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Language Variations in the Botswana Speech Community and Its Impact on Children's Education

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Language Variations in the Botswana Speech Community and Its Impact on Children's Education LINEAR LIBRARY C01 0074 0512 University of Cape Town 11111111111111 ------- Language variation in the Botswana speech community and its impact on children's education Dissertation submitted in accordance with the requirements of the Master of Arts Degree in the Department of Linguistics, African Languages and Literatures. by Carol Mmamonyana Ntshabele Supervisor: Associate Professor D.S Gxilishe Date of submission: September 1999. The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgement of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Published by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. Acknowledgements My very profound thanks go to my supervisor Associate Professor D.S.Gxilishe, who has patiently and wisely guided me over the years of my study. He has been both an inspiration and a pleasure to work with. My indebtedness to him is unlimited. I would like to express my gratitude to Professor S.C. Satyo, the Chair of Discipline for allowing me a space, time and the opportunity to pursue my studies in his department. My profound thanks go to Dr Russell Kaschula, who unconditionally and constantly supported me in my information seeking during my research. I want to thank him for patiently reading through and commenting on this thesis. I wish to acknowledge all the people who played a significant role during interviews of this study. Without their assistance and co-operation this study would not have been possible. I an1 also grateful to my friends Esther, Papali and Joseph, whose friendliness enabled me to cope with my work stress. Lastly I want to thank my children, Kabo and Thabiso for their understanding, support, patience and love they gave me throughout the lonely years of studying. II Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my two wonderful children, Kabo and Thabiso Ntshabele for their love, support, patience, understanding and endurance throughout the long and lonely years of absence whilst pursuing my studies. iii Abstract This study seeks to investigate Language variation in the Botswana speech community and its impact on children's education. The study is premised on the assumption that the learner's non-standard language from the home environment is not accommodated in the learning environment. The language used in the classroom is the standard language. This study deals with aspects such as language change, language contact, language interference as well as standardisation and the differences that exist in the spoken and written Setswana. Sociolinguistic factors such as language use are also dealt with. The problem of the use of non-standard varieties, as compared to the use of standard forms in the broad educational field is investigated. The research findings revealed that it is true that non-standard varieties have an impact on learners. Learners have to learn the new language as well as content at the same time. On the basis of the above findings, this study concludes with the recommendation that teachers should be more sensitive to linguistic diversity. IV Table of Contents Page Chapter One - Introduction 1. 0 Introduction------------------------------------------------------------1 1.1 Communicative function---------------------------------------------3 1.2 Aims of study----------------------------------------------------------5 1. 3 Significance of study-------------------------------------------------5 1.4 Organisation of study------------------------------------------------6 1.5 Methodolog----------------------------------------------------------- 7 1.5 Literature survey------------------------------------------------------7 1.6 Geographical distribution------------------------------------------- 12 1. 7 Historical background-'----------------------------------------------17 1.8 Conclusion------------------------------------------------------------20 Chapter Two - Variation, language contact and language change 2.0 Introduction---------------------------------------------------------21 2.1 Language variation-------------------------------------------------22 2.2 Defining language change-----------------------------------------23 2.2. l Influence of language change-------------------------------------25 2.2.2 Causes of language change----------------------------------------26 2.2.3 Consequences of language change--------------------------------28 2.2.4 Language change in African languages---------------------------31 2.3 Language contact----------------------------------------------------3 2 2.3.1 The Impact of language contact------------------------------------36 2.3.1.1 Imitation of the superior language---------------------------------3 7 2.3.1.2 Cultural differences--------------------------------------------------3 9 2.3.1.3 Foreign and fashion influence--------------------------------------40 2.4 Setswana variants-----------------------------------------------------4 3 2.4.l Sengwaketse language variety--------------------------------------44 2.4.1.1 Phonological differences--------------------------------------------45 2.4.1.2 Grammatical diferences---------------------------------------------46 2.4.1.3 Lexical differences---------------------------------------------------4 7 2.4.2 Sekwena language variety-------------------------------------------4 7 2.4.3 Sekgatla language variety--------------------------------------------4 7 2.4.3.1 Phonological differences------------------..;--------------------------48 2.4.3.1.1 Elision of the vowel---------------------------------------------------49 2.4.3.2 Grammatical differences----------------------------------------------50 2.4.3.3 Lexical differences-----------------------------------------------------51 2.4.4 Sengwato language variety--------------------------------------------51 2.4.4.1 Phonological differences-----------------------------------------------51 v 2.4.4.2 Grammatical differences----------------------------------------------52 2.4.4.3 Lexi cal differences-----------------------------------------------------5 3 2.4.5 Setawana language variety--------------------------------------------5 3 2.4.5.l Phonological differences-----------------------------------------------54 2.4.5.2 Grammatical differences----------------------------------------------5 6 2.4.6 Vocabulary---------------------------------------------------------------57 2.4.7 Pronunc iati on------------------------------------------------------------5 7 2.4.8 Lexi cal differences------------------------------------------------------5 8 2.4.9 Concl usion---------------------------------------------------------------5 9 Chapter Three - Standardisation and language variation 3.0 lntroduction-------------------------------------------------------------60 3.1 Standardisation---------------------------------------------------------61 3.1.1 The Impact of standardisation---------------------------------------64 3.1.2 Problems associated with standardisation--------------------------66 3.2 Language variation----------------------------------------------------70 3.2.l Aspects of language variation---------------------------------------71 3.2.1.1 Gender variation-------------------------------------------------------72 3.2.1.2 Age variation-----------------------------------------------------------74 3.2.1.3 Geographical - Regional variation-----------------------------------75 3.2.1.4 Social groupings variation--------------------------------------------77 3.2.1.5 Occupation and role differences-------------------------------------78 3.2.1.6 E:thnicity-----------------------------------------------------------------79 3.3 Attitudes towards the teaching of non-standard varieties---------79 3.3.l Teachers' atti tudes------------------------------------------------------8 0 3.3.2 Students' and parents' attitudes------------~--------------------------83 3.4 Conclusion-------------------------------------------------------------84 Chapter Four - Survey of language attitudes in the educational field and problems of use of non- standard Setswana 4.0 lntroduction---------------------------------------------------------------86 4.1 Aims of the questionnaires and interviews----------------------------87 4.2 Data collection------------------------------------------------------------87 4.3 Discussion-----------------------------------------------------------------90 4.3.1 Use of Setswana varieties in class--------------------------------------90 4.3.2 Academic performance in Setswana------------------------------------92 4.3.3 Learners attitudes towards non-standard varieties--------------------93 4.3 .4 General comments and suggestions------------------------------------97 4. 3 .5 Concl usi on-----------------------------------------------------------------9 8 4.4 Results of teachers' interviews------------------------------------------99 VI 4 .4 .1 Teachers' qualifications----------------------------------------------------100 4.4.2 Interview procedures-------------------------------------------------------100 4 .4 .3 Discussion------------------------------------..:------------------------------101 4.4.4 Teachers' attitudes towards non-standard varieties--------------------104 4.4.5 Learners' academic performance in Setswana--------------------------106 4 .4. 6 Comments and suggestions----------------------------------------------..: 109 4.4. 7 Conclusion-------------------------------------------------------------------110
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