Knowledge and Use of Indigenous Numeral Systems among Southern Cushitic Speakers

Numeral systems of minority languages are liable to different kinds of sociolinguistic changes triggered by language contact. In turn, contact results to bilingualism/multilingualism in convergence area, and it is natural for the numeral system of the dominant language(s) to replace the indigenous numeral systems of minority languages. The Kiswahili numeral system is unceasingly supplanting indigenous numeral systems of many ECLs in Tanzania. In examining the numerals, the study investigated four Tanzanian Southern Cushitic languages: Iraqw, Gorwaa, Alagwa and Burunge. More specifically, the article surveyed indigenous numeral terms, speakers’ knowledge and usage of numeral terms, the reason(s) for survival of some numeral terms and the loss of the indigenous knowledge contained in Southern Cushitic numeral systems. The findings have revealed that speakers’ knowledge and use of indigenous numeral systems varies from one languages to another among Southern Cushitic speakers. Kiswahili numerals are significantly replacing indigenous numerals to the extent that indigenous numerals were even more threated to endangerment than the other systems of language. Dominance of Kiswahili, early schooling age, loss of older members of the communities are among reasons that triggered the loss of knowledge and restricting the usage of the indigenous numerals in these languages.