Codeswitching among Agona/English Speakers in Agona Swedru: A Case Study of Two Churches
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Date
2015-07
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University Of Ghana
Abstract
This dissertation examines the occurrence of code switching between Agona and English among members of the St. James Anglican Church and the Holy Ghost International Church in the Agona District of the Central Region in Ghana to determine the patterns of occurrence in conversational turns. It also describes the social roles that the code mixed languages perform in context. The study concentrates on how meaning is derived from the structure of conversation among bilingual Agonas. The research explores the nature of meaning in conversation among bilingual Agonas and examines Forson’s claim that code switching in languages tend to be ‘a third tongue’. It also discusses the view that certain structures in one language induce code switching. Finally, it seeks to find out whether Agona may be described as a hybrid. It also examines the semantic implications of conversational code switching in order to see how meaning is structured in the rapid switches speakers make. The study is data-based and the material is collected from a series of oral interviews of about thirty members of the two churches in Agona Swedru, of three generations, to account for the prevalence of code switched material. The study will include variables; age, education, profession to support the three generations. Audio recording of normal interaction among participants are transcribed and analysed. This study reveals the conversational structures and the distinct patterns which evolve during communication.
KEY WORDS: Code switching, bilingual and code mixed
Description
Thesis (MPhil)
Keywords
Code switching, bilingual, code mixed, Ghana