1.2.5.
Standardization
Not surprisingly, it is the H form of the language that is
standardized by usual means of formal codification. Dictionaries, grammars,
pronunciation guides, and books for current usage are written in H. The
alphabet and spelling rules for H are established and do not vary much. It is
not rare for any studies for L to exist at all (this is to be expected as long
as L is thought not to exist or just to be corrupt H). Those that do exist are
likely to be conducted by scholars from other speech communities and written in
other languages. Writing in L is less difficult because of established spelling
rules, but in most cases no one wants to write in L anyway. Concerning Swahili
spoken in Bukavu, only the S variety is codified through dictionaries, grammar
books and other books of rules for current usage. Conversely, B.S. is not
standardized by means of formal codification. But little research on it has
already been carried out by such scholars as Goyvaerts, Goyvaerts and Tembue,
Masumbuko, Byabene etc?.
1.2.6.
Stability
Diglossia is commonly an extremely stable phenomenon and there
are many cases that have lasted for centuries. Depending on how broadly we want
to define diglosssia, it can be argued that diglossia is required for more than
one language variety to be maintained in community. Tension between H and L in
diglossia is relieved to some extent by the development of mixed, intermediate
forms of language which share some of the features of H and L. Borrowing of H
words into L is usual; use of L vocabulary in H is less usual but does occur.
In Bukavu, B.S. and S are, in terms of functional distribution, a case of
diglossia that has lasted for decades. Already in the late 1950s, the diversity
of inhabitants from various parts of the Congolese nationwide territory (in
terms of their tribal origins) was acknowledged in Bukavu (see Young: 1965,
referred to by Goyvaerts 1983:53). The second republic administration of former
Zaire favored migrations of government officers from one region to another. The
latter two facts are, in a way or another, indications whereby B.S. ,the low
variety, has been so influenced by various languages as to be more and more
deviant from S. B.S. can be declared to be Sarufi-based since a great deal of
it originates from S (words, sounds, sentence structures, etc) despite its
deviation from the latter. It is very scarce for S to have recourse to B.S
elements but it is less frequently done. For instance, local newspapers may
borrow very few B.S. elements in order to transmit efficiently information to
the large community.
1.2.7.
Grammar
Although Ferguson's view of diglossia requires that H and L be
forms of the same language, there are considerable differences in the grammars
of H and L. Concerning Swahili spoken in Bukavu, S displays three
demonstratives, fifteen noun classificators, the present tense with three
aspects when B.S. presents two demonstratives, eight noun classificators, the
present tense with two aspects. In syntax, S resorts to some constructions
which are overtly different from the ones in B.S., say, an endocentric noun
phrase with a demonstrative. This noun phrase will have the demonstrative in
initial position in B.S. and final in S. Example, the locative phrase is
expressed by the prefixes «mu-« and «ku-« followed by place
names in B.S., whereas in S it is expressed by the suffix «-ni»
preceded by place names.
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