In Zimbabwe, a diglossic relationship exists between English language and the indigenous languages, since the ex-colonial language has been embraced as the nation’s lingua franca. Given this bilingual situation, this chapter examines the diverse and complex sociolinguistic dynamics of how affiliation to English as a Second Language affects the cultural identity of the urban youth in Harare West District of Zimbabwe. Qualitative data was collected through a survey and in-depth interviews with 15 participants aged between 18 and 23 years old. Data was analysed using thematic content analysis. Findings of the study reveal that with the majority of participants, interactions in their homes, social spaces and professional arenas are characterised by the proliferation of hybrid phrases and sentences and persistent code-switching. Implicit in this linguistic elasticity is the formation of a hybrid cultural identity that is shaped by both their cultural heritage and the global influences that competence in the English language brings with it. This transformation suggests that these youth are not only redefining what it means to be Zimbabwean in the twenty-first century but also are modifying English to mirror their experience. Such an evolution reflects the complex and superdiverse nature of contemporary societies across the globe.

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Affiliation and Cultural Identity of English as Second Language Users Among the Urban Youth in Zimbabwe

  • Yuleth Chigwedere

摘要

In Zimbabwe, a diglossic relationship exists between English language and the indigenous languages, since the ex-colonial language has been embraced as the nation’s lingua franca. Given this bilingual situation, this chapter examines the diverse and complex sociolinguistic dynamics of how affiliation to English as a Second Language affects the cultural identity of the urban youth in Harare West District of Zimbabwe. Qualitative data was collected through a survey and in-depth interviews with 15 participants aged between 18 and 23 years old. Data was analysed using thematic content analysis. Findings of the study reveal that with the majority of participants, interactions in their homes, social spaces and professional arenas are characterised by the proliferation of hybrid phrases and sentences and persistent code-switching. Implicit in this linguistic elasticity is the formation of a hybrid cultural identity that is shaped by both their cultural heritage and the global influences that competence in the English language brings with it. This transformation suggests that these youth are not only redefining what it means to be Zimbabwean in the twenty-first century but also are modifying English to mirror their experience. Such an evolution reflects the complex and superdiverse nature of contemporary societies across the globe.