Patterns of Language acquisition and language use among members of inter-ethnic marriages in mansa urban ,zambia
| dc.contributor.author | Botha, machaka Beatrice | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2012-01-11T12:29:44Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2012-01-11T12:29:44Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2012-01-11 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The aim of this study was to investigate observable patterns of language acquisition and language use evident among members of inter-ethnic families in Mansa urban area. Specifically, the study sought to investigate patterns of language acquisition and use in inter-ethnic marriages; to find out which language(s) is/are preferred in inter-ethnic marriages; and to ascertain factors affecting language acquisition and use these marriages. The sample population comprised a total of a hundred and ten subjects of whom seventy five were drawn from men and women in inter-ethnic marriages during the time of the study while thirty were children or individuals brought up in inter-ethnic homes and five were men and women in inter-racial marriages then. The couples from inter-racial marriages were included in the study considering that the spouses such marriages, though from different races, came from different ethnic groups. Besides, one family was selected for the case study. Three questionnaires, designed for a specific group, were used to collect data from respondents in inter-ethnic marriages, inter-racial marriages and children brought up in inter-ethnic homes. An interview schedule was also used to collect data from members of the family that was considered a case study. From the research findings, Bemba appeared to be acquired more widely than the other languages represented in the study. It also appeared to be the preferred language even among children born to parents who were non-mother-tongue Bemba speakers. The study also found that mono-lingualism was not a feature of inter-ethnic marriages as 99% of the respondents in inter-ethnic marriages in Mansa were found to be either bilingual or multilingual with multilingualism getting a higher percentage of 64% and bilingualism 35%. English emerged as the preferred language among the children in inter-ethnic and inter-racial marriages and parents did not impose restrictions on their children's use of any language or languages in the home. Arising from the findings, it can be concluded that the language of the local area (Bemba) is the preferred language in inter-ethnic marriages in Mansa; English is the preferred language among the children in inter-ethnic marriages in Mansa; Bemba and English are used in all the inter-ethnic marriages; multilingualism is more prevalent than bilingualism in inter-ethnic marriages in Mansa and mono-lingualism is not a feature of inter-ethnic marriages and that the lack of parental discouragement and non-disapproval of the use of the children's choice of a language at home imply parents' acceptance of multilingualism in their children. The study has made three recommendations for further research: (i) a larger investigation involving couples in inter-ethnic and inter-racial marriages elsewhere to be carried out in order to come up with more meaningful patterns of language acquisition and use. (ii) An investigation into the patterns of language acquisition and use in inter-ethnic marriages where parents may not have attained secondary education as well as where the children may not have the privilege of being in secondary school, (iii) A similar investigation among inter-ethnic and inter-racial couples living in rural communities should be conducted. IV ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate observable patterns of language acquisition and language use evident among members of inter-ethnic families in Mansa urban area. Specifically, the study sought to investigate patterns of language acquisition and use in inter-ethnic marriages; to find out which language(s) is/are preferred in inter-ethnic marriages; and to ascertain factors affecting language acquisition and use these marriages. The sample population comprised a total of a hundred and ten subjects of whom seventy five were drawn from men and women in inter-ethnic marriages during the time of the study while thirty were children or individuals brought up in inter-ethnic homes and five were men and women in inter-racial marriages then. The couples from inter-racial marriages were included in the study considering that the spouses such marriages, though from different races, came from different ethnic groups. Besides, one family was selected for the case study. Three questionnaires, designed for a specific group, were used to collect data from respondents in inter-ethnic marriages, inter-racial marriages and children brought up in inter-ethnic homes. An interview schedule was also used to collect data from members of the family that was considered a case study. From the research findings, Bemba appeared to be acquired more widely than the other languages represented in the study. It also appeared to be the preferred language even among children born to parents who were non-mother-tongue Bemba speakers. The study also found that mono-lingualism was not a feature of inter-ethnic marriages as 99% of the respondents in inter-ethnic marriages in Mansa were found to be either bilingual or multilingual with multilingualism getting a higher percentage of 64% and bilingualism 35%. English emerged as the preferred language among the children in inter-ethnic and inter-racial marriages and parents did not impose restrictions on their children's use of any language or languages in the home. Arising from the findings, it can be concluded that the language of the local area (Bemba) is the preferred language in inter-ethnic marriages in Mansa; English is the preferred language among the children in inter-ethnic marriages in Mansa; Bemba and English are used in all the inter-ethnic marriages; multilingualism is more prevalent than bilingualism in inter-ethnic marriages in Mansa and mono-lingualism is not a feature of inter-ethnic marriages and that the lack of parental discouragement and non-disapproval of the use of the children's choice of a language at home imply parents' acceptance of multilingualism in their children. The study has made three recommendations for further research: (i) a larger investigation involving couples in inter-ethnic and inter-racial marriages elsewhere to be carried out in order to come up with more meaningful patterns of language acquisition and use. (ii) An investigation into the patterns of language acquisition and use in inter-ethnic marriages where parents may not have attained secondary education as well as where the children may not have the privilege of being in secondary school, (iii) A similar investigation among inter-ethnic and inter-racial couples living in rural communities should be conducted. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/976 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.subject | Zambia-Languages | en_US |
| dc.subject | Zambia- Linguistics | en_US |
| dc.title | Patterns of Language acquisition and language use among members of inter-ethnic marriages in mansa urban ,zambia | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |