio

files and will make them accessible to academic research and the interested public.

Digitised recordings from the first phase, namely Ts’ixa and Kwadi have already been

consulted in academic work and some of the digitised files have been returned to descendants

of recorded people in Botswana and even to hardly accessible areas in South-western Angola.

The archiving project celebrates Professor Westphal – head of African languages at UCT

between 1962 and 1984 – who during his lifetime did not receive the international recognition

he deserved. He will feature on the CALDi webpage as one of the most important pioneers in

the study of non-Bantu click languages.

2012 – 2016 Khwe migration narratives: language and mobility

Khwe migration narratives: language and mobility is my book project, which I hope to

complete within the next two years. I analysing and editing personal testimonies of Khwe and

ǁAni on their movements. They moved to other settlements or villages because of wars, but

also for economic or private reasons. The texts will be published in their language and audio

files, interlinear translations, as well as English summaries will constitute the book.

1996 – present The Non-Bantu Click Languages Survey

Since 1996, I work in various parts of Southern Africa on Non-Bantu Click languages. Most

linguists that focus on specific aspects or features of these languages, are mainly concerned

with classifying them. I visited most communities speaking these genetically unrelated

languages, and collected first-hand data.

I was awarded a VCSI grant and could travel to settlements in Botswana and Namibia I

haven’t been before. This trip contributed significantly to a better understanding of the

distribution of these communities and I could finalize a comprehensive overview map of

speakers of non-Bantu click languages. This map has been produced and disseminated in

printed form, but has also been made freely available for download from the CALDi webpage.

In consultation with expert linguists and community members, the map will be constantly

updated and refined.

P U B L I C A T I O N S

Monographs

1998 Sprachwechsel afrikanischer Minöritäten aus soziolinguistischer Sicht. (Afrikanistische

Monographien 9). Köln: Universität zu Köln.

1994 together with Bernd Heine & Ingo Heine (1994). The Mukogodo Maasai. An

Ethnobotanical Survey. Köln: Rüdiger Köppe.


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1988 together with Bernd Heine (1988). Plants of the Borana (Ethiopia and Kenya). Plant

Concepts and Plant Use, Part IV). Saarbrücken: Breitenbach.

Edited collections

2014 together with Iwona Kraska-Szlenk (eds.) The Body in Language: Comparative studies of

linguistic embodiment (Brill’s Studies in Language, Cognition and Culture). Leiden,

Boston: Brill. ISBN 978-90-042-7428-0

2012 together with Anne-Maria Fehn (eds.) Proceedings of the 6th World Congress of African

Linguistics. Köln: Rüdiger Köppe. ISBN 978-3-89645-199-6

2010 together with Christa König Khoisan Languages and Linguistics. Proceedings of the 1st

International Symposium, January 4-8, 2003. Riezlern/ Kleinwalsertal (Quellen zur

Khoisan Forschung 24). Köln: Rüdiger Köppe.

2007 Language Diversity Endangered. Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter.

1998 Endangered Languages in Africa. Köln: Rüdiger Köppe.

1992 Language Death. Factual and Theoretical Explorations with Special Reference to East

Africa. Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter.

Peer reviewed Journal articles

In prep The invention of colour terms in ǀXam, Northern Journal for African Studies

2013 together with Patrick Heinrich. The return of Hawaiian: Language networks of the revival

movement, Current Issues in Language Planning 14,2:1-17. ISSN 1466-4208 (Print), ISSN

1747-7506 (Online)

together with Patrick Heinrich. Matthias Brenzinger - shi ni kiku. Afurika nanbu ni okeru

gengo no kiki, gengo no kiroku, soshite intaanetto [Questions to Matthias Brenzinger:

languages in Southern Africa, language documentation and the Internet]. Kotoba to

Syakai 15-gô (Language and Society No.15), Pp. 155-174. ISBN 978-4-88303-345-4

2009 together with Fija Bairon and Patrick Heinrich. The Ryukyus and the New, But

Endangered Languages of Japan. The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol. 19-02-09.

2006 The Vanishing of Nonconformist Concepts. Personal Names and Naming of Animals in

Khwe, Hikaku Bunka 67:49-68.

2003 Review article: Wilfrid H.G. Haacke & Eliphas Eiseb. A Khoekhoegowab Dictionary with an

English-Khoekhoegowab Index, 2002, Windhoek: Gamsberg Macmillan, Lexikos 13:330-

333.

1997 together with Gundel Harms, HIV-1 and AIDS Awareness in a Marginalised Namibian

Community, The Lancet 350:1180.

1991 together with Gerrit Dimmendaal, Language Death in East Africa: a Report on an

International Symposium, International Journal of the Sociology of Language

88:121-128.

Chapters in Books

Forth. (in prep.). Language Endangerment in Africa, Oxford University Press, Rainer Vossen (ed.)

Oxford Handbook of African Languages.

(forthc). Classifying the Non-Bantu Click languages, in Lungisile Ntsebeza & Chris Sanders

(eds) CAS Working Papers Series.

http://www.koeppe.de/titel_details.php?id=503


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(forthc). Case study: Nǁng, in David Bradley & Maya Bradley. Language Endangerment,

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

2014 Blood becomes money, lexical acculturation in Southern Africa, in Carole de Féral.

Maarten G. Kossmann & Mauro Tosco. (eds.) In and Out of Africa. Languages in

Question. In Honour of Robert Nicolaï. Volume 2. Language Contact and Language

Change in Africa. Louvain-la-Neuve: Peeters. Pp. 37-71. ISBN 978-90-429-2927-2

2013 日本の琉球諸語と韓国の濟州語の国際標準に向けて」下地理則＆Ｐ．ハインリッヒ篇『

目指せ！琉球諸語の維持』東京：ココ出版 [Nihon no Ryukyu shogo to kankoku no

saishugo no kokusai hyu ka ni mukete, in Shimoji Michinori & P. Hainrihhi (eds.) Mezase!

Ryukyu shogo no iji. Tokyo: CoCo Shuppan.] [International standards towards the

Ryukyuan languages of Japan and the Jeju language of Korea, in Michinori Shimoji &

Patrick Heinrich (eds.): Aiming at Ryukyuan Language Maintenance. Tokyo: CoCo

Shuppan.]

Introduction. In Khwe: Place names and their meanings. Shakawe: Letloa Trust. Pp. 5-9.

ISBN 978-99912-956-9-5

together with Anne-Maria Fehn (2013). From body to knowledge: Perception and

cognition in Khwe-ǁAni (Central Khoisan), in Alexandra Aikenvald & Anne Storch (eds.)

Perception and Cognition in Language and Culture (Brill’s Studies in Language, Cognition

and Culture, 3). Leiden, Boston: Brill. Pp. 161-191. ISBN 978-90-04-23367-6

2012 WOCAL – World Congress of African Linguistics, in Brenzinger, Matthias & Anne Maria

Fehn (eds.) Proceedings of the 6th World Congress of African Linguistics. Pp. xi-xiv.

2010 Western Africa, Map 14 (Pp. 32-33); Eastern Africa, Map 15 (Pp. 34-35), Southern Africa,

Map 16 (Pp. 36-37), in: Christopher Moseley (ed.) UNESCO Atlas of the World’s

Languages in Danger. Third edition. Paris: Unesco Publishing. online at UNESCO

homepage

(French edition) Afrique de l’Quest, Carte 14 (Pp. 32-33), Afrique de l’Est, Carte 15 (Pp. 34-

35), Sud de l’Afrique, Carte 16 (Pp. 36-37); in: Christopher Moseley (ed.) UNESCO Atlas

des Langues en danger dans le monde. Paris: UNESCO Publishing;

(Spanish edition) África occidental, Mapa 14 (Pp. 32-33), África oriental, Mapa 15 (Pp. 34-

35), África meridional, Mapa 16 (Pp. 36-37), in: Christopher Moseley (ed.) UNESCO Atlas

de Lenguas del Mundo en Peligro. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.

together with Herman Batibo, Sub-Saharan Africa, in: Christopher Moseley (ed.) UNESCO

Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger. Third edition. Paris: UNESCO Publishing. Pp.

20-25.

(French edition) Afrique subsaharienne, in: Christopher Moseley (ed.) Atlas des Langues

en danger dans le monde. Paris: UNESCO Publishing. Pp. 21-27.

(Spanish edition) África subsahariana, in: Christopher Moseley (ed.) Atlas de Lenguas del

Mundo en Peligro. Paris: UNESCO Publishing. Pp. 20-25.

2009 Language diversity and poverty in Africa, in: Harbert, Wayne with the help of Sally

McConnell-Ginet, Amanda Miller & John Whitman (eds.) Language and Poverty. Bristol,

Buffalo, Toronto: Multilingual Matters. Pp. 37-49.

2007 Language Endangerment in Southern and Eastern Africa, in: Matthias Brenzinger (ed.)

Language Diversity Endangered. Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter. 2007:179-204.

http://www.peeters-leuven.be/search_author_book.asp?nr=1541



http://www.koeppe.de/titel_details.php?id=503


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2007 Language Endangerment in Northern Africa, in: Matthias Brenzinger (ed.) Language

Diversity Endangered. Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter. 2007:123-139.

Language Endangerment Throughout the World, in: Matthias Brenzinger (ed.) Language

Diversity Endangered. Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter. 2007:IX-XVI.

2006 Language Maintenance and Shift, in: Keith Brown (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Language

and Linguistics (2nd. edition), Vol. 6, Raj Mesthrie (ed.) Society and Language. Oxford:

Elsevier. Pp. 542-548.

together with Tjeerd de Graf, Language Documentation and Maintenance, in:

Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS 6.20B.10.3), UNESCO. (On-line

encyclopedia: http://www.eolss.net/)

2003 Khwe Place Names in West Caprivi, supplement to Christa Kilian-Hatz. Khwe Dictionary.

Köln: Rüdiger Köppe. Pp. 397-431.

2001 Maps: Africa overview & East Africa, in: Stephen A. Wurm (ed.) UNESCO Atlas of the

World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing. Second edition. Paris: UNESCO

Publishing. Pp. 68-71.

Angola and Zambia, in: An Assessment of the Status of the San in South Africa, Angola,

Zambia and Zimbabwe by Steven Robins, Elias Madzudzo, Matthias Brenzinger. (For the

Legal Assistance Centre – LAC, Namibia) Windhoek: John Meinert. Pp. xii-xiii, 53-75.

1998 Endangered Languages and Language Endangerment in Africa: Introduction, in:

Brenzinger Endangered Languages in Africa. Köln: Rüdiger Köppe . 1998:9-15.

1996 together with Bernd Heine, Map: Africa, general overview, in: Stephen A. Wurm (ed.)

UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing. First edition. Paris:

UNESCO Publishing. Pp 37.

Map: East Africa, in: Stephen A. Wurm (ed.) UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in

Danger of Disappearing. First edition. Paris: UNESCO Publishing & Canberra: Pacific

Linguistics. Pp 39.

Language Displacement and Language Shift, in: Florian Coulmas (ed.) The Handbook of

Sociolinguistics. Oxford: Blackwell. Pp. 273-284.

1994 Language Loyalty and Social Environment, in: Thomas Geider & Raimund Kastenholz

(eds.) Sprachen und Sprachzeugnisse in Afrika. Köln: Rüdiger Köppe. Pp. 107-115.

1991 together with Bernd Heine & Gabriele Sommer, Language Death in Africa, in: Robert H.

Robins & Eugenius M. Uhlenbeck (eds.) Endangered Languages. Oxford, New York,

Munich: Berg. Pp. 19-44.

Non-peer reviewed journal articles

2009 Sprachenvielfalt auf dem afrikanischen Kontinent Afrika I, Informationen zur politischen

Bildung Vol. 264:8-10. (Materials for higher education published by the Government of

Germany).

2007 Vanishing conceptual diversity: the loss of hunter-gatherers’ concepts, Jornades 15 anys

GELA (Grup d’Estudide Llengües Amenaçades), Recerca en llengües amenaçades

(published on CD by GELA).

Also online published by Institut d'Estudis Catalans:

http://www.iec.cat/gc/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=357& languageId=1&contentId=5863


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2006 Conceptual Loss in Space and Time: Vanishing Concepts in Khwe, a Hunter-Gatherers’

Language, Ajia Afurika Gengo Bunka Kenkyujo Tsushin 116:71-73.

2005 The Endangerment of Language Diversity: Responsibilities for Speech Communities and

Linguists, Al-Maghrib al-Ifrîqî (Université Mohammed V –Souissi, Rabat) 6:63-80.

2003 together with Arienne Dwyer & Akira Y. Yamamoto, Safeguarding of Endangered

Languages, The Endangered Language Fund Newsletter 7,1:1-4.

1999 together with David Naude, Mahure, Sacred Healer of the Kxoe: Kxoe Texts on Health and

Healing, Magic and Death, Part 1, Khoisan Forum 12:5-63.

Personal Names of the Kxoe: the Example of Tcóò-Names, Khoisan Forum 10:5-18.

Sprachenvielfalt auf dem afrikanischen Kontinent, Afrika I, Informationen zur politischen

Bildung 264:8-10.

The "islanders" of Lake Abaya and Lake Ch’amo: Harro, Ganjule, Gats’ame and Bayso. SIL

Electronic Survey Reports 1999-003.

1997 Endangered Languages in Africa, Report on an International Symposium from July 29 -

August 1, 1997, Leipzig, Ogmios 6:19-22.

Moving to Survive: Kxoe Communities in Arid Lands, Khoisan Forum 2:3-34.

1995 The “Islanders” of Lake Abaya and Lake Ch’amo: Harro, Ganjule, Gats’ame and Bayso,

Survey of Little-known Languages of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Linguistic Report 26:2-36.

http://www.sil.org/silesr/1999/003/brenzin5.pdf

1993 Minority Languages, a Cultural Legacy, Diogenes 161:1-18

(French version) Langues minoritaires un héritage culturel, Diogène 161:3-22.

1991 together with Bernd Heine & Gabriele Sommer, Language Death in Africa, Diogene

1991:19-44

(French version) Mort des langues en Afrique, Diogène 153:23-50.

(Spanish version) La muerta de las lenguas en Africa, Diógenes 153:23-48.

(Chinese version) Feizhon de yuyan xiao wang, Diogenes 2:17-41.

1990 Bäume und Gräser als Lebensgrundlage. Wildpflanzennutzung in Kenia, Forschung

(Mitteilungen der DFG) 1:10-14.

Trees and Grasses as Basic Necessities. The Use of Wild Plants in Kenya. German

Research (Reports of the DFG) 3:10-14.

Academic Boycott: a Contribution by Neville Alexander, Afrikanistische Arbeitspapiere

22:115-121.

1988 together with Bernd Heine, Notes on the Mukogodo Dialect of Maasai (Kenya),

Afrikanistische Arbeitspapiere 14:97-133.

1987 East African Beekeeping Vocabularies: kiZigua, Afrikanistische Arbeitspapiere 9:113-123.

Peer reviewed Conference Proceedings

2013 The twelve modern Khoisan languages, in Alena Witzlack-Makarevich & Martina Ernszt

(eds.) Khoisan Languages and Linguistics. Proceedings of the 3rd. International

Symposium, July 6-10, 2008, Riezlern/Kleinwalsertal, (Quellen zur Khoisan-Forschung

29), Köln: Rüdiger Köppe. Pp. 1-31. ISBN 978-3-89645-873-5


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Endangered languages as intangible cultural heritage: Listing and safeguarding initiatives,

in Proceedings of the 2013 IRCI Meeting on ICH – Evaluating the Inscription criteria for

the two lists of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention. Osaka: IRCI. Pp. 80-

89. ISBN 978-4-9906647-1-8

2011 Ideologies of language diversity, in: Moretti, Bruno, Pandolfi, Elena M. & Matteo Casoni

(eds.). Vitalità di una lingua minoritaria. Aspetti e proposte metodologiche. Vitality of a

Minority Language. Aspects and Methodological Issues, Atti del convegno, Bellinzona, 15-

16 ottobre 2010, Osservatorio linguistico della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona. Pp. 25-42.

2010 The exodus of Khoisan speech communities from Angola, in: Brenzinger, Matthias &

Christa König (eds.) Khoisan Languages and Linguistics. 2010:342-379.

民族言語的諸数派における言語の活力」『ことばと社会』（別冊３号） [Minzoku-

Gengoteki Shosu-ha ni okeru Gengo no Katsuryoku, Kotoba to Syakai Bessatu 3-gô

(Language and Society supplement, 3. University of Tokyo). Pp. 15-33.] (Japanese)

Language vitality in ethno-linguistic minorities, Bessatu 3-gô (Language and Society

supplement, 3. University of Tokyo). Pp. 162-182.

2008 Conceptual strategies of orientation among Khwe: From sunrise/sunset bisections to a

left/right opposition, in: Sonia Ermisch (ed.) Khoisan Languages and Linguistics.

Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium, January 7.-12, 2006,

Riezlern/Kleinwalsertal, Köln: Rüdiger Köppe. Pp. 15-47.

1998 Moving to Survive: Kxoe Communities in Arid Lands, in: Mathias Schladt (ed.) Language,

Identity, and Conceptualization among the Khoisan (Quellen zur Khoisan-Forschung.

Research in Khoisan Studies 15) Pp. 321-357. (Revised reprint of 1997b.) Köln: Rüdiger

Köppe.

1997 An Evaluative Account of Ethiopia’s New Language Policy, in: Martin Pütz (ed.) Language

Choices. Conditions, Constraints, and Consequences. Amsterdam/ Philadelphia: John

Benjamins. Pp. 207-221.

Non-Peer reviewed Conference Proceedings

2008 Reviewing the African language market: Are there roles for African languages in the

future? in: Yong Kyu Chang (ed.) African Society and Language: The Past, Present and

Future. Seoul: Institute of African Studies, Hankuku University of Foreign Studies, Korea.

Pp. 65-77.

2003 Language and Conceptual Diversity under Threat: Language Endangerment on the African

Continent, in: Johann Vielberth & Guido Drexel (eds.) Linguistic Cultural Diversity and

International Communication, Maintaining Language Diversity in the Face of

Globalization. Saarbrücken: AQ-Verlag. Pp. 59-77.

2001 Language Endangerment Through Marginalization and Globalization, in: Lectures on

Endangered Languages: 2 – From Kyoto Conference 2000 – (ELPR Publication Series

C002) Pp. 91-116.

1998 Various Ways of Dying and Different Kinds of Deaths: Scholarly Approaches to Language

Endangerment on the African Continent, in: Kazuto Matsumura (ed.) Studies in

Endangered Languages (Papers from the International Symposium on Endangered

Languages Tokyo, November 18-20, 1995.) Pp. 85-100.


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1996 On the Disappearance of African Languages, in: Neide de Faria (ed.) Language and

Literature Today. (Papers of the XIXth Triennial Congress of the International Federation

for Modern Languages and Literatures, Universidade de Brasília, 22–30 Sept. 1993.), Pp.

543-550.

1992 Patterns of Language Shift in East Africa, in: Robert Herbert (ed.) Language and Society

in Africa. Theory and Practice of Sociolinguistics. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand

University Press. Pp. 287-303.

Lexical Retention in Language Shift: Yaaku/Mukogodo-Maasai and

Elmolo/Elmolo-Samburu, in: Matthias Brenzinger (ed.) Language Death. Factual and

Theoretical Explorations with Special Reference to East Africa. Berlin, New York: Mouton

de Gruyter. 1992a:213-254.

together with Gerrit Dimmendaal, Social Context and Language Death, in: Matthias

Brenzinger (ed.) Language Death. Factual and Theoretical Explorations with Special

Reference to East Africa. Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter. 1992a:3-5.

Online Articles

2014 How I Became a Linguist, at The LINGUIST List.

http://blog.linguistlist.org/fund-drive/featured-linguist-matthias-brenzinger/

Multimedia Materials

2014 Shah, Sheena, Matthias Brenzinger, Katrina Esau, Claudia du Plessis & Mary-Ann Prins

(2014). Illustrated N//ng Alphabet Charts (clicks, consonants and vowels), with English

and Afrikaans translations. A1 posters produced for community use.

Shah, Sheena, Matthias Brenzinger, Katrina Esau, Claudia du Plessis & Mary-Ann Prins

(2014). Illustrated N//ng Animal Poster, with English, Afrikaans and =Khomani Nama

names. A1 poster produced for community use.

2013 Map of the modern Khoeid, !Ui-Taa, and Kx'a languages, including Hadza and Sandawe.

2013/version I (online: www.caldi.uct.ac.za)

Research reports

2003 together with the UNESCO Expert Committee on Endangered Languages,

Recommendations for Action Plans. http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/doc/src/00117-

EN.pdf

together with the UNESCO Expert Committee on Endangered Languages, Language

Vitality and Endangerment.

http://portal.unesco.org/culture/es/files/8283/11195176347Language_Vitality_and_End

angerment.pdf/Language%2BVitality%2Band%2BEndangerment.pdf.

Other publications

2001 together with Gundel Harms, HIV/AIDS Threat and Prevention in Marginalised Ethnic

Groups. Eschborn: GTZ.

1995 together with Michael Köhler (eds), Ostafrika: Kenya-Tanzania-Uganda-Rwanda-

Burundi-Komoren. Köln: DuMont Buchverlag.

Komoren, in: Michael Köhler & Matthias Brenzinger (eds.) 1995a:438-454.

Die Elmolo, in: Michael Köhler & Matthias Brenzinger (eds.) 1995a:308.

http://blog.linguistlist.org/fund-drive/featured-linguist-matthias-brenzinger/

http://www.caldi.uct.ac.za/

http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/doc/src/00117-EN.pdf

http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/doc/src/00117-EN.pdf

http://portal.unesco.org/culture/es/files/8283/11195176347Language_Vitality_and_Endangerment.pdf/Language%2BVitality%2Band%2BEndangerment.pdf

http://portal.unesco.org/culture/es/files/8283/11195176347Language_Vitality_and_Endangerment.pdf/Language%2BVitality%2Band%2BEndangerment.pdf


10

Die Einwanderung von Bantu, Kuschiten und Niloten, in: Michael Köhler & Matthias

Brenzinger (eds.) 1995a:88-89.

Sprachen in Ostafrika, in: Michael Köhler & Matthias Brenzinger (eds.) 1995a:72-78.

1993 Land und Leute Kenia. Polyglott-Verlag: München.

1986 together with Thomas Geider Berührungsmomente Kenya. Bei den Marakwet in den

Bergen und den Pokomo am Fluß. Köln: Universitäts- und Stadtbibliothek.

1988 Sprachen in Ostafrika, in: Michael Köhler (ed.) Ostafrika. Köln: Dumont. Pp. 72-78.

1986 together with Thomas Geider, Berührungsmomente Kenya. Bei den Marakwet in den

Bergen und den Pokomo am Fluß. Köln: Universitäts- und Stadtbibliothek.

E D I T O R I A L A C T I V I T I E S

2010 – present International Journal of the Sociology of Languages (Editorial Board)

2012 – present Studies of the Department of African Languages and Cultures, Warsaw

(Editorial Board)

2012 – present African Studies Monographs, Kyoto (Advisory Board)

2003 – 2009 Annual Publication on African Languages, (APAL), University of

Cologne, one issue per year (Co-editor)

1993 – 2003 Khoisan Forum, University of Cologne (Co-editor)

1993 – 1995 Afrikanistischen Monographien (AMO), University of Cologne (Associate

editor)

1988 – 1995 Afrikanistische Arbeitspapiere (AAP), periodical at the University of

Cologne, four issues plus one special issue per year (Co-editor)

1988 SUGIA (Sprache und Geschichte in Afrika), Volume 9, periodical at the

Universities of Cologne and Bayreuth (Editor)

P R E S E N T A T I O N S

I have presented papers at more than 50 international conferences, most as *full funded invited

speaker including several **key note addresses.

*“Reducing visual light to limited sets of colour terms”, 5th International Symposium on Khoisan

Languages and Linguistics, Riezlern, Kleinwalsertal, Germany, 13–17. July 2014

“A Nǁng Orthography”, (co-presented with Sheena Shah) Language Endangerment: Orthography

Development for Language Maintenance and Revitalisation, Cambridge, England, 4. July 2014

“Speakers of languages of the Tuu, Khoeid and Kx’a families in the Western and Northern Cape”,

Pre-Colonial Catalytic Conference, University of Cape Town, South Africa, 28–29. March 2014

“Revitalisation through documentation: Bridging the gap between scholar and speakers” (co-

presented with Sheena Shah), The Nǁng (N|uu) Conference: Past and Present of the Language and

its Speakers, CALDi conference, University of Cape Town, South Africa, 17. March 2014

“Marketing Khoisan: a linguistic label features in branding strategies” (co-presented with Sheena

Shah), Enregistering Multilingualism, Riverclub, Observatory-Cape Town, 7. March 2014


11

**“The importance of educating African linguists”, Celebrating International Mother Tongue Day,

Language & Diversity: 20 years of Democracy and the Preservation of Linguistic Heritage. IZIKO

Museums of South Africa, Cape Town, 22. February 2014

“Westphal’s Classification of the Non-Bantu Click Languages of Southern and Eastern Africa”, Ernst

Westphal, a truly South African pioneer linguist. CALDi conference, University of Cape Town,

South Africa, 3. November 2013

*“The vision for CALDi, the Centre for African Language Diversity at UCT”, Global Partner Network

Conference, University of Cologne, Germany, 9–12. October 2013

“Colour terms in Specimens of Bushman Folklore”, Regional Conference of the Southern African

Folklore Society (SAFOS), University of Cape Town, 4-6. September 2013

*“Capturing visible light in Khoisan languages”, The Presence of the Senses, Bushmanskloof, South

Africa, 11–13. August 2013

“CALDi at UCT”, European Language Diversity for all (ELDIA), Brussels, 28–29. June 2013

*“The intercultural negotiation of meaning”, Culturally Grounded Field Linguistics, Helsinki Area &

Language Studies (HALS), University of Helsinki, Finland, 27– 29. May 2013

**“The languages of the Kx’a, Khoeid and !Gui-Taa language families: a comprehensive overview”,

Seminar on San Representation, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, 19–

21. April 2013

*“San hunting gestures”, 14th Kyoto University African Study Seminar (KUASS), Center for African

Area Studies. Kyoto University, Japan, 6. April 2013

*“Endangered languages as intangible cultural heritage: Listing and safeguarding initiatives”, 2013

IRCI (International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in Asia and the Pacific)

Meeting on ICH (Intangible Cultural Heritage) – Evaluating the Inscription Criteria for the Two

Lists of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention. Tokyo, Japan, 10– 11. January 2013

“CALDi, the Centre for African Language Diversity at UCT”, African Linguistics in Southern Africa.

CALDi conference, University of Cape Town, South Africa, 4. November 2012

“Towards a CALDi standard”, Workshop of standards for transcribing African languages. CALDi

conference, University of Cape Town, South Africa, 5. November 2012

*“Ideologies of African language diversity”, 7th World Congress of African Linguistics. University of

Buea, Cameroon, 20–24. August 2012

*“Endangered languages as cultural treasure”, Symposium on Cultural Diversity, Kyushu University

- Fukuoka, Japan, 7–8. January 2012

**“Ideologies of Language Diversity”. Keynote at Sala de la Caritat de la Biblioteca de Catalunya,

organized by Universitat de Barcelona, Linguamón de les Llengües, Càtedra UNESCO de Llengües i

Educació, CIEMEN i GELA, LINGUAPAX- Centre UNESCO de Catalunya, Barcelona 16. November

2011

*“Looking at the Khwe’s mouth: Metaphorical use of body part names”, The Body in Language:

Lexicon, Metaphor, Grammar and Culture. University of Warsaw, Poland 21–22. October 2011

*“Language as culture treasures”, Towards UNESCO Guidelines on Language Policies: A Tool for

Language Assessment and Planning, organized by UNESCO’s Culture, Education as well as

Communication and Information Sectors at UNESCO Headquarters Paris, France, 30. May – 1. June

2011


12

*“Numbers in Khoisan”, 4th International Symposium on Khoisan Languages and Linguistics,

Riezlern, Kleinwalsertal, Germany, 10–14. July 2011

*“Hunter-gatherer languages”, East African Summer School in Language Documentation: Methods

and Technology at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia 2–10. July 2011

*Perception and Cognition: A Cross-linguistic Investigation. An International Workshop, Institut

für Afrikanistik, University of Cologne, Germany, 25–27. November 2010

*Responses to Language Endangerment: Uchinaa and Hawai’i, University of Hawai’i, Hilo, USA,

4–10. November 2010

**Vitalità di una lingua minoritaria, aspetti e proposte metodologiche. Vitality of a Minority

Language, Aspects and Methodological Issues. Bellinzona, Swiss, 15– 16. October 2010

*2nd Workshop on Ryukyuan Heritage Languages, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Tokyo,

Japan, 5– 6. March 2010

*Symposium: Language Vitality and Community – Focus on East Asia. Tokyo University, Institute

of Oriental Culture, Tokyo, Japan, 13. December 2009

*Endangered Languages Summit: Workshop on the Endangered Languages Information and

Infrastructure Project (ELIIP), University of Utah, Heritage Center and the Center for American

Indian Languages (CAIL), Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 12–15. November 2009

*International Conference: Reaching the Marginalised – How to Approach Inclusive Education,

by the Peter Ustinov Stiftung, UNESCO, GTZ at Garath Castle, Düsseldorf, Germany, 10–11.

September 2009

*6th World Congress of African Linguistics. Organiser of the International Congress at the

University of Cologne, Germany 17–21. August 2009

*CIPL Conference on the Sociolinguistics of Endangered Languages, 3L International Summer

School on Language Documentation and Description, School of Oriental and African Studies,

London, United Kingdom, 27. June 2009

*The International Conference of the Global COE Program “Corpus-based Linguistics and

Language Education”－A Geographical Typology of African Languages jointly with an

international workshop on Khoisan Linguistics－Graduate School of Area and Culture Studies,

Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan, 12–13. May 2009

*Linking Language and Culture: Documenting Uchinaaguchi, University of the Ryukyus, Naha,

Japan, 22–23. February 2009

*Conference on Language Ecology, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway, 27–29. November

2008

*African Society and Language: The Past, Present, and Future. Institute of African Studies,

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul, Korea 25–26. September 2008

*Special World Congress of African Linguistics in Brazil. University of São Paulo, Brazil, 11–15.

August 2008

**“The 12 modern Khoisan languages”, 3rd International Symposium on Khoisan Languages and

Linguistics; Opening Keynote of Symposium. Riezlern, Kleinwalsertal, Germany, 6–10. July 2008

*Lyon Summer School on Languages Documentation and Description, Université Lumière Lyon2,

France, 1–4. July 2008


13

**Jornades 15 anys GELA (Grup d’Estudide Llengües Amenaçades), Recerca en llengües

amenaçades, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain, 9. November 2007

5th World Congress of African Linguistics. African Union Conference Centre & Addis Ababa

University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 7–11. August 2006

*2nd International Symposium on Khoisan Languages and Linguistics, Riezlern, Kleinwalsertal,

Germany, 8–12. January 2006

*Cornell Conference on Language and Poverty. Cornell University, Ithaca, USA, 14–16. October

2005

**The Role of Motivation (Iconymy) in Language Evolution. Mario Alinei, Tavarnuzze, Florenz,

Italy, 17–18. June 2005

*International Symposium on Endangered Languages of Ethiopia. Addis Ababa University,

Ethiopia, 26–30. April 2005

*Dialogue of Cultures Conference. The Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute of Foreign Languages.

University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland, 14–15. April 2005

*2nd Aboriginal Languages Conference. The First Nations Education Council. St-Sauveur, Quebec,

Canada, 24–26. October 2004

4th World Congress of African Linguistics, University of Rutgers, New Jersey, USA, 17–22. June

2003

**International Expert Meeting on Endangered Language; Presidency over the entire meeting,

UNESCO headquarters, Paris, France, 10–12. March 2003

*A Khoekhoegowab Dictionary; Guest speaker at the launch at the University of Namibia,

Windhoek, Namibia, 20. February 2003

*Linguistic Cultural Identity and International Communication – Maintaining Language

Diversity in the Face of Globalization, Munich, Germany, 25. January 2003

*1st International Symposium on Khoisan Languages and Linguistics, Riezlern, Kleinwalsertal,

Germany, 4–8. January 2003

*Endangered Languages of the Pacific Rim, Kyoto, Japan, 22–25. November 2002

*Language and Identity; Baruch College, The City University of New York, USA, 02–05. October

2002

*International Mother Language Day, UNESCO – Paris, France, 21. February 2002

*Symposium Minor Languages – Coming to Grips with a Suitable Definition, University of

Bremen, Germany 15–17. June 2001

*Endangered Languages of the Pacific Rim, Kyoto, Japan, 24–25. November 2000

*Major African Languages in the 21st Century, 3rd World Congress of African Linguistics.

Université du Bénin, Lomé, Togo, 21–25. August 2000

Language Endangerment, Research and Documentation - Setting Priorities for the 21st Century.

Karl-Arnold Akademie, Bad Godesberg - Germany, 12–17. February 2000

*International Expert Panel on the Documentation of Endangered Languages, at the University of

Bielefeld, Germany 13–14. January 1999

Symposium on Endangered Languages in Africa, 2nd World Congress of African Linguistics.

University of Leipzig, Germany, 29. July–1. August 1997


14

*Hunter-Gatherers in Transition: Language, Identity, and Conceptualization Among the Khoisan,

University of Cologne, St. Augustin, Germany, 5– 8. January 1997

**International Symposium on Endangered Languages, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, 18–20.

November 1995

*Language Contact and Language Conflict, Gerhard Mercator University, Duisburg, Germany, 28.

February – 3. March 1995

*Endangered Languages: Current Issues and Future Prospects, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New

Hampshire, USA, 3–5. February 1995

*7th Annual Conference of the Institute of Language Studies, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa,

Ethiopia, 3–4. November 1994

1st World Congress of African Linguistics, University of Swaziland, Kwaluseni, Swaziland, 18–22.

July 1994

*XIX International Congress of the International Federation for Modern Languages and

Literatures, Universidade de Brasília, Brasilia, Brazil, 22–30. September 1993

*CIPL/CIPSH: Language Death in Africa, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe, 20–25.

September 1992

*Language Ecology in Africa, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia, 9–13. September 1991

**Sociolinguistics in Africa, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, 28. January-

2. February 1990

Language Death in East Africa. International Symposium at the Werner-Reimers Stiftung, Bad

Homburg, Germany, 8–12. January 1990

A W A R D S , S C H O L A R S H I P S

02—04/2011 Visiting Lecturer, University of Botswana (DAAD – German

Academic Exchange Service)

11/2009–03/2010 Visiting Professor, Kyoto University (Daigaku), Graduate School of

Asian and African Area Studies, Japan

09/2005–08/2006 Visiting Professor, Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia

and Africa, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (Gaigodai), Japan

09—12/2004 Harries German-Dartmouth Distinguished Visiting Professor, Dartmouth

College, New Hampshire, USA

09—11/2003 Visiting Researcher, Tokyo Joshi Daigaku, Japan

10—11/1994 Visiting Lecturer, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia DAAD (German

Academic Exchange Service)

G R A N T S ( s i n c e 2 0 1 2 a n d s e l e c t e d m a j o r g r a n t s )

06/2014 UCT Humanitec

3/2014 URC top up grant

11/2013 UCT Research Office research grant

10/2013 Mellon Research Chair


15

09/2013 Mellon Visiting Fellows grant

06/2013 UCT Humanitec

04/2013 Mellon CALDi grant

11/2013 UCT Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Fund

10/2009 Research Grant (two months), DFG (German Research Foundation)

1995–1998 Research Grant (three years), DFG (German Research Foundation)

1988–1991 Research Grant (three years), DFG (German Research Foundation)

O R G A N I S A T I O N O F C O N F E R E N C E S ( a n d G R A N T S )

2014 The Nǁng (N|uu) Conference: Past and Present of the Language and its

Speakers, CALDi - UCT (Co-organiser). UCT-URC conference grant

2013 Ernst Westphal, a truly South African pioneer linguist, CALDi - UCT

2012 African Linguistics in Southern Africa. CALDi - UCT

2012 CALDi workshop on standards for transcribing African languages. CALDi -

UCT

2011 The Body in Language: Lexicon, Metaphor, Grammar and Culture

(together with Iwona Kraska-Szlenk), University of Warsaw, Poland.

Grant from Fritz Thyssen Foundation

2009 6th World Congress of African Linguistics, University of Cologne,

Germany. Grants from DAAD, DFG, Fritz Thyssen Foundation,

University of Cologne

2009 Summer School: Language Documentation, University of Cologne,

Germany. Grant from DAAD

2000 Major African Languages in the 21st Century, Université du Bénin, Lomé,

Togo. Grant from Fritz Thyssen Fondation

2000 Language Endangerment, Research and Documentation - Setting

Priorities for the 21st Century, Bad Godesberg, Germany. Grant from

Volkswagen Foundation

1997 Symposium on Endangered Languages in Africa, University of Leipzig,

Germany. Grant from DFG

1990 Language Death in East Africa, Bad Homburg, Germany. Grant from DFG

P R O F E S S I O N A L A C T I V I T I E S

2011 – present Ryukyuan Heritage Language Society of Japan, Founding Member

2010 – present Endangered Languages Catalogue (ELCat), University of Hawaii,

Regional Director for Africa

2006 – present WOCAL (World Congress of African Linguistics, Secretary General

1995 – present UNESCO Atlas of Languages in Danger, Coordinator for Africa

1995 – 2009 International Clearing House on Endangered Language, University of

Tokyo, Coordinator for Africa


16

2001 – 2003 UNESCO Ad-hoc Expert Group on Endangered Languages: Intangible

Cultural Heritage Unit's Endangered Languages Section, Chairperson

(together with Akira Yamamoto)

2003 International Expert Meeting on Endangered Languages at the UNESCO

headquarters in Paris, President

R E F E R E E A C T I V I T I E S

G r a n t p r o p o s a l s

Endangered Language Fund (ELF), USA

National Science Foundation (NSF), USA

Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NOW), the Netherlands

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Canada

Hans Rausing Foundation (ELDP), UK

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany

J o u r n a l s a n d p u b l i s h i n g h o u s e s

International Journal of the Sociology of Language (IJSL)

Nordic Journal of African Studies (NJAS)

Journal of African Languages and Linguistics (JALL)

Anthropological Forum

Anthropological Linguistics

Japan Studies

Oxford English Dictionary (Consultant for languages of Eastern & Southern Africa)

Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Continuum International Publishing

Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA)

Multilingual Matters

Routledge

UNESCO publications

University of Arizona Press

A D M I N I S T R A T I V E S E R V I C E S ( a t U C T )

Member of the Advisory Committee for the Iziko-UCT Cooperative Agreement

Member of the UCT Lestrade Selection Committee

Member of ad-hoc committees

Centre for African Language Diversity (CALDi) full-time administrator

Archive and Public Culture Research Initiative full-time administrator

G R A D U A T E S T U D E N T S ( a t U C T )

Postdoctoral Scholar

Winfred Mkochi 2014 – current

Gabriel Djomeni 2014 – current

Sheena Shah 2013 – current

Marieke Martin 2013 – current


17

Doctoral Dissertations

Dorothy Agyepong 2014 – current

Darmarris Kaguda 2014 – current

David Barasa 2013 – current

Atikonda Mtenje 2013 – current

Masters Dissertation

Kemoitatse Blesswell Kure 2014 – current

Honours Thesis

Erika Herrmann current

Lwandile Noludwe 2013

Tlalane Lekhanya 2013

Simon Abbott 2012

T E A C H I N G

2012 – present Undergraduate and graduate courses: Phonetics, Semantics, Field

methods, Introduction to African languages, African linguistics, UCT.

1987 — 2011 Undergraduate and graduate courses: African languages, African writing

systems, language endangerment, semantics, applied linguistics,

sociolinguistics, non-Bantu click languages, University of Cologne

I taught annually graduate intense block seminars on African linguistics

(semantics, historical linguistics, Khoisan, sociolinguistics) at Universities

in Nice (France), Helsinki (Finland) and Warsaw (Poland).

1984 – 1987 Undergraduate courses: African languages, African writing systems,

language endangerment, semantics, applied linguistics, sociolinguistics,

University of Cologne

1999 – 2008 I taught graduate medical students in intensive courses on

conceptualization of health and illness in African languages annually,

University of Berlin

1987 – present Graduate and undergraduate courses as well as lectures on African

linguistics at more than 70 universities in 26 countries. I taught cognitive

linguistics and sociolinguistic field methods at several summer schools,

such as in 2011 in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), 2009 in Lyon (France) and

Cologne.

P U B L I C S E R V I C E S

2014 – 2016 Project IZIKO: Featuring South Africa’s Language Diversity

South African language and speakers in the past and present

Language: Bantu and non-Bantu click languages, varieties of Afrikaans and English,

languages of African and Asian immigrants, Fanagalo, Tsotsidaal, Gayle, Youth languages,

Topics: SA languages and labour migration, in the electronic media, (in) art, linguistic

landscapes,


18

Contributors: linguists and speakers, historians, folklorists, literary studies scholars, artists

(performing and visual), language (and cultural) activists,

2014, February 22 Public lecture

“The importance of educating African linguists”, Celebrating International Mother Tongue

Day, Language & Diversity: 20 years of Democracy and the Preservation of Linguistic

Heritage. IZIKO Museums of South Africa, Cape Town, 22. February 2014

2012 – present The Nǁng language project

In January 2012 supported by Raj Mesthrie’s SARChI (Migration, language & social change:

Language as a means of bringing people together); I started research on the Nǁng language in

the Northern Cape. Fieldtrips in November-December 2012, and January 2013 were funded

by the VC Strategic Funds initiative.

In August 2013, Dr. Sheena Shah, CALDi postdoc research fellow, took over leadership in the

The Nǁng language project, and we since then undertook further fieldtrips in November 2013,

January and March 2014, funded by the Research Office. Dr. Shah conducted further research

with the now 5 last speakers funded by the University of Kiel, Germany together with Dr.

Alena Witzlack-Makarevich.

These visits allowed apart from the collection of language data, to build up trust and mutual

understanding on the collaboration between the community and UCT with regard to language

documentation and language maintenance activities. The development of a practical N|uu

alphabet and the production of chart, as well as the implementation of these materials are a

significant outcome of the project activities. These were the most urgent requests by the

community members to the UCT linguists.

The community members also expressed great interest in having access to old N|uu

recordings held in UCT and other archives. Audio cassettes have been digitized and will be

made available on the CALDi webpage in the next few months.

1996 – present The Khwe-ǁAni language project

Since 1996 I studied the Khwe-ǁAni language, a Non-Bantu Click language and together with

community members, I was actively involved in language documentation efforts, training of

local linguists, and the development of practical orthographies for two Khoisan languages,

namely Khwe, spoken by about 7,000 people in Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa in

September 1996 and Ts'ixa, spoken by about 170 people in Mababe in Botswana in 2011.

Launches of community orthographies:

2014, 24 March: N|uu variety of Nǁng language (with Sheena Shah)

2011, 8 April: Ts'ixa, Botswana (with Anne-Maria Fehn)

1996, 15 September: Khwe-ǁAni language, Namibia & Botswana

e d u c a t i o n a c a d e m i c a s s i g n m e n t s · international symposium, january 4-8,...

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