Angelus Mnenuka: One Way of Passing on Culture in a Changing Society is the Re-entextualization* of Text

Angelus Mnenuka, senior lecturer at the Institute of Kiswahili Studies (IKS) at Dar es Salaam University

Mmerikani’s Substack consists of sourced, edifying quotes in a dual-language format (Swahili & English). I am a Quaker, runner, and was formally trained in Swahili.

[Scroll down for the English]

KISWAHILI

[Excerpt from Angelus Mnenuka’s published research (2023), “Dhima za umatinishaji-upya katika fasihi: Uchunguzi kifani wa nyimbo za muziki wa dansi na ngano.”]

“Kila jamii ina utamaduni ambao hurithishwa kutoka kizazi kimoja hadi kingine. Njia mojawapo ya urithishaji wa utamaduni katika jamii inayobadilika ni umatinishaji-upya* wa matini. Huu ni mchakato wa kuichopoa matini kutoka katika muktadha wake asilia na kuichopeka katika muktadha mpya….

“Kwa ujumla, umatinishaji-upya umefumbata vipengele vyote vya mwingilianomatini [intertextuality]** kwani haushii tu kutumia matini A katika matini B, bali matini iliyoziduliwa hutazamwa kama matini mpya katika muktadha mpya.

“Tofauti kubwa baina ya mwingilianomatini** na umatinishaji-upya ni kwamba mwingilianomatini ni [kirahisi] utumiaji wa matini zilizotumiwa na watu wengine (Blommaert, 2005)….

“Wakati huohuo, umatinishaji-upya ni mchakato wa kuizidua matini katika muktadha wake wa utendaji na kuichopeka katika muktadha mwingine wa utendaji ambapo inakuwa matini nyingine tofauti na ile ya awali (Blommaert, 2005)…. Hivyo, umatinishaji-upya unaanzia pale mwingilianomatini unapoishia….”

* Istilahi hiyo ni tafsiri ya istilahi ya Kiingereza cha Uingereza entextualisation iliyofafanuliwa na kutumiwa na Bauman na Briggs (1990), Urban (1996), na baadaye kutumiwa na wanazuoni mbalimbali.

**mwingilianomatini (intertextuality) ni wakati wowote matini moja yanarejelewa katika matini mengine. Kwa mfano, chapisho langu hili la Substack linatumia mwingilianomatini kwa njia ya kujumuisha matini kutoka kwa utafiti wa Bw. Mnenuka. (Kamusi za Merriam-Webster na Collins zilishindwa kunipa ufafanuzi wa kuridhisha, kwa hivyo nitatoa tovuti isiyojulikana sana kwa maelezo bora ya mwingilianomatini: https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-intertextuality-definition.)

- Angelus Mnenuka ni mhadhiri mkuu katika Taasisi ya Taaluma za Kiswahili (IKS) katika Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam na mtafiti wenye kujitawala. Ni mwandishi wa machapisho kadhaa yanayochunguza nadharia ya fasihi, fasihi simulizi na fasihi maandishi, na lugha la Kiswahili.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

[Excerpt from Angelus Mnenuka’s published research (2023), “The Roles of Re-contextualization in Literature: A Case Study of Dance Music and Fables.”]

“Every society has a culture that is inherited from one generation to another. One way to transmit culture in a changing society is the re-entextualization* of text. This is the process of removing a text from its original context and inserting it into a new context….

“In general, re-entextualization encompasses all aspects of intertextuality** since it does not simply involve using text A in text B, but also the extracted text is viewed as a text in a new context.

“The main difference between intertextuality** and re-entextualization is that intertextuality is [simply] the use of texts that have been used by other people (Blommaert, 2005)….

“Whereas, re-entextualization is the process of removing a text from its functional context and inserting it into another functional context where it becomes another text different from the original (Blommaert, 2005)…. Thus, re-entextualization begins where intertextuality ends….”

* This term is a translation of the British English term entextualisation, as explained and used by Bauman and Briggs (1990), Urban (1996) and later used by various scholars.

** Intertextuality is any time one text is referenced in another text. For example, this Substack post is using intertextuality by way of my inclusion of an excerpt of text from Mr. Mnenuka’s research. (Also, Merriam-Webster and Collins failed to give me a satisfactory definition, so I will offer a lesser-known website which provides a better definition of intertextuality: https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-intertextuality-definition.)

- Angelus Mnenuka is a senior lecturer at the Institute of Kiswahili Studies (IKS) at the University of Dar es Salaam and an independent researcher. He is the author of several publications examining literary theory, oral and written literature, and the Swahili language.

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Chanzo (source): Mnenuka, Angelus. “Dhima za Umatinishaji-upya katika Fasihi: Uchunguzi Kifani wa Nyimbo za Muziki wa Dansi na Ngano.” [“The Roles of Re-contextualization in Literature: A Case Study of Dance Music and Fables.”] Kioo cha Lugha, vol. 20, no. 2 (2023): 198-216. Jarida la Taasisi ya Taaluma za Kiswahili, Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/kcl.v20i2.4.