Ruwaza za Matumizi ya Lugha na Athari zake kwa Umilisi wa Lugha Zungumzi ya Kiswahili: Mfano wa Wanafunzi wa Shule za Upili Wilayani Siaya

Abstract

This study was about language use patterns and their effect on the acquisition of oral communication competence in standard Kiswahili. Competence in oral communication in Kiswahili for every day life was observed to be a problem among secondary school students. This was attributed to the prevalent language use patterns among learners which affected their acquisition of oral communication competence. The objectives of this research were: to investigate the prevalent language use patterns and their effect on the pronunciation of standard Kiswahili among'st secondary school students in Siaya District. Our hypotheses were that secondary school students in Siaya District have identifiable language use patterns and that these patterns affected their pronunciation in standard Kiswahili. A total of one hundred secondary school students together with ten Kiswahili language teachers participated in the study. lt was guided by The Discourse Theory of Second Language Use and Learning. Also employed were sociolinguistic perspectives by Fishman, Hudson and Fasold. Data was collected through interviews, questionnaires, tests, debates and participant observation. Test results, pronunciation mistake frequencies in debates, student and teacher language repertoires and self reports on language use at home and school constituted our data. The data was classified and analyzed using tables, frequency distribution tables and percentages. Results of this study revealed that more often than not students chose and used Mother Tongue languages and Sheng in their speech. This denied them valuable opportunities to practice oral communication in standard Kiswahili thus resulting in poor pronunciation in the same. This study has helped describe the prevalent language use patterns and their effect on the acquisition of oral communication competence in Kiswahili. It has also recommended ways of improving oral communication competence in Kiswahili with particular reference to pronunciation.