Mugaddam, A: Language Maintenance and Shift in Sudan

This book presents the process of language shift and maintenance among ethnic minority groups in Greater Khartoum. An overview of language situation in Sudan was given together with some theoretical aspects on which the study is based.Very interesting results were discussed notably language shift to Arabic which was found to be progressing at a significant rate among the language groups investigated especially the younger generations. Moreover, a significant relationship was found between language shift to Arabic and demographic factors such as age, sex, ethnic background, inter-ethnic marriage, level of education, and job status. This is in addition to a considerable discrepancy between positive attitude towards ethnic languages and their actual maintenance by their immediate speech communities. The results suggest that factors such as extensive exposure to Arabic, the influence of the media, intermarriage, and lack of institutional support for ethnic languages were among the main reasons behind the process of language shift detected. The book recommends certain strategies and procedures to be taken should endangered languages in the Sudan be revived and maintained revived.