Attitude towards Kiswahili in Urban Kenya (original) (raw)
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This study investigated language attitudes of secondary school learners of Somali descent toward Kiswahili and their patterns of language use in various domains in a multilingual context as evidenced in Garissa Town. The target population was secondary school students in public and private schools within Garissa town, Garissa County, Kenya. Field data was collected through questionnaires. A total of 100 respondents were involved in this study. This sample was obtained through simple random sampling technique. This study obtained quantitative data from respondents’ responses to guided questionnaires in order to determine their attitude towards Kiswahili. Data was analysed descriptively and by way of tables. The findings reveal that secondary school students within Garissa town have a positive attitude toward Kiswahili. Somali language is mainly spoken at home. English is mainly spoken at school while Kiswahili is used for intercultural and interethnic communication. Keywords: Patterns of Language Use, Language Attitudes, Multilingualism, Kiswahili
Linguistic Realities in Kenya: A Preliminary Survey
The present paper investigates the linguistic realities of Kenya. In this multilingual country every language is not equal in status. Broadly, there are three language groups in Kenya, namely Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic, and each group includes more than five languages which makes Kenya as a multilingual country with about forty two languages. Kiswahili, an indigenous language, is a national language of Kenya, and it is mainly used in schools and universities along with English as a medium of instruction. Under linguistic hegemony minor and lesser known languages have often been neglected inside and outside the country. However, they have been serving as a marker of identity among the ethnic community in the country. The linguistic diversity in Kenya is a boon for a field linguist but misinformed politicians and education policy makers are deliberately forgetting this language heritage. This paper will not only discuss the challenges that these languages are facing but also give suggestions to revive the linguistic culture in the country.
Language Attitudes and Kiswahili Language Learning in Primary Schools in Kenya
Journal of Education and Practice, 2020
Kiswahili and English are two important languages taught and examined at the national level in Kenya's education system. Students' academic performance in the subjects keeps varying in national examinations. Different from English, however, poor performance in Kiswahili is more often associated with negative attitudes. Nevertheless, empirical validations have in most cases, not been established. The present study explores pupils' attitudes toward Kiswahili in the context of second language learning in Siaya County of Kenya. The study is anchored on the assumption that although language attitudes play a big role in second language learning and development, primary school pupils have often been neglected in the investigation of language attitudes despite the fact that Kiswahili language learning and teaching begins at that level. A sample size of 360 class eight pupils randomly picked from 18 primary schools of Siaya County participated in the survey. Data collection was by use of attitude questionnaires and, analysed by mixed method approach. Results showed that primary school pupils had positive attitudes towards Kiswahili. The attitudes were due to the communicative and integrative functions of Kiswahili. Pupils however indicated that English remained instrumental to their academic and future pursuits. Consequently, Kiswahili was not accorded the same weight as English, which in turn influenced negatively Kiswahili language learning. The study calls for creation of awareness about the instrumental value of Kiswahili language to learners. This be done, from the early stages of their academic development. Moreover, it recommends that the culture of using grammatical language by learners be encouraged, as much as it is possible. This will serve to improve their Kiswahili language skills and contribute to good performance.
Language maintenance mechanisms of Kigiriama language in Ganze Sub-county, Kilifi County, Kenya
International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 2022
Global figures and reports by UNESCO indicate that 90% of the world’s languages are endangered. Kigiriama not being a minority language may attract little or no attention in terms of language shift and maintenance investigation. However, in spite Kigiriama having an estimated number of 600, 000 speakers and the trend at the moment is that many of its speakers and especially the youth are shifting to the use of Kiswahili language in many domains raises questions on the concept of language shift and maintenance. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate on language maintenance mechanisms of Kigiriama language. The study employed Fishman’s Domain theory and Holmes’ theory on language maintenance. The study employed descriptive survey research design. Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. The findings of the study reveal that language maintenance in Kigiriama language is done at family domain, community domain, and media domain and through language planning policy. Th...
Kiswahili in the language ecology of Gulu, Northern Uganda
2020
The promotion of Kiswahili is one of the main goals of the policies of the East African Community. However, only a limited amount of research has been conducted on the perception and application of the language outside of the traditionally Kiswahili-speaking countries of Tanzania and Kenya. Especially in Uganda, the third largest country of the region, there is a lack of understanding for the role of the language in public communication. This article presents data on the use of Kiswahili in everyday communication and discusses the language attitudes and language ideologies of the people in Northern Uganda’s largest city. It shows that, despite generally positive attitudes towards the language, there is little to no use for it in public communication. The results of the study, combined with perceived negative attitudes from other parts of the country towards the implemented policies, question the effectiveness of the proposed measures for promoting Kiswahili within the present parame...
Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 2013
Abstract The role of language attitudes on language choice, development and policy in multilingual societies cannot be over emphasized (Adegbija, 1994; Batibo, 2005). Monolingual speakers have only one attitude towards their language because they have no other languages to compare it with. However, where speakers are bilingual or multilingual; there is a tendency to develop different attitudes to each of the languages used. These attitudes, whether positive or negative, will normally depend on the degree of symbolic or socio-economic value manifested by each language. Tanzania, a multilingual country with over 128 languages and with a bilingual language policy in education is therefore a fertile ground for studies on language attitudes. In recent years, there have been concerted efforts by various stake holders to propagate growth and development of English in Tanzania. English has been lauded as the essential language which links Tanzania to the rest of the world through technology, commerce and administration. Against this backdrop, this study sought to investigate students’ attitudes towards Kiswahili so as to determine whether the shift to English had impacted students’ attitude formation towards Kiswahili. This survey comprised of 340 students sampled from six selected schools of Mtwara Urban and Mtwara Rural districts. Results show that most Tanzanian students have favourable attitudes towards Kiswahili and the language’s status among secondary school students has not diminished. Kiswahili remains the most preferred language of use in all major domains. This study proposes that the place and role of Kiswahili be further enhanced in the country by exploring its possible use as a medium of instruction at secondary school level. Further, the study proposes that local vernaculars, which face extinction due to language shift that has taken place, need drastic measures in order to preserve them. Keywords: Multilingualism, Bilingual education, language attitudes, Kiswahili
CONFLICT AND LANGUAGE ATTITUDES: A Case of Kiswahili in Kenya’s post election Violence 2008
Language is an important tool not only for conflict resolution but also a causal factor in ethnic conflict. During Kenya’s political violence which was tribal in nature, native languages were like a measure to attack opponents. Worrying to Kiswahili language and nationalism, when one spoke the national language Kiswahili, was the first sign of somebody from another community and/or a victim to attack. Those who refused to identify with this ethnic patriotism were branded traitors of the ethnic cause (Ngunjiri, 2008). Unfortunately, majority of the perpetrators of violence were young people, the future of our country who are less involved in various institutionalized processes designed to manage conflict and discuss among other things consequences of these conflict like the national language attitudes. In addition, during campaigns, language in form of “fun or harmless jokes” on different communities had ironically made these young people got involved in violent activities. This kind of negative attitude towards other people’s languages and more so to the national language Kiswahili especially by young people is a threat to nationalism and the future of Kenya. Language researchers need to conduct adequate research on how the tribal conflicts bears in the complex Kiswahili language attitudes and nationalism. Together with the present peace in Kenya, it is a perfect opportunity for positive Kiswahili attitudes and nationalism for survival in this socio-economically competitive globalized world.
Student Mother Tongue Usage, Preference, and Attitudes in Bungoma County, Kenya
2018
This paper presents and discusses results of a language survey carried out at Mihuu Secondary School in the Bungoma County of western Kenya. It is shown that although students have diverse linguistic backgrounds, language use patterns tend to converge as they tend to use Kiswahili and English to communicate with their friends at school and others in society. Hence, it was found that students were proficient in English, but their mother tongue did not seem to be as secure as has often been assumed, and thus, a significant number of students were not proficient in the mother tongue, and the younger the student, the less likely they are to be proficient in the mother tongue. Therefore, it is argued that inter-ethnic marriages, linguistic heterogeneity, and Kenya’s current language policy are responsible for this trend.
In the Kenyan education system, Kiswahili is taught as compulsory and examinable subject at primary and secondary schools. This study sought to find out the influence of students' attitudes towards the implementation of Kiswahili curriculum at secondary level in Igembe South District. The study employed descriptive survey research design where the target population was 2,400 form four secondary school students from all 24 public secondary schools in Igembe South District, Meru County, Kenya. Data was collected through questionnaires from thirteen (13) students who were selected using simple random sampling method. The findings revealed that secondary school students in Igembe South District have a negative attitude towards Kiswahili as a subject which affects it implementation. The study recommends that the school administration and the Kiswahili subject teachers should find ways of helping students cultivate positive attitude towards Kiswahili through drama competitions in Kiswahili, poetry competitions in Kiswahili, taking students to theatres which show Kiswahili plays, encouraging students to join Kiswahili clubs such as journalism, debating, and young writers in Kiswahili.