A LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA STUDENTS’ SOCIOLECT BY Choolwe Shevwanti A dissertation submitted to the University of Zambia in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Arts in Linguistic Science THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA LUSAKA 2017 AUTHOR’S DECLARATION I, Choolwe Shevwanti, declare that the work contained in this dissertation: a) Represents my own work; b) Has not previously been submitted for a degree at this or any other university; and c) Does not incorporate any published work or material from another dissertation. Author’s signature: ................................................. Date............................................................... Supervisor’s name: ..........................................Signature................................... Date:................... i COPYRIGHT All rights reserved. No part of this dissertation may be reproduced or stored in any form or by any means without prior permission in writing from the author or the University of Zambia. © 2017 Choolwe Shevwanti. ii APPROVAL This dissertation of Shevwanti Choolwe has been approved as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Arts in Linguistic Science by the University of Zambia. Examiner 1 Name: ....................................................... Signed.................................... Date.............................. Examiner 2 Name: ........................................................Signed................................... Date............................... Examiner 3 Name: ........................................................Signed................................... Date............................... iii ABSTRACT This study is a linguistic analysis of University of Zambia (UNZA) students’ sociolect. The aim of the study is to analyse the linguistic characteristics of UNZA students’ sociolect and how in turn with this sociolect, students construct various social identities as they express group solidarity. The specific objectives are to: identify and compile the lexical items of the sociolect; explore the etymologies of the lexical items of the sociolect; establish the lexicalisation processes in the sociolect; explore the meanings of the lexical items of the sociolect; and determine how UNZA students use the sociolect to construct diverse social identities as they express group solidarity. The study was conducted using a qualitative research approach informed by a descriptive survey design that guided the process of data collection and analysis. The study used document analysis, checklists, direct observations, unstructured interviews, recording and photographing to collect data. Thereafter, data were analysed using an eclectic analytical approach that included lexicalisation, recontextualisation and resemiotisation. The study was theoretically informed by interactional sociolinguistics, poststructural approach and positioning theory. The research findings revealed that lexical items of UNZA students’ sociolect present themselves as nouns, verbs, adjectives and phrases. These lexical items mainly comprise borrowed lexical items from different languages, that is, English, Bemba and Nyanja. Some of the borrowed lexical items have further undergone semantic, morphological, phonological or morpho-phonological manipulations through diverse lexicalisation processes to create new and unique lexical items that assume new structures and semantic content. Such lexicalisation processes include semantic expansion, truncation, hybridisation, syllable alteration, dummy affixation, compounding, inversion, borrowing and coinage. The lexical items are sourced from different languages as linguistic resources primarily based on their meaning in their source languages. These linguistic resources combine with other available semiotic resources in different specific social contexts to effectively create new meanings of the lexical items in UNZA students’ sociolect. Further, the study revealed that UNZA students generally construct the available social identities in their sociolect as imposed identities based on age, gender, their year of study, individual physiological make up, social relationships, socio-economic class, roles and actions. Based on these findings, the study concluded that UNZA students’ sociolect is a unique variety of language as it is creative in nature and that it performs several social functions. Thus, from these drawn conclusions the study also recommended detailed comparative studies on UNZA students’ sociolect with other developed speech varieties in other higher learning institutions and detailed studies on the diverse societal topics that are reflected in UNZA students’ sociolect. iv DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my beloved late parents: Godfrey Namachila Shevwanti and Margaret Muchiyamo Kaabwe, my beloved son, Isaac Angel Mulenga as well as my family members and friends. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My sincere gratitude goes to Dr. Kelvin Mambwe, my academic supervisor, for his unlimited valuable guidance and support in ensuring that this work becomes successful. I wish also to express my deepest thanks to now the late Prof. Mildred Nkolola-Wakumelo who initiated and briefly supervised me before it was passed on to Dr. K. Mambwe. My true heart’s desire was that she would one day get better but now I feel so sorrowful that She had to eventually pass on without seeing the findings of the study. May her beautiful soul continue resting in eternal peace till we meet again. Many thanks to all the linguistic science lecturers who taught me in the first year of the Master’s degree programme. These include: Prof. Vincent Musamba Chanda, the late Prof. Mildred Nkolola-wakumelo, Dr. John Simwinga, Dr. Kelvin Mambwe, Dr. Sande Ngalande and Mr. Stuart Hirst. The knowledge you imparted in me indeed helped as well as gave me the strength to fruitfully complete my work. To Dr. John Simwinga, in addition, am grateful for his unlimited support and encouragement throughout my studies. May God continue abundantly blessing you all! I am indebted to all the students at UNZA who co-operated during the study to enable me collect the data. My course mates, particularly Hillia Chalibonena and Hanabwato Munkombwe have also been inspiring, encouraging and supportive in different ways. May God richly bless you all! I further wish to convey my humble appreciation to all my family members who rendered to me any form of support and encouragement during the course of my studies. In particular, I am deeply grateful to my cousin, Elizabeth Shevwanti Zulu and her daughter my niece, Susan Zulu for taking care of my beloved son, Isaac while I was pursuing my studies. Thank you a million times! To you my son Isaac, I say thank you so much for enduring my absence while I was undertaking this programme. I am also sincerely grateful to yet another cousin, Winnie Shimoonga Sambono for taking good care of my home while I was away pursuing my studies. Abundant God’s blessings to you as well dearest! Above all, I am eternally grateful to the Almighty God, the creator and sustainer of life who granted me strength and good health to pursue my studies. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS AUTHOR’S DECLARATION ................................................................................................. i COPYRIGHT ........................................................................................................................... ii APPROVAL ............................................................................................................................ iii ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................. iv DEDICATION ..........................................................................................................................v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................xiv LIST OF FIGURES ...............................................................................................................xiv LIST OF APPENDICES ........................................................................................................xiv CHAPTER ONE .......................................................................................................................1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY .................................................1 1.1. General.................................................................................................................................1 1.2. Background ..........................................................................................................................1 1.2.1. The University of Zambia ..................................................................................................1 1.2.2. UNZA students: Social Group and Speech Community .....................................................3 1.2.3. UNZA students’ speech variety as a sociolect ....................................................................4 1.3. Statement of the problem ......................................................................................................6 1.4. Aim