A socio-cultural approach to code-switching and code-mixing among speakers of IsiZulu in KwaZulu-Natal : a contribution to spoken language corpora.
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Date
2012
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Abstract
This study provides an overview of the socio-cultural functions and
motivations of English-IsiZulu code-switching among speakers at Inanda,
Ntuzuma and KwaMashu (INK) in Durban. Following Myres-Scotton (1993a),
code-switching is defined as the mixing of different codes by speakers in the
same conversation and this switch may take place at any level of language
differentiation (languages, dialects, registers). Code-switching has become a
universal phenomenon among bilingual speakers in most communities in
South Africa. Not until recently code-switching/mixing was seen as evidence
of “internal mental confusion, the inability to separate two languages
sufficiently to warrant the description of true bilingualism” (Lipski, 1982:191).
However, in this study, it is argued that code-switching is not only a
manifestation of mental confusion but a versatile process involving an
enormous amount of expertise in both languages involved and a socially and
culturally motivated phenomenon. It is also argued that spoken word corpora
is an important aspect in maintaining language vitality through the study of
code-switching and other related linguistic phenomenon. This study therefore
seeks to explore the socio-cultural functions of code-switching through an
analysis of transcriptions derived from naturally occurring voice recorded
instances of IsiZulu-English code-switching. It also seeks to explain why
IsiZulu speakers code-switch a lot by looking at the history of the IsiZulu
language contact with English, the socio-cultural factors as well as the
linguistic factors that contribute to the predominance of code-switching
among IsiZulu-English bilinguals. Further, it seeks to demonstrate the
significance of spoken word corpora in the study and intellectualization of
indigenous languages in South Africa.
The research approach in this study is situated in the phenomenological
paradigm. Both the qualitative and quantitative methodology have been
employed. Data for this particular study was gathered through voice
recordings of naturally occurring conversations, semi-structured interviews
and participant observation. Voice recorded conversations were transcribed
and analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively under three broad
categories; the socio-cultural functions of code-switching, the socio-cultural
motivational factors of code-switching and finally the frequency of codeswitches,
code-mixes, adopted items and loan shifts based on a corpus
designed for this particular study.
The Myers-Scotton (1993b; 1998) Markedness Model has been employed as
the main backbone theory in the analysis of the socio-cultural functions and
motivations of code-switching. The Markedness Model is considered to be a
useful tool in which to analyze code-switching because it accounts for the
speaker’s socio-psychological motivations when code-switching (Myers-
Scotton 1993b:75). Heller’s (1992, 1995) Ideological-political model has also
been used as a supplementary model in this study. In order to understand the
role and significance of code-switching, it is essential to understand not only
its distribution in the Community, but, more importantly, how that
distribution is tied to the way groups control both the distribution of access to
valued resources and the way in which that value is assigned (Heller
1992:139-140) .
Description
Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.
Keywords
Code switching (Linguistics)--KwaZulu-Natal., Sociolinguistics--KwaZulu-Natal, Zulu language--Social aspects--KwaZulu-Natal., Bilingualism--Social aspects--KwaZulu-Natal., Theses--IsiZulu.