Projeto de identificação e registo de obras metalinguísticas das línguas africanas de Angola e Moçambique

The historiography of missionary linguistics, particularly those under Portuguese patronage during the colonial period, has often been neglected. To address this gap, the Center for Studies in Letters (CEL) has initiated a project to identify, map, digitize, register, and disseminate metalinguistic works on the indigenous languages of Portuguese-speaking African countries, focusing specifically on Angola and Mozambique. This project spans works produced from 1482 to 1975, intending to preserve and make accessible the lexicographic and grammatical records created by Portuguese missionaries. The preliminary results reveal significant contributions to the linguistic documentation of these countries’ languages, which were maintained and established differently from other former Portuguese colonies that developed Creoles. The project identified a total of 116 works: 72 from nine Angolan languages (Chokwe, Kikongo, Kimbundu, Ngangela, Nyaneka, Umbundu, Olunkwimbi, Musuku, and Kwanyama) and 44 from also nine Mozambican languages (Cicopi, Cinyanja, Cinyungwe, Cisena, Ciyaawo, Emakhuwa, Shimakonde, Xichangana, and Xirhonga). It is emphasized the role of the Portuguese Congregation of the Holy Spirit’s archives in Lisbon, developed in the second phase of the project. This research highlights the importance of these metalinguistic works in understanding the historical, cultural and linguistic contexts of Angola and Mozambique. It underscores the need for further exploration and dissemination of these invaluable resources.