Revitalizing Lukabarasi through archaic eco-lexicon identification Benard Mudogo

Abstract

This study aims at identifying and documenting archaic eco-lexicon found in Lukabarasi language discourse, one of the Luhya clusters of languages spoken in Western Kenya. The purpose is to find out how much archaic eco-lexicon is in Lukabarasi, and establish the potential level of threat and extinction of such lexicon. The researcher uses rapid word collection to get data from the respondents. A combination of native speaker’s intuition and interviews with key informants who are very familiar with the Lukabarasi eco-lexicon generates the words for analysis. The existence of the archaic Lukabarasi eco-lexicons indicates the diminishing richness of the Kabarasi environment. Lukabarasi eco-lexicon is at the Beginning Threatened level (level  3). Therefore, there is need for such lexicons to be identified and documented. This will form an archive for preservation of the language, culture  and history of the Kabarasi people as expressed in language related to the environment.