State Ideology and Language in Tanzania

A case study on Tanzania highlighting the theoretical and methodological approaches in sociolinguistics. It focuses on the influence of Ujamaa ideology on Swahili's formation, treatment, and implementation. It features updates to the discussions of code-switching and language policies and ideologies. This is an extended case study on Tanzania highlighting the latest theoretical and methodological approaches in sociolinguistics. A study of the politicization and incorporation of Swahili in the nation-building efforts associated with the introduction of the socialist Ujamaa ideology in 1967. The text focuses on the influence of Ujamaa ideology on Swahili's formation, treatment, and implementation. It merges macro- and micro-sociolinguistic approaches, as well as historiographic and political-analytic research, contributing to the study of African political ideologies and to research on the continuity between colonial and postcolonial language policies. It makes substantial points about the study of African political ideologies, on the continuity between colonial and postcolonial language policies and on the dispersed nature of language policies over a number of critical actors in society - destereotyping language policy as purely the study of policy makers' decisions. It includes a new chapter on enregistering the nation. It features updates to the discussions of code-switching and language policies and ideologies. It provides a theoretically rich discussion of language and ideology in Tanzania.

Tanzania is often seen as an exceptional case of successful language planning in Africa, with Swahili being spread to all corners of the country. Yet, this objective success has always been accompanied by a culture of complaints proclaiming its utter failure. State Ideology and Language in Tanzania sets out to explore this paradox through a richly documented historical, sociolinguistic and anthropological approach covering the story of Swahili from the early days of independence until today. Focusing on the ways in which Swahili was swept up in the 'Ujamaa revolution' - the transition to socialism led by president Nyerere - Jan Blommaert demonstrates how the language became an emblem not just of the Tanzanian 'cultural' nation, but above all of the 'political' nation. Using Swahili meant the acceptance of socialism, and the spread of Swahili across the country should equal the spread of Ujamaa socialism. When this did not happen, the verdict of failure was proclaimed on Swahili, which did not prevent the language from becoming one of the most widely used and dynamic languages on the continent.This book is a thoroughly revised version of the 1999 edition, which was welcomed at the time as a classic. It now extends the period of coverage to 2012 and includes an entirely new chapter on current developments, making this updated edition an essential read for students and scholars in language, linguistics and African Studies.