Doctoral Dissertation Research: A description of Anii, an underdocumented language of West Africa

博士论文研究：对阿尼语（西非一种记录不足的语言）的描述

• 批准号: 1122303
• 负责人: David Odden
• 金额: $ 1.12万
• 依托单位: Ohio State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-08-15 至 2013-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1122303&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; description; Anii

This dissertation will describe and analyze undocumented aspects of the grammar of Anii, a Kwa language with approximately 46,000 speakers, spoken along the border of Togo and Benin, West Africa. Original data will be collected from speakers of the Bassila dialect of Anii in order to answer outstanding descriptive and theoretical questions that have arisen from very limited previous research. Anii is classified as a Kwa language, specifically a member of a small group of languages called Ghana-Togo Mountain (GTM) languages, and has only one possible close relative. Thus, the study of Anii will shed light on a very under-studied branch of the Kwa family. Areas of focus for this project include a description of the tonal system of Anii, investigation of sound patterns, especially regarding vowels, a description of clausal syntax, and work on the semantics of the Anii verbal system. Since Anii is virtually undescribed, the data to be gathered will contribute to empirical knowledge of the world's languages and allow for the testing of theories that were developed using data from more well-known languages. In addition, the project will support grassroots literacy efforts in the Anii language to help many illiterate adults learn to read for the first time and give many children easier access to education (through envisioned Anii to French transition programs in local schools). An important step for these literacy programs is developing an orthography that includes tone, and the tonal analysis to be undertaken for this dissertation research is key to the success of this endeavor. This project will also aid in the preservation of the Anii language and culture and encourage the Anii people to have pride in their linguistic heritage through collecting texts for the staff of a new Anii-language magazine.

本论文将描述和分析Anii语法的无证方面，一个Kwa语言约46,000发言者，讲沿着多哥和贝宁，西非的边界。原始数据将从Anii的Bassila方言的发言者那里收集，以回答以前非常有限的研究中出现的突出的描述性和理论性问题。Anii被归类为夸语，特别是称为加纳-多哥山区（GTM）语言的一小部分语言的成员，并且只有一个可能的近亲。因此，对Anii的研究将揭示Kwa家族中一个研究不足的分支。该项目的重点领域包括描述Anii的音调系统，调查声音模式，特别是关于元音，描述小句句法，以及研究Anii动词系统的语义。由于Anii几乎没有被描述，因此收集的数据将有助于了解世界语言的经验知识，并允许测试使用来自更知名语言的数据开发的理论。此外，该项目还将支持基层的Anii语言扫盲工作，帮助许多文盲成年人第一次学会阅读，并使许多儿童更容易接受教育（通过设想的当地学校的Anii到法语过渡方案）。这些扫盲计划的一个重要步骤是制定一个正字法，包括语气，和音调分析进行本论文的研究是成功的关键，这一奋进。该项目还将通过为新的Anii语言杂志的工作人员收集文本，帮助保护Anii语言和文化，并鼓励Anii人民为自己的语言遗产感到自豪。