Language Use among Ewe-Speaking Artisans in Some Selected Towns in Volta Region and Greater Accra Region

Abstract

The study presents an account of the language alternation patterns among Ewe-speaking artisans in some selected towns in the Volta Region and part of Greater Accra Region. The data for the study were collected from semi-structured interviews and voice-recordings of spontaneous conversations of the artisans. From the interview data, two groups of artisans were found at the workshops: bilinguals and monolinguals. Analyzing the linguistic and sociolinguistic features of the language alternation patterns using Myers-Scotton (1993) Markedness Model, findings show codeswitching and an emerging mixed language are spoken by the artisans. The bilinguals, as part of their linguistic repertoire, use Ewe-English codeswitching while the monolinguals use the emerging mixed language. The monolingual artisans learned the emerging mixed language by virtue of their exposure to bilingual speech (codeswitching) through the process of borrowing. The artisans employed these language alternation patterns as the language of work. Both codeswitching and the emerging mixed language served as the medium of communication at the workplace. In general, the study was motivated by prediction made in the literature to the extent that Ewe will turn into a mixed code due to the intensive use of codeswitching by Ewe bilinguals. Based on the data analyzed, it is clear that Ewe is really at the transition period of turning into a mixed language as the result of the excessive love for codeswitching.