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Code-switching, Structural change and Convergence: A study of Sesotho in contact with English in Lesotho
This study investigates whether code-switching practices among Sesotho-English bilinguals promote convergence between Sesotho and English. First, the study identifies different types and patterns of code-switching between Sesotho and English and analyses them using Myers-Scotton’s (1993) Matrix Lang...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Linguistics
2020
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| _version_ | 1867613172046757888 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Semethe, Mpho Maboitumelo |
| author2 | Mesthrie, Rajend |
| author_browse | Mesthrie, Rajend Semethe, Mpho Maboitumelo |
| author_facet | Mesthrie, Rajend Semethe, Mpho Maboitumelo |
| author_sort | Semethe, Mpho Maboitumelo |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | This study investigates whether code-switching practices among Sesotho-English bilinguals promote convergence between Sesotho and English. First, the study identifies different types and patterns of code-switching between Sesotho and English and analyses them using Myers-Scotton’s (1993) Matrix Language Frame model and Myers-Scotton and Jake’s (2000) 4-M model. Second, it applies the ML turnover in order to detect convergence in Sesotho-English code-switching data and to observe which direction it takes. The study also explores other factors contributing to change in the structure of Sesotho, which are not necessarily influenced by convergence. In conducting this study, data was collected through interviews that were held with younger bilingual speakers from different tertiary institutions in and around Maseru (Lesotho) and through recorded youth-centred phone-in radio programmes. Findings from the analysis of data reveal simple to complex Sesotho-English code-switching performance of various types and strategies. Findings also show through the existence of composite language in Sesotho-English code-switching that there is a turnover in the ML, which indicates a development of an asymmetrical convergence between Sesotho and English. It was also discovered that, although other changes in the Sesotho structure are not English influenced, they are enhanced mostly by younger urban bilingual speakers’ frequent “looser” approach to Sesotho. This is an indication that Sesotho’s susceptibility to change correlates strongly with age; that is, both the length of time contact between Sesotho and English has existed, and the generation in which change is mostly found. This thesis adds and documents a different perspective to the previously recorded changes on Sesotho-English contact in Lesotho. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/31233 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:31:54.917Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publishDateRange | 2020 |
| publishDateSort | 2020 |
| publisher | Linguistics |
| publisherStr | Linguistics |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/31233 Code-switching, Structural change and Convergence: A study of Sesotho in contact with English in Lesotho Semethe, Mpho Maboitumelo Mesthrie, Rajend Bowerman, Sean code-switching convergence structural change Matrix Language Frame model 4-M model ML turnover This study investigates whether code-switching practices among Sesotho-English bilinguals promote convergence between Sesotho and English. First, the study identifies different types and patterns of code-switching between Sesotho and English and analyses them using Myers-Scotton’s (1993) Matrix Language Frame model and Myers-Scotton and Jake’s (2000) 4-M model. Second, it applies the ML turnover in order to detect convergence in Sesotho-English code-switching data and to observe which direction it takes. The study also explores other factors contributing to change in the structure of Sesotho, which are not necessarily influenced by convergence. In conducting this study, data was collected through interviews that were held with younger bilingual speakers from different tertiary institutions in and around Maseru (Lesotho) and through recorded youth-centred phone-in radio programmes. Findings from the analysis of data reveal simple to complex Sesotho-English code-switching performance of various types and strategies. Findings also show through the existence of composite language in Sesotho-English code-switching that there is a turnover in the ML, which indicates a development of an asymmetrical convergence between Sesotho and English. It was also discovered that, although other changes in the Sesotho structure are not English influenced, they are enhanced mostly by younger urban bilingual speakers’ frequent “looser” approach to Sesotho. This is an indication that Sesotho’s susceptibility to change correlates strongly with age; that is, both the length of time contact between Sesotho and English has existed, and the generation in which change is mostly found. This thesis adds and documents a different perspective to the previously recorded changes on Sesotho-English contact in Lesotho. 2020-02-21T13:45:29Z 2020-02-21T13:45:29Z 2019 2020-02-21T09:04:35Z Master Thesis Masters MA http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31233 eng application/pdf Linguistics Faculty of Humanities |
| spellingShingle | code-switching convergence structural change Matrix Language Frame model 4-M model ML turnover Semethe, Mpho Maboitumelo Code-switching, Structural change and Convergence: A study of Sesotho in contact with English in Lesotho |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Code-switching, Structural change and Convergence: A study of Sesotho in contact with English in Lesotho |
| title_full | Code-switching, Structural change and Convergence: A study of Sesotho in contact with English in Lesotho |
| title_fullStr | Code-switching, Structural change and Convergence: A study of Sesotho in contact with English in Lesotho |
| title_full_unstemmed | Code-switching, Structural change and Convergence: A study of Sesotho in contact with English in Lesotho |
| title_short | Code-switching, Structural change and Convergence: A study of Sesotho in contact with English in Lesotho |
| title_sort | code switching structural change and convergence a study of sesotho in contact with english in lesotho |
| topic | code-switching convergence structural change Matrix Language Frame model 4-M model ML turnover |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31233 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT semethemphomaboitumelo codeswitchingstructuralchangeandconvergenceastudyofsesothoincontactwithenglishinlesotho |