THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF CULTURAL AND SOCIAL IDENTITY IN ZIMBABWEAN AND TRINBAGONIAN LITERATURES A Thesis Submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research in Partial FuWllment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of English University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon BY Edmund Olushina Bamiro Fall 1997 (C) Copyright Edmund 0. Bamiro, 1991. All rights reserved. National Library Bibliottkque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington WONKtAON4 Ortawa ON KIA ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde me licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliotheque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prster, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette these sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format electronique . The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriete du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d' auteur qui protege cette these. thesis nor substantial extracts £?om it Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent etre imprimes reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN College of Graduate Studies and Research SUMMARY OF DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfiUmnt of the requirements for the DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PEILOSOPHY by EDMUND OLUSHINA BAMIRO Department of English College of Arts md Science University of Saskatchewan Fall 1997 Examining Committee: Dr. Patrick Renihan X8tW)QJslS~~Dean's Designate, Chair College of Graduate Studies and Research Dr. Doug Thorpe Chair of Advisory Committee, Dept. of English Dr. Susan Gingell Research Supervisor, Dept. of English Dr. Carol Morrell Dept. of English Dr. T.J. Matherion Dept. of English Dr. Mary MP~O Dept. of Anthropology and Archaeology Extemal Examiner: Professor Clement Wyke Depafmt of English University of Widpeg Winnipeg. Manitoba R3B 2E9 TBE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF CULTURAL AND SOCIAL IDENTITY IN TWO AFRICAN AND WEST INDIAN LITERATURES The present study employs the fhmeworks of post-colonial literary theory, sociolinguistics, and the social psychology of language use to compare the nature, hction, and meaning of English in the delineation of cultural and social identities in anglophone Zimbabwean and Trinbagonian literatures. The construction of cultural and social identities in these literatures inheres in how certain Zimbabwean and Trinbagonian novelists use various linguistic devices to contextualize the English language in their respective cultures, and how they employ the English language to articulate and reinforce colonial, counter-colonial, and other hetmglossic social discourses arising from confiicts of race, class, and gender in the Zimbabwean and Trinbagonian contexts. Chapter One outlines the nature of the research and sets up the terms and categories that will feature prominently in the analysis. Chapter Two examines the place of English in the sociwconomic and cultural history of Zimbabwe and of Trinidad and Tobago, and offers a description of the indigenous or other national languages which play prominent roles in the linguistic configuration of the two nations. The chapter also critically reviews the attitudes of some prominent postcolonial writers, particularly from the African and Caribbean regions, to the use of English as a medium of artistic creativity. Chapter Three engages with narrative idiom and characters' idioms and comments as they relate to (a) the nativization of English in selected Zimbabwean novels and the use of English and other indigenous languages for articulating social nonns and certain situational imperatives, and (b) the power and politics of English as an insaument for domination, manipulation, oppression, the coastruction of elitist identity, the reproduction of unequal power relations, and of resistance to such social injustia. Chapter Four addresses issues discussed in Chapter Three, but with reference to the Trinbagonian literary context. Chapter Five, the conclusion, synthesizes the arguments by pointing out the sociolinguistic similarities and differences between Zimbabwe and Trinbagonian literatures analyzed in the study. Furthermore, the concluding chapter not only indicates the values of an interdiscipIinary projectsuch as this one for both linguistics and literary studies, but it also delineates certain research options for tbe future. The dissertation generally concludes that the construction of Zimbabwean and Trinbagonian identities in and through language can be nad as a mode of resistance to the homogenizing, assimilative practices of colonialism and neocolonialism Thus, the detailed documentation in this study of the range of Iinguistic and socio- cultural differences between Zimbabwean and Trinbagonian literatures on the one hand, and other works of English (especially the acrolectal varieties) on the other, establishes that while there is no single, stable Zimbabwean or Trinbagonian identity that is constituted in the language of literary texts to set up in contrast to an imperial British or American one, the fact of differences is indisputable. BIOGRAPEICAL Born in Lagos, Nigeria Bachelor of Arts, University of Maiduguri Master of Arts, University of Lagos Doctor of Philosophy in Education, International Christian University In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Postgraduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan, I agree that the Libraries of this University may make it klyavailable for inspection. I further agree that permission for copying of this thesis in any manner, in whole or in part, for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor or professors who supervised my thesis work or, in their absence, by the Head of the Department or the Dean of the College in which my thesis work was done. It is understood that any copying or publication or use of this thesis or parts thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of Saskatchewan in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my thesis. Requests for permission to copy or to make other use of material in this thesis in whole or part should be addressed to: Head of the Department of English University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N SA5 ABSTRACT The present study employs the frameworks of postcolonial literary theory, sociolinguistics, and the social psychology of language use to compare the nature, function, and meaning of English in the delineation of culturaI and social identities in anglophone Zimbabwean and Trinbagonian literatures. The construction of cultural and social identities in these literatures inheres in how certain Zimbabwean and Trinbagonian navelists use various linguistic devices to contextualize the English language in their respective cultures, and how they employ the English language to articulate and reinforce colonial, counter-colonial, and other heterogiossic social discourses arising hmconflicts of race, class, and gender in the Zimbabwean and Trinbagonian contexts. Chapter One outlines the nature of the research and sets up the terms and categories that will feature prominently in the analysis. Chapter Two examines the place of English in the socio-economic and cultural history of Zimbabwe and of Trinidad and Tobago, and offers a description of the indigenous or other national languages which play prominent roles in the linguistic configuration of the two nations. The chapter also critically reviews the attitudes of some prominent postcolonial writers, particularly from the African and Caribbean regions, to the use of English as a medium of artistic creativity. Chapter Three engages with narrative idiom and characters' idioms and comments as they relate to (a) the nativization of English in selected Zimbabwean novels and the use of English and other indigenous languages for articulating social norms and certain situational imperatives, and (b) the power and politics of English as an instnunent for domination, manipulation, oppression, the construction of elitist identity, the reproduction of unequal power relations, and of resistance to such social injustice. Chapter Four addresses issues discussed in Chapter Three, but with refenence to the Trinbagonian literary context. Chapter Five, the conclusion, synthesizes the arguments by pointing out the sociolinguistic similarities and differences between Zimbabwean and Trinbagonian literatures analyzed in the study. Furthermore, the concluding chapter not only indicates the values of an interdisciplinary project such as this one for both linguistics and literary studies, but it also delineates certain research options for the hture. The dissertation generally concludes that the construction of Zimbabwean and Trinbagonian identities in and through language can be read as a mode of resistance to the homogenizing, assimilative practices of colonialism and neocolonialism. Thus, the detailed documentation provided in this study of the range of linguistic and socio- cultural differences between Zimbabwean and Trinbagonian literatures on the one hand, and other works of English (especially