The challenges in developing techno-scientific terminology using the current shona orthography in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study discusses the compatibility of the Shona writing system in handling the terminology of the techno-scientific field in Zimbabwe.  The argument avowed in this article is that globalization has led to techno-scientific advancement in African countries like Zimbabwe as  Information Communication Technology (ICT) is being incorporated into every facet of human life. As such, most communities have been flooded by foreign concepts and terms in English which they need to also name or translate into their indigenous languages. This has  exposed the inadequacies of certain writing systems, such as the current Shona orthography due to its shortcomings in handling certain  technical and scientific terms. This study further argues that borrowing is the commonly used term creation technique in Shona, under  which rephonologization of terms is done conforming to the target language’s writing system. The Shona orthography is failing to  recognize these borrowed sounds correctly owing to its liabilities in representing phonological sounds as they are spoken. This creates  gross ambiguity as users end up writing differently from their everyday speaking. This study is influenced by Skinner’s (1957) habit- related Behaviourist Theory and by Aitchison (1991) who suggests that the two basic causes of language change are socio-linguistic and  psycholinguistic factors. In-depth interviews and document analysis of specialized dictionaries are used to collect research data.  Furthermore, the Shona Language Database is used to find language usage in the everyday context. Findings are analyzed qualitatively.  The study recommends revision of the current Shona orthography to render it usable in the field of techno-science.