This thesis describes and analyzes the semantic categorization of fauna terms in Wayana and the role of culturally significant animals. Wayana is a Cariban language and this thesis specifically...Show moreThis thesis describes and analyzes the semantic categorization of fauna terms in Wayana and the role of culturally significant animals. Wayana is a Cariban language and this thesis specifically focusses on the language as it is spoken in the village of Apetina in the south of Suriname. My research approaches this subject using a transdisciplinary view in order to broaden the perspective on fauna to include indigenous knowledge which in turn can enlighten us about different conceptualizations of the world. Using the data collected from elicitations and spontaneous speech in the village over the course of two visits, I will attempt to create a semantic network of fauna terms. Issues on the perspective on fauna in Wayana include what their categorizations are for animals (e.g. what animals do they eat/do they not eat? How are the animals categorized, and in what priority?). I also attempt to create a better understanding of the role of fauna in ecological management and the role fauna plays in what could be called the “Wayana calendar”. This traditional ecological indigenous knowledge can lead to a deeper understanding of Wayana and the relation that the Wayana have with their natural world.Show less
This paper researches tone in Bobo Madare North, a Niger-Congo, Mande language (ISO 639-3: bbo), spoken in Mali and Burkina Faso, closely related to Sya. After examining its basic principles...Show moreThis paper researches tone in Bobo Madare North, a Niger-Congo, Mande language (ISO 639-3: bbo), spoken in Mali and Burkina Faso, closely related to Sya. After examining its basic principles regarding tone, a limited overview of tone in the verb system is given. The paper proceeds to investigate tone in the noun system. Morphologically simple nouns, inflection (pluralisation), some compounding and derivation, as well as tone processes happening across word boundaries (definite and possessive constructions) are investigated. The author makes use of her own research data, applying principles of autosegmental phonology for her analysis. Bobo Madare North has three underlying tones with automatic and non-automatic downstep, tone spreading and (local?) upstep.Show less
This thesis will provide a basic phonology and orthography of Bano’o. Bano’o is one of three dialects that are part of Batanga. Bano’o is spoken along the south-west coast of Cameroon. The first...Show moreThis thesis will provide a basic phonology and orthography of Bano’o. Bano’o is one of three dialects that are part of Batanga. Bano’o is spoken along the south-west coast of Cameroon. The first section of this thesis describes the process of data collection. Following the data collection, the thesis will present a basic phonology of Bano’o, with focus on vowels, consonants and tone. Subsequently the thesis will concentrate on syllable and word structure. The last part of the thesis contains a brief orthography of the language.Show less
