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An Analysis of the Socio-Pragmatic Motivations for Code-Switching in Rwanda

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An Analysis of the Socio-Pragmatic Motivations for Code-Switching in Rwanda AN ANALYSIS OF THE SOCIO-PRAGMATIC MOTIVATIONS FOR CODE-SWITCHING IN RWANDA by HELI HABYARIMANA submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the subject SOCIOLINGUISTICS at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROF L A BARNES CO-SUPERVISOR: PROF NTAKIRUTIMANA EVARISTE SEPTEMBER 2017 DECLARATION Student Number: 4194-153-5 I declare that An analysis of the socio-pragmatic motivations for code-switching in Rwanda is my own work. All the sources that have been used and quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. 28 August 2017 ______________ ________________ Heli Habyarimana Date ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people contributed to the ultimate completion of this dissertation in different ways. However, a few of them deserve special mention. I am grateful to my supervisor Prof. Lawrie Barnes for his invaluable guidance, insightful remarks, and distinct on-going expertise throughout this research journey. He patiently guided me and his wonderful comments provided solid ground on which this dissertation was founded and developed. My sincere gratitude goes to my co-supervisor Prof. Ntakirutimana Evariste for his constructive suggestions. Under his tutelage, I have had the opportunity to know many things about the research on code-switching in Rwanda. I also acknowledge Mariette Harcombe for technical support including scanning and transmitting to me reviews of the dissertation. Many thanks go to my respondents including Customer Care Officers, Public Relations Officers, Receptionists and Secretaries in different public and private institutions, as well as students of the University of Kibungo, who willingly participated in this study. This research could not have come to fruition without their contribution during the data collection process. I owe so much to my wife Dévothe and our sons Devin and David for their love, support, encouragement and patience. They really gave me hope in my moments of despondency throughout this research. Finally, to all people who contributed to the completion of this dissertation in one way or another, I say “Thank you”. Heli Habyarimana iii DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my loving wife Dévothe and our sons Devin and David for prayers, patience and support throughout the research period. iv ABSTRACT The study examines the social motivations that prompt the Rwandan bilingual speakers to code- switch from Kinyarwanda to English, French or Kiswahili in their casual conversations about real-life situations. Methodological techniques used for data collection are ethnographic non- participant observation, oral interviews, focus group discussions and shorthand notes techniques. Examples were examined and interpreted within Myers-Scotton’s Markedness Model as the main theoretical framework for the study. The research findings align with Myers-Scotton’s categories such as the sequential unmarked choice, code-switching itself as the unmarked choice, the marked choice and the exploratory choice respectively. The main social factors that influence code-switching among the Rwandan bilingual speakers were identified as signalling educated status, expressing different social identities, demonstrating measures of power, authority and prestige, narrowing or widening social distance, and maintaining relationships. These results support the hypothesis that code-switching is a strategy to maximise social benefits from the interlocutors in conversation. Key words: Code-switching, English, French, Kinyarwanda, Kiswahili, Markedness Model, social motivations v TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .......................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................... iii DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................................. iv ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................. vi LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ..................................................................................... ix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Overview of the sociolinguistic situation of Rwanda .......................................................................... 2 1.2.1 Linguistic ecology of Rwanda ....................................................................................................... 2 1.2.2 Historical background of the languages of Rwanda .................................................................... 5 1.2.3 Socio-economic factors linked with the sociolinguistic situation after 1994 .............................. 9 1.3 Statement of the problem ................................................................................................................ 11 1.4 The aim of the study ......................................................................................................................... 12 1.5 Research questions ........................................................................................................................... 12 1.6 Scope and limitations of the dissertation ......................................................................................... 13 1.7 Structure of the study ....................................................................................................................... 13 CHAPTER TWO: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 15 2. 2 Definition of code-switching ............................................................................................................ 15 2.3 Approaches to code-switching studies ............................................................................................. 17 2.3.1 Structural approaches ................................................................................................................ 18 2.3.2 Socio-pragmatic approaches ...................................................................................................... 21 2.4 Discussion of the Markedness Model for code-switching ................................................................ 23 2.4.1 Some principal notions .............................................................................................................. 24 2.4.2 Maxims and types ...................................................................................................................... 26 vi 2.5 Criticisms of the Markedness Model ................................................................................................ 28 2.6 Motivation for the selection of the Markedness Model ................................................................... 29 2.7 The status of code-switching research in Rwanda............................................................................ 30 2.8 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 36 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 37 3.2 Research type .................................................................................................................................... 37 3.3 Research setting and participants ..................................................................................................... 38 3.4 Data collection methods ................................................................................................................... 40 3.4.1 Ethnographic non-participant observation ................................................................................ 40 3.4.2 Interviews ................................................................................................................................... 41 3.4.3 Focus group discussions ............................................................................................................. 42 3.4.4 Shorthand notes technique ....................................................................................................... 43 3.5 Data analysis methods ...................................................................................................................... 44 3.6 Ethical and quality considerations .................................................................................................... 45 3.7 Challenges faced during the field research ....................................................................................... 46 3.8 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................
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