Changing phases of linguistic ecology in Tanzania: The vitality of ethnic languages

Abstract

This article explores the vitality of Tanzania’s ethnic languages. The study examines the relationship between language ecology and language vitality. Like many minority languages around the world, Tanzania’s ethnic languages are under threat of extinction. This threat is primarily attributed to speakers of those languages abandoning them in favour of Kiswahili, the national and official language of Tanzania. The article comprehensively analyses the sociopolitical environment that has contributed to the current situation. Based on the arguments from critical analysis of secondary sources, the article presents a historical and eclectic account of the factors that have contributed to the marginalisation of ethnic languages in the prevailing sociopolitical environment. The article argues that for a language maintenance programme to succeed in Tanzania, the sociopolitical environment responsible for the current state of ethnic languages must be addressed.