When ‘father’ means ‘husband’ and ‘sister’ means ‘cattle’: lexicalization of kinship terms and address forms in Tanzanian Bantu languages

Abstract

We articulate the lexicalization and extension of the meaning of kinship terms in Bantu languages spoken in Tanzania. We draw linguistic conclusion from proto-forms reconstructed in comparison with the maternal kin terms and affinal address forms in matrilineal and patrilineal societies. We assume that since societies (e.g. Luguru, Mwera, Ndendeule, Swahili) changed from matrilineal to patrilineal, the kin terms and address forms were altered to fit this transformation. Findings indicated that matrilineal societies (e.g. Luguru and Zigula) maintain the prominence of mtumba ‘paternal uncle’ irrespective of the socio-economic and political transformations which undermined the protagonist mother and elevated patriarchal relations. Findings also indicate that patrilineal societies (e.g. Ruuri and Sukuma) coin labels which indicate women as cattle and/or women as sources of children. While research in social sciences show diminishing matrilineal societies (e.g. Mwera and Sambaa), we argue in this paper that linguistically, this phenomenon unravels even societies whose matrilineal features appear to have been eroded by Islam, colonization and ujamaa policies.

Keywords

• Address forms
• kinship terms
• lexicalization
• matrilineal
• patrilineal
• Tanzanian Bantu