A Descriptive Study of Minority Languages for Educational Materials Development and Language Maintenance in Southern Africa

米田收集数据来描述赫雷罗的音调系统。虽然在以前的研究中，赫雷罗语中名词的声调形式是由语法关系决定的，但通过她的分析，已经揭示了不是语法关系，而是名词在句子中的位置和句子的时态/体/语气决定了声调形式。她还访问了纳米比亚东部和博茨瓦纳附近的几个赫雷罗社区，收集区域差异的数据。根据史料记载，赫雷罗人迁移的时间和条件各不相同。本课题中，对地区差异的研究刚刚开始，语言差异与社区的历史环境背景的关系还有待进一步研究。米田和阿部（共奥社）收集了有关非洲语言状况、教育中的语言政策及其实施的数据和资料。我们特别关注非洲语言升级项目（2000年在德国技术合作署支持下启动的一个发展项目）的结果和影响，因为2007年是该项目的最后一年。阿部调查了当前赫雷罗正字法的扩散情况和问题。神谷（kyoryoku-sha）调查了Bhaca的动词派生后缀，词汇和声音的地区差异。他还收集了补充资料，以完成Bhaca字典。

Yoneda collected data to describe the tonal system in Herero. Although it is said in previous studies that tonal form of nouns in Herero is determined by grammatical relations, it has been revealed through her analysis that it is not grammatical relations, but the location of the noun in the sentence and tense/aspect/mood of the sentence, that determine the tonal form.She also visited several Herero communities dotted around eastern Namibia and Botswana to collect data on regional differences. According to historical materials, the time and conditions of migration of Herero speakers are varied. In this project, we have only begun research on regional differences, and further investigation into the relationship between language difference and the historical/ environmental background of communities is definitely needed.Yoneda and Abe (kyoryoku-sha) collected data and materials about the situation of African languages, language policy in education and its implementation. We paid special attention to the result and effect of the Upgrading African Languages Project (a development project started in 2000 with support by GTZ), because 2007 was the last year of this project. Abe investigated the situation of diffusion and problems of current Herero orthography.Kamiya (kyoryoku-sha) investigated regional differences of verbal derivational suffixes, vocabulary and sound in Bhaca. Also he collected complementary data for completing the Bhaca dictionary.