Understanding and misunderstanding grammar

In this project we want to determine the causes of different interpretations of grammar. In a next step we will treat the question of whether we are ever able to describe a language adequately. The research topic First, examine how the innovative categories in terms of their grammatical classification are perceived. Then, the question will be whether and how the newly created categories have an impact on the contact languages in the region. Misinterpretation of grammatical categories In the 19 and the first half of the 20th Century grammar descriptions often followed the categories of European languages. Later, more "objective" methods were applied, but there were ongoing misjudgments about the languages of Africa. Until the first half of the 20th Century, sometimes languages were even labelled `primitive`. First, the causes of these different interpretations are investigated. It was only the beginning of the 20th unscientific judgments Century noted. The Hamitic theory "scienifically" supported the existence of primitive languages. Deviations in modern language descriptions Even modern grammars differ from each other in their descriptions. Grammatical rules are interpreted by the individual speakers differently. Linguists may also reach different analyses. Processes of grammaticalization contributed to the ongoing change processes. Speakers` perception of these new categories may vary, depending on their age, sociolinguistic environment, multilingual competence, etc. The research area In the west of Lake Chad in Nigeria, an enormous dynamism of language change could be observed. The political upheavals and the spread of the Hausa contributed to these changes. Thus, the Kanuri being a language of wider communication was replaced by Hausa from the 20th century. In close collaboration with linguists from the University of Maiduguri it will be examined, how in the languages of the region the grammatical change proceeded, especially for Kanuri and Hausa. As there are text documents up to 400 years old, it is possible to document the recent changes. As the processes of change differed according to the distribution area, it may be possible to make statements about the ways of distribution. Expected results -Sequence of processes of grammaticalization in Kanuri -Perception of the new grammar categories by the individual speakers -Borrowing from Hausa and Kanuri into the contact languages -Intensity of acquisition - Reformulation of grammatical categories -Findings on language typology, language contact and language universals

The results of the project have shown that in our study area linguistic behaviour and changes have different causes. These are dependent on historical, political, ecoomical and social developments. For example, we have been able to show that in the languages studied, traces of the respective influences can still be seen to this day, although these influences no longer have to be active. We came to the - not unexpected - conclusion that linguistic structures reveal more than grammatical rules that are valid for the respective languages.We believe that our research has provided a scientific contribution to a better knowledge of African languages. Interesting data also arise for general linguistics. The interest of language typology should also be mentioned. In some cases, there may be special typological features in African languages. However, the languages also share universal features in the grammatical structures. In the field of areal linguistics, we could state that the contact of Kanuri existed with the surrounding languages. On the other hand, Kanuri has taken over common areal features, e.g. the Tense-Aspect-Mood system or clause subordination patterns.The linguistic studies of African languages go beyond linguistic analyses. The results are also important in order to provide our findings to other disciplines. Linguistic results also make important contributions to understand developments in history, society, economy, culture. In addition, many linguistic works also have practical objectives. In the current case, for example, research results will be incorporated into educational materials.The cooperation with linguists from the University of Maiduguri has proved to be extremely productive and expedient in mutual interest.