VOlUME 05 ISSUE 03 MARCH 2022
1Fredrick Kombe Charo,2Dr. Anashia Nancy Ong’onda
1Department of languages and humanities,School of social sciences,Mount Kenya University
2Department of Languages and Linguistics,School of Humanities and Social Sciences,Machakos University, Kenya
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Abstract
Global figures and reports by UNESCO indicate that 90% of the world’s languages are endangered. Kigiriama not being a minority language may attract little or no attention in terms of language shift and maintenance investigation. However, in spite Kigiriama having an estimated number of 600, 000 speakers and the trend at the moment is that many of its speakers and especially the youth are shifting to the use of Kiswahili language in many domains raises questions on the concept of language shift and maintenance. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate on language maintenance mechanisms of Kigiriama language. The study employed Fishman’s Domain theory and Holmes’ theory on language maintenance. The study employed descriptive survey research design. Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. The findings of the study reveal that language maintenance in Kigiriama language is done at family domain, community domain, and media domain and through language planning policy. The study concludes that language the use of Kigiriama language in both formal and informal will enhance language maintenance efforts of indigenous languages.
KEYWORDS:Language Maintenance, Kigiriama Language, Giriama people, Strategies of Language Maintenance.
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VOlUME 05 ISSUE 03 MARCH 2022
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