MST-Department of English & Linguistics

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The Acquisition of Gikiiyu Syntactic Structures by- Gikuyu Children aged Between 3 and 5 Years.
(Kenyatta University, 1991-09) Ndung'u, Ruth Wangeci
This study was carried out on the acquisition of Gikuyu syntax by Gikuyu children. These children were at a critical stage of speech development, that is, between three and five years. The study was prompted by the general observation of 'fluent 'children of a tender age. The aim was to test this 'fluency' by conducting a field research. This study is an attempt to describe the syntax of Gikuyu children between the age of 3 and 5 years. It gives a descriptive analysis of their sentences. The study looks into the rules and the level of complexity of the childen's syntax. The study was prompted by general observations of 'fluent' children aged 5 years or below. The question was, how 'fluent' are they? This could only be answered by looking at their syntax and analyzing it. The study was influenced by readings on child /language learning, for example, that of Carol Chomsky (1969. Chomsky, (ibid), says that people assume that children have mastered the syntax of their first language by the age of 5. In this work we wanted to find out whether it is just an assumption or a fact that children master syntax by age 5. A field research was conducted on six Gikuyu children between the age of 3 and 5 years. The children's utterances were tested using interviews and the participant- observation method. These were recorded on tape and in writing. After analysing the data, it was evident that the children's syntax was complex. They used complex rules which can be found in the syntax of adult Gikuyu speakers. The analysis showed that the children had mastered the syntax of Gikuyu. They had learned and internalised the syntactic rules of Gikuyu. They used these rules in both experimental and spontaneous situations. Therefore, the children did not just seem 'fluent', they were fluent.
The Relationship between Grammatical Ability and Poetry Interpretation Skills among Secondary School Students in Nyeri District
(Kenyatta University, 2000) Mwaniki, Wanjohi P.
Investigating the validity, reliability and practicality of mock English K.C.P.E objective papers of Nairobi Province-Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2002-04) Onsongo, Robert Gekara
This study set out to do Item Analysis of two standard eight English objective mock test papers of Nairobi Province. This was by comparing mock test papers with the KNEC . . National English objective paper 2000 used as the norm. The study investigated these tests' validity, reliability and practicality. . This was an attempt' aimed at making a contribution to research on the suitability of test items. A quantitative research deslgr: of item analysis and a theoretical construct of int!?~rati'-/e, language testing were used. The two theories were considered appropriate because the integrative testing approach states that a test item tests not a single linguistic ability but two or more abilities. Item analysis is a statistical measure through which an item is investigated to determine' its appropriateness. The data were collected using three English objective test papers viz: the KNEC English objective test paper 2000 and the Nairobi Province English objective mock papers of 1998 and 1999. These papers were randomly selected from the many papers 'from the school file of past papers. The class teacher assured me that they had not been attempted by the candidates in class. The study showed that the two mock papers had more defective items than the norm paper. The defective items made the two mock papers less reliable compared to the norm paper. On the other hand, the norm paper had more items of 35% facility value and below compared to the mock papers. Many of these items had zero and/or negative item discrimination values. This project is divided into six chapters: chapter one is introduction; chapter two the theoretical frame work and literature review; chapter three methodology; chapter four data analysis and presentation; chapter five interpretation and discussion and chapter six; conclusion and recommendations.
Code switching in business transactions: A case study of linguistic repertoire in Maasai market in Nairobi Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2003) Erastus, Kanana Fridah
The study investigates language use in a multilingual urban setting in Maasai Market in Nairobi Kenya. It outlines the codes used in the market; the advantages of using different codes in such a setting and the factors that influence the choice of these codes. In addition, the study examines the influence of variables of sex, age and race in code selection. All this is unraveled through an analysis of spontaneous speech tape-recorded from the buyers and sellers. The researcher tape-recorded spontaneous speech from the respondents. The taperecorded data was transcribed on paper and the extracts from the transcribed text were analysed based on the tenets of Speech Accommodation Theory and the Markedness Model. In the analysis of the factors that influence Code Switching, the two models above were used. The theories explain the communicative intent on the part of the speaker. The Speech Accommodation Theory explains the motivational factors for Code Switching while Markedness Model accounts for the nonnative factors that influence switching between languages. It was observed that speakers switch codes in an attempt to converge or diverge from their interlocutors. Speakers converged when they desired to communicate effectively; when they desired social integration and approval from their interlocutors and when they aimed at xv maxrrntzmg profit. On the other hand, divergence was employed when the vendors wished to retain all their clients and also maximize profit. The rapid back and forth switches were prompted by the unmarked, marked or the exploratory choices. However, each of the codes has specific functions and social symbolism. There were advantages of using one code over the other; code selection was aimed at maximizing profit. The analysis of the data revealed that in Maasai Market, Kiswahili is used to connote brotherhood and neutrality among the Africans; English is the language of the elite and the working class and thus associated with the affluent people, in monetary terms; Sheng is used to assert social identity and for mutual exclusiveness among the teenagers. The Local Languages connote ethnicity and solidarity. Three variables were studied which included: race, sex and age of the respondents. These variables were seen to influence code choices differently. Race was significant when giving prices among Africans, Europeans and others. The Europeans and others were given higher prices than the Africans. Sex and age were important variables among the Africans. Women and those aged between 21-40 were addressed in English or through Code Switching since they were considered status conscious and the working class respectively. These variables XV] strongly influenced the way interlocutors chose linguistic items in a particular transaction. '
Patterns and functions of code switching in pre-primary classroom discourse i selected Schools at Kasarani Division Nairobi
(Kenyatta University, 2003) Nthiga, Purity Muthoni
This study was an investigation into the patterns and functions of code switching in pre-primary classroom discourse in selected schools of Kasarani division Nairobi Kenya. The investigation involved the identification of the languages used for code switching in the pre-primary school classroom discourse Acts. It also involved determining the occurrence and frequency of Acts, according to Sinclair & Coulthard (1975) in the classroom discourse. In addition. the patterns of code switching in relation to the Acts and the functions of such code switching were investigated. Data collection was by audio-recording, actual classroom observation, and informal interviews with the teachers. Three schools out of nine were selected using systematic random sampling. In total. these schools had six pre-primary classes in which audio-recording of lessons was done. Three subjects; Language, Number work and Environmental activities were purposively selected for audiorecording. Ten teachers were also interviewed. The audio-recorded data was transcribed and nine lessons analysed using Sinclair & Coulthard's M~) Three languages. namely, English. Kiswahili. and Kikuyu were found to be used for Code Switching. English and Kiswahili were used in the lesson. while Kikuyu was used by the teachers amongst themselves. It was further discovered that the 22 Acts proposed by Sinclair & Coulthard (1975) do actually occur in pre-primary school classroom discourse with varying frequencies. Acts that relate more directly to the content of the lesson and classroom management such as Directives, Elicitations, Replies, Starters, Loops, Markers, Accepts and Informatives were more frequent than others such as Clue, Cue, Bid, Nomination, Meta statements, Silent stress, Comments, Asides and Conclusions. The findings further revealed that these Acts displayed different patterns of code switching. Those Acts that involved the learners more such as Directives, Replies, Elicitations and Informatives showed an inclusive pattern of code switching being variously performed in English, Kiswahili and Mixed statements. Others that did not require much from the pupils like Loops and Markers were more in English. The Code Switching in the Acts was found to serve various discourse functions useful to the teaching process. These included quotation, addressee specification. reiteration and message qualification. On the whole code switching was found useful in content delivery, classroom management as well as pupil motivation and encouragement. The study also established that though the teachers admit to code switching and its usefulness. There is still a negative attitude towards it. They would wish to instruct pupils in English only. In addition the teachers are not adequately prepared to handle a multilingual situation, neither is their level of competence in other languages such as Kiswahili and local languages assessed.
An Evaluation of English Language Tests: A Case Study of Nyamira District
(Kenyatta University, 2005) Mecha, Olpher
The present study addressed the issue of whether teachers give all the types of tests. It also sought to establish the reliability of the end term tests that were given in first term and second term in the year 2002 in Nyamira district. The study also did a comparison between the teacher made end term tests and the KCSE national examination paper 2 at the content level with a view to establish whether all the examined areas are tested. A descriptive research design was used for this study whereby data was drawn from 12 randomly selected schools in Nyamira district. The 200I KCSE exam paper was used for comparison. Data was analysed using a conceptual theoretical framework drawn from the psychometric structuralist theory and the communicative theory. It was then analysed and yielded the following results. The study reveals that the teachers do not give all the types of tests that exist. While this is not absolutely necessary, failure to give these tests would lead to low proficiency in English. The data that is analysed also shows that the tests that are given are reliable, as only 2 of all the observed tests were unreliable. Finally the study reveals that most of the end term teacher made tests did not test all the areas that are tested in the KCSE national examination English paper 2. The study recommends that teachers should try and give all the types of tests in the classroom to enhance language proficiency. The teachers should also test all the areas that are examined in the national examination to enable students acquire the necessary skills to tackle this paper. More research is however needed in the area of reliability for concrete conclusions. Teacher training institutions should offer in-service courses to update the teachers on new developments in language testing
Translation and interpretation of documents into Gikuyu: a case study of the draft constitution of Kenya - (2004)
(Kenyatta University, 2005-04) Kariuki, Samuel Ngugi
The purpose of this dissertation was to establish the need for the translation of the Draft Constitution of Kenya - 2004 into Gikiiyii, for Gikiiyfi speakers whose proficiency in English and Kiswahili is low. The study was based on the premise that if the document under study was meant for all Kenyans, then the document should be published and preserved in languages that all Kenyans, including those who are not good at Kiswahili and English, understand. The study had four objectives. The first was to establish how the target population would fare in comprehending the document under study first in the English language and then in Gikiiyfi. The second was to investigate the major difficulties that the target group faced in the comprehension of the Draft Constitution of Kenya - 2004 which is currently in English and Kiswahili. The third was to test the extent to which men and women differ in the comprehension of the said document in the two languages. The last was to suggest strategies for translating the document into Gikiiyfi. The data was collected from 40 standard eight graduates half of whom were young and the other half elderly. These 40 informants were subjected to two questionnaires in form of comprehension tests. One test was in English and the other was in Gikuyti. Open interviews were also conducted on the same informants. The data was presented and analysed quantitatively as well as qualitatively. It was established that there was need for translating the Draft Constitution into Gikiiyti as the target population had a better understanding of the sampled portions that were extracted from the document and translated into Gikiiyfi. We finally suggest strategies that can be employed by a translator when rendering the document into Giktiyfl language.
Mistranslations in English- Kiswahili church sermons: a case study of a selected Pentecostal church in Kasarani Nairobi, Kenya.
(Kenyatta University, 2006) Gimode, Jescah Khadi
The study investigates mistranslation of word classes occurring during interpretation of church sermons, in Kasarani Division, Nairobi, Kenya. It identifies some categories of the words prone to mistranslation; the differences between what is said by the speaker and what is interpreted and the ways in which the mistranslations can be avoided. This research dissertation is presented under five main chapters. The first chapter outlines the background to the study. It clearly states the research problem and goes on to list the questions, objectives and assumptions that guide the study. Lastly, it explains the scope and limitations of the study and gives the rationale behind conducting the study. Chapter two deals with an interactive review under which various related literature on the importance of the study are systematically winnowed to provide much needed linguistic insights. The section begins by tackling works done on translation and communication. It also puts the study within its context by analysing the language of the church. This is followed by literature on court interpretation which highlights a number of parallels between the role of the interpreter in a court situation and that of a sermon interpreter in a church environment. Lastly in this chapter, the theoretical frame work upon which the study is based, is discussed. The third chapter which deals with methodology tackles issues such as the study area population, sampling procedure, sample size, data elicitation and presentation. As a significant measure, a pilot study was carried out to provide a vital guide to the collection of data. Chapter four deals with data presentation and analysis, while chapter five ties together the whole study by giving a summary, recommendations and a conclusion to the entire study.
Phonological variability in the esl of students: a case study of Mikuini secondary school, Machakos District
(2006) Itumo, Joshua Mulinge
The present study examined phonological variability in the spoken English of secondary school students in a co-curricular Kenyan secondary school in Machakos District. From the onset, this research purposed to do the following: identify and describe phonological variation in the spoken English used by Mikuini Secondary School students; use the social network construct to describe the density in relation to their Christian denominational leanings and to describe the correlation between phonological variability and the independent social variables of social networks, gender and contextual style. The network sampling approach was used to select a group of twenty-four students who related or differed in terms of denominational affiliation and gender. The phonological data elicited from these subjects were classified into four categories depending on the formality of the speech context. Eleven phonological variables were observed in the articulation of consonants. These formed the dependent variables which were correlated with the independent social variables of social networks, gender and contextual style. Data from the four different contexts were tape recorded. To be able to identify and describe phonological variability, we were guided by descriptions of English phonetics and phonology as outlined by Roach (1998) and Wells (1982). In line with the Labovian paradigm, tokens for each of the variables were identified and their phonetic realizations quantified. The emerging patterns of phonological variability were correlated with social variables. First, the phonological variables were stated and their variants described. Data vi on the subjects’ social networks were then presented. Using the Spearman’s Rank correlation, the data were correlated with the data on phonological variables. From the data analysis, it was noted that the CU girls who had high network density scores also tended to have high scores for two phonetic variants (r2): [r] and (Ø):[h]. It was also noted that the CU girls used variant (r2): [r] as a marker of their speech while variant (Ø):[h] was seen as a case of hypercorrection. As relates to gender and phonological variation, it was generally noted that girls approximated the standard variants more than boys did. Girls also tended to ‘hypercorrect’ more than boys did. Girls were also seen to favour those variants that attracted some prestige whereas the boys led in those variants which seemed to carry some social stigma. Concerning speech contexts, it was observed that informants varied their speech depending on the formality of the context. This variation was statistically significant. Different variables were observed to pattern differently depending on the speech context. This research underscores the need to describe different varieties of Kenyan English. It augments others that recommend the codification and adoption of a standard Kenyan English variety. This variety, when described, should be used and taught in Kenyan schools as opposed to the ‘exonormative’ RP which is currently the recommended standard.
Factors contributing to vocabulary spurt in Kikuyu children aged 18 - 24 months from Othaya division, Nyeri district, Kenya.
(Kenyatta University, 2007) Wanjohi, Peter Githinji
Language development determines children's future educational and social success. Performance in schools at all levels is related to the with language foundation in the early childhood years. In the recent past there has been a public outcry in Kenya over poor performance in K.C.P.E. results especially in English and Kiswahili languages as well as Mathematics and the Sciences. With the exception of Kiswahili, knowledge, skills and concepts in all other subjects are transmitted and tested in the English language, which is a second and/foreign language to the majority of children in Kenya. Competence in the first language will lead to competence in English and other foreign languages. It is within the first language acquisition period in the early years of a child's life that a vocabulary spurt occurs. This spurt is associated with cognitive and/or psychosocial development. The language policy in Kenya states that first language be used for instruction in the early years of a child's life. However, concern has been raised that children are being introduced to foreign languages too early, even before they have mastered the first language- the language in which the spurt occurs (Koech Report, 1999) which in turn impedes acquisition of other languages especially English and Kiswahili. This, consequently, negatively affects the knowledge, concepts and skills transmitted in those languages, negatively jeopardizing the child's education and resulting in functional illiteracy in later years. Few studies on child language development in Kenya have focused on vocabulary spurt, at which level, stimulation and intervention measures can be put in place. None have investigated the vocabulary spurt in Gikuyu. Without studies in this area, intervention measures to support language acquisition and learning will not be effected, which will in turn impact negatively on the educational and social success of children in their later years. This study was concerned with the investigation of the occurrence of the vocabulary spurt as well as personal, family/parental and environmental factors that may influence it. The study was carried out in Othaya Division of Nyeri District, a predominantly Gikuyu speaking area. A sample of 100 children aged 18-24 months children was selected for observation. Data was collected using reports from parents and other key informants through an adapted and modified MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories (MacArthur CDI). The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) tools was used in the data analysis. Chi-Square was used to test the relationship between independent and dependent variables while Multinomial Logistic Regression Analysis was used to establish the contribution of selected factors to occurrence of vocabulary spurt. The findings of the study suggest that children do undergo a vocabulary spurt. Out of the ten factors investigated, age and vocabulary stimulation were significantly related to vocabulary spurt. Likewise, age, vocabulary stimulation and social-economic status had a significant contribution to vocabulary spurt occurrence and language development in the early years. The study recommends that ECDE stakeholders address specific age related differences in children under three years in providing early stimulating linguistic experiences and language activities that are relevant to children's psychosocial development
Use of Politeness Strategies in Conflict Resolution in Interpersonal Communication of Two Main Characters in Makutano Junction
(Kenyatta University, 2009) Kimotho, Stephen Gichuhi
Politeness is a universal, interdisciplinary phenomenon. People from different linguistic backgrounds and cultures have their ways of showing respect and saving face of the interlocutors from possible face attacks during interpersonal communication. The inevitability of verbal conflict in daily conversations and the important role played by the politeness strategies during conflict resolution motivated the researcher to conduct this study. The overall goals of this study were to investigate the politeness strategies used by two of the main characters (Karis and Hope) of "Makutano Junction" TV series and establish the conflict resolution strategies chosen by them in their interpersonal communication during verbal conflict resolution. The study also investigated the influence of gender, in the choice of the politeness strategies and the verbal conflict resolution strategies adopted by these two characters. The study was anchored on Brown and Levinson (1987) 'Politeness Theory', Sillars (1986) 'Attribution Theory of conflict Resolution', IL. Austin (1962) 'Speech Act Theory' and Grice (1975) 'Conversational Maxims' The source of the data was Makutano Junction TV series. The data consisted of the utterances made by the two characters during verbal conflict situation. Descriptive - qualitative approach was taken in the analysis of the data. The analysis of the politeness strategies and verbal conflict resolution strategies was based on 'Politeness Theory' Brown and Levinson (1987) and Sillars (1986) 'Attribution theory of conflict resolution respectively. After the analysis, the study established that the two characters indeed used all the various types of politeness as described by Brown and Levinson (1987) and verbal
A cognitive linguistics analysis of gikuyu euphemisms
(2010) Gathigia, Moses Gatambaki
Any natural language like Gikuyu is the result of human cognition whose structure and function is based on people's experiences. Some experiences are too intimate and dysphemistic to be discussed without linguistic interdiction. Cognitive Linguistics is, therefore, an approach to language that is based on such experiences of the world and the way we perceive and conceptualize them. It is from this background that this study set out with three objectives: to identify the lexical and semantic processes involved in the creation of euphemisms in G1kiiyii; to discuss the influence of gender in the usage of euphemisms and to account for the interpretation of euphemisms using the Conceptual MetaphorTheory (CMf). To achieve the objectives of the study, this research used qualitative and quantitative data research techniques. The research employed the services of two research assistants who were members of the local community in collecting data. The researcher purposively sampled 20 native G1kiiyii speakers for the study. 10 of the respondents were males and the other 10 were females. An interview schedule was used as the data collection instrument. The metaphors collected were mapped ~ into different kinds of conceptual mappings and image - schemas and descriptive analyses of the sub mappings or ontological correspondences between the source and target domains discussed using the Cognitive Metaphor Theory. All euphemisms identified, together with their lexical frequencies, were then assigned to their corresponding linguistic level(s) according to their method of formation. Pie charts, tables and statistical presentations (both descriptive and inferential) were also given to display the percentage of metaphorical euphemistic substitutes in each cognitive domain. The conceptual mappings were used to discuss the influence of gender on the usage of euphemisms in Gikiiyii. The findings of this study indicate that in spite of a few violations of the tenets of Conceptual Metaphor Theory, CMT gives us insights into the cognitive perspective of metaphorical euphemisms as a resource to attenuate the target domains of death; sexual intercourse; diseases; excretion and body effluvia and anatomy. We note that females generally use euphemisms more than males as indicated by their higher lexical frequencies in the conceptualization of the target domains. This study also identifies six dominant semantic processes namely: metaphor, metonymy, circumlocution I periphrasis, hyperbole, particularization and understatement I meiosis. The analysis of the lexical processes, on the other hand, reveals five major lexical devices namely: borrowing, substitution, the use of vague words and expressions, use of stories from religion and technicisms.
A Functional Grammar Approach to the Analysis of Gikuyu Emphatic Clauses
(2010-09) Wakarindi, P.M.
There is need to preserve and popularize African languages and scholars like Momanyi (2007) call for research, documentation and preservation of the languages by the native speakers. This work is a response to this need. It is a work divided into five chapters. The first chapter is the introduction which provides a background to the study and the statement of the problem. The section also shows the need to study the emphatic structures of Kikuyu, being an area that has been neglected in the past. Also noted is the need to analyze the Kikuyu emphatic clauses functionally, another relatively neglected area since many of the past scholars have used a formal approach. The study has established the categories of Kikuyu emphatic structures, described the order of the linguistic elements in them, identified the kind of prominence they achieve and established how they can be analyzed functionally. The chapter also highlights the significance of the study, justifying it in terms of its applied, practical and theoretical significance. It closes with the scope and limitations of the study. The second chapter provides a review of literature relevant to the study. The literature includes studies on Kikuyu and other Bantu languages. Some studies that have applied Functional Grammar theories have also been reviewed. The section then provides a description of the theory to be applied, Functional Grammar Theory by Halliday (1985). The methodology used is described in the third chapter. It starts with the research design, which is qualitative, followed by the sampling size and procedure. Purposive sampling has been applied. Data collection procedure follows. The chapter ends with data analysis and presentation method. The data is analyzed thematically. Chapter four presents and analyses the data. It is divided into two sections. Section one presents the syntactic emphatic categories that have been identified in Gikuyu. They are classified into three broad categories: the reordering class, the postponement class and the dislocation class. Categories under each class are discussed in details, giving the order of elements in the categories and the kinds of prominence assigned to the highlighted elements in them. The second part applies Halliday's Functional Grammar Theory (1985) to analyze the clauses in terms of clause as exchange. The last chapter, chapter five, summarizes the findings of the study. It further draws the conclusion, gives recommendations and finally suggests some areas related to the study for further research.
Morphological and Syntactic Errors in the Spoken English of Form Two Students in Two Schools in Gucha District, Nyanza Province
(2010-10) Omai, M.J.
This study looks at the morphological and syntactic errors in the spoken English of two groups of students herein coded as school A and school B respectively. The study was guided by three objectives. First, it was to identify and describe the morphological and syntactic errors in the spoken English of form two students. Secondly, we sought to determine the difference in performance in elicitation tasks between students who use English exclusively in school and those who do not. Our final objective was to infer the cause of errors in the students' spoken English. The study employed the interlanguage theory which focuses on the transitional competence of second language learners. Nemser 1971, Selinker 1972; assert that learners develop a set of approximative systems on their way to the target language. The learners possess a certain body of knowledge underlying the utterances they make. Data for this study was collected by use of a simple random sample of eight (8) students who were chosen from each of the schools A and B. They were subjected to a story telling session on a topic (oral narrative) of their choice. On data analysis, the tape recorded data was transcribed. The various morphological and syntactic errors were identified. To determine the difference in performance in the elicitation tasks given, the transcribed data was scored out of20 for each of the students. We used chi-square test to find out if the two populations can be considered equal in performance. The study is divided into five chapters. The first chapter is the introduction. It tells us why and how this study will be carried out and what it intends to achieve. Chapter two is the literature review and theoretical framework. It helps to anchor the research firmly on its foundation. Chapter three is about the research methodology which gives details regarding the procedures used in conducting the study. Chapter four focuses on data analysis and interpretation. This is the raw data from the field is analyzed. Chapter five is a summary of the findings, conclusion and pedagogic implications of the study.
A phonological analysis of the constraints on the syllable structures of Olunyala
(2011-07-27) Etakwa, Everlyn
This is a phonological study on the structure of the syllable. The main objective of this study is the analyses of the syllable structures of Olunyala, a dialect of the Luyia language spoken in Western Kenya. The study had the following three objectives: the first one was to investigate the natural categories of the syllable types in terms of initial, medial and final word positions. The second objective was to investigate if there were any sounds in Olunyala that could not combine to form particular syllable types. The third objective was to investigate the sequential constraints in the formation of Olunyala syllable structures. The study used CV Phonology and Generative Phonology in order to achieve the set objectives. Purposive sampling was used to get the data required for the study. Data collection procedures involved sampling only nouns and verbs because these were the word categories that the researcher needed for the investigation of the syllable. Qualitative methods were used to analyze the data. The qualitative design made it possible for the data to be categorized into nouns and verbs for analysis. Although this was not a comparative study on dialectology, the findings will enable objective generalizations of Olunyala to other Bantu dialects and generally other world languages and thus making a contribution to phonological theory. The results of the study can also be useful to scholars of dialectology and standardization of Luyia dialects because the results will provide a point of reference for Olunyala (K). From the analysis of the data, it was found out that Olunyala has only three syllable structures and that not all of them occur in all word positions. It was also found out that Olunyala has 31 consonant sounds, only 10 of which do not have an internally complex onset. It was also observed that not all the sounds in the language carry equal status. A comparative study on the phonemic inventory of Olunyala and those of other Luyia dialects is recommended to enable an objective comparison of, not only Luyia, but other Bantu languages.
The translation of figurative language in the book of proverbs in the ekegusii Bible
(2011-08-10) Nyakundi, Onchari Augustus
This study focused on the translation of figurative language in the book of Proverbs in the Ekegusii Bible. The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary (2005) defines figurative language as language that is used in a way that is different from the usual meaning in order to create a particular mental picture. There are many forms of figurative language. However, this study focused on the translation of six forms of figurative language. They are: idioms, euphemisms, metaphors, similes, hyperbole and personification. The study identified and described different forms of figurative language in the book of Proverbs in the Bible (Revised Standard Version). It established differences in meaning between figurative expressions in the source text used in this study (RSV) and those in the target text (Ekegusii Bible), and suggested ways of improving the translation of figurative language in the target text. The study was guided by the Interpretive Theory of Translation. The researcher used purposive sampling technique to select one book from the Bible that was used in the study. Data was collected from the selected book using content analysis and from the field using a questionnaire based on sampled verses. Respondents were purposively selected from Kitutu Chache constituency in Kisii Central district. The data was analysed using qualitative techniques. The study used content analysis to analyse the translation of figurative language in the book of Proverbs in the Ekegusii Bible. The findings were: figurative language is literally translated in the book of Proverbs in the Ekegusii Bible, inappropriate words are used in some cases, there is ambiguity and there are inappropriate comparisons due to omission of important objects mentioned in the source text. All these lead to loss of the meaning expressed in the source text. From the findings of the study it was suggested that the translation of figurative language in the book of Proverbs could be improved. This could be done by: using meaning based translation, using appropriate words, eliminating ambiguity and avoiding omission of important objects in comparisons. Besides, the book of Proverbs in the Ekegusii Bible should be reviewed and the reviewers should be trained translators. They should consult Bible Commentaries and modern meaning-based Bible versions, among other relevant reference materials on the Bible, in order to comprehend the meaning of each verse before translating it appropriately.
Grapheme-Phoneme and Tone Representation and their Effects on Translation: The Case of the 1959 Nandi Bible
(Kenyatta University, 2011-09) Yego, Anne Jebet
Any good translation should pay attention to the complexities of the target language's system. Owing to the complexity of the Nandi sound system, the proposed study looked at one criterion of a good writing system - maximum representation - by examining the graphemes used in the 1959 Nandi Bible so as to determine the effect that phoneme and tone representation has on the translation. Sampled texts were studied to identify lexical items that contain phonemes and tones with a high functional load, and are subject to various interpretations. To obtain this sample, the books of the Bible were classified into five major categories and twenty percent of the chapters of every third book in the category sampled. Out of these, forty lexical items were then categorized and presented to twenty native Nandi speakers of at least a-level education to read, as they were tape recorded, in order to test whether the representations do indeed pose a problem to the readers of the Nandi bible. The Relevance Theory was the basis of evaluation of the translation while the representation of the graphemes, phonemes and tone were illustrated using CV Phonology. Lexical access to phonological codes and meaning of homographs were accounted for by the Multiple Access Theory of lexical ambiguity resolution. Misrepresentations were analysed qualitatively using compilation sheets to categorise the misrepresentations, and tables to present the categories. SPSS version 16 was used to analyse the frequency of hesitations, pauses and repetition, and different renderings of homographs in the reading samples and results were presented in frequency tables and charts. The findings show that vowel phonemes and tone have been misrepresented in the Nandi bible and this affects reading. 52% of the readers read the target lexical items as expected, 35% read them differently while 13% read them incorrectly. 74% did not repeat nor hesitate while 26% either repeated or hesitated before or while reading the target lexical item.
Meaning transformation in the Kiswahili translation of George Orwell's animal farm
(2011-10-27) Kamau, Grace Waithera
Meaning transformation comes about when the message intended by the author is not wholly transferred to the receptor audience. This may be due to a myriad of reasons, such as, translator's intentions and competence. Differences between the Source Language (SL) and the Target Language (TL) and the different cultures of the Source Text (ST) and Target Text (TT) are also factors. Meaning transformation can affect the overall presentation of the translated text. This study sought to investigate how meaning has been transformed in the Kiswahili translation of George Orwell's Animal Farm and how this has affected the transference of the message from the Source Text (ST) to the Target Text (TT). The objectives of the study included, firstly, identifying and classifying the lexical items that the translator has used into semantic fields. Secondly, using the semantic fields as a basis of comparison of the Source Text (ST) and Target Text (TT). Thirdly, Assessing the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the lexical items used in the TT and lastly describing the extent to which meaning has been transformed. In the theoretical framework an eclectic approach was chosen. This included theories such as the Cultural Translation Theory, Relevance Theory and the Comparative Stylistic Theory. Tenets of these theories were used to explain, discuss and analyze the patterns that emerged in this study. The data used in this study was elicited from two texts: the Source Text (ST) Animal Farm and the Target Text (TT) Shamba la Wanyama. The mode of study was content analysis since the two are literary texts. The data collected was analyzed using both the quantitative and qualitative approaches. The data was presented in columns under the semantic fields of Names, Agriculture, Education, Politics, Trade/ Technology and Allusions. A cloze test was used as an instrument in the research design. The findings are presented in columns and a bar graph. The findings have been used to come up with areas for further research. The emerging patterns are discussed to help in providing insights on meaning transformation and how it can be minimized. Finally, observations obtained during the research are discussed. The findings indicated that there is indeed meaning transformation in the TT.
The contextualization of lexical items in Chinua Achebe's Arrow of God
(2011-11-02) Kailiti, Hellen B. K.; Hilda Kebeya
The study is on the contextualization of lexical items in Chinua Achebe's literary work, Arrow of God. The objectives of the study were; to identify the lexical items which reflect the society's worldview in Arrow of God, to find out the similarities and differences in the semantic and pragmatic use of lexical items in the literary work and to explain the features of context brought about by the use of the lexical items by the writer. The social language theory and the Sapir - Whorf hypothesis in Gumperz and Hymes (1986), the literary theory, (SIL, 2005) and The Language variation theory posited by Labov (1966) guided the study in identifying the contextual features of the sampled lexical items The analysis of the lexical items was also guided by the same theories. The lexical items confirm that the writer is influenced by the societal worldview as revealed in the findings. The research design adopted was extensively qualitative with some aspects of quantitative design used in the process of data analysis. The qualitative design used was content analysis as the research identified lexical items which had contextual features through inference and they were subjected to descriptive analysis to identify the aspects of the Igbo worldview and contextual features that they represented. The researcher read through the novel and randomly sampled five chapters from which the lexical items were purposively sampled. The sample consisted of twenty lexical items. The lexical items were subjected to qualitative analysis. Inference was used to determine the contextual use of the lexical items to reveal the Igbo worldview. The meaning, both semantic and pragmatic was portrayed and was compared to a prospective reader's interpretation without considering the context. Features of context were identified by a close examination of the phenomena referred to by the lexical items. The findings revealed that Achebe uses lexical items as dictated by the worldview of his society. The lexical items show different aspects of the Igbo worldview. However, the semantic and pragmatic use of the lexical items does not show great differences which can interfere with a reader's comprehension. Readers can understand the pragmatic use of the lexical items when they refer to the greater linguistic context. Features of context have been brought out by the use of lexical items. These are race, societal practices, the family and gender issues. These findings are of importance to pedagogy as they provide a basis of understanding literary texts both for studies leading to examinations and for research. Readers need to identify the lexical items whose usage is `marked' in a text and interpret them in context hence comprehending the literary work.
The Nature of Cohesion in Selected Gikuyu Texts
(2011-11-02) Wachera, A.C.; Eunice A. N.; Gecaga, C. M.
The present study was aimed at identifying, describing and categorising the elements that help to join different sentences in selected Gikuyu texts. This study falls in the broad area of discourse analysis. The texts selected for this study were those written in continuous prose and were from the literary and the reportage text categories. The work followed the Halliday and Hasan's model of Cohesion to identify, describe and categorise cohesive devices in these texts. Gikuyu texts analysed showed evidence of the five categories of cohesion proposed in the Halliday and Hasan's model of cohesion. These are the reference, lexical organisation, conjunction, ellipsis, and substitution cohesive devices. The data showed evidence of only one sub-category of substitution as a cohesive device. This is a kind of verbal substitution known as verbal reference. Nominal and clausal substitutions did not occur at all in the data. Future researchers may analyse more Gikuyu data or data from other Bantu languages to find out if nominal and clausal substitutions occur cohesively. Only the nominal subcategory of ellipsis occurred cohesively in the data. Clausal and Verbal ellipsis were cohesive only within the sentence. However, a type of ellipsis not mentioned in the Halliday and Hasan's model of cohesion was found to be cohesive: an a-link construction, common in Bantu languages was ellipted to be recovered in preceding sentences. Future researchers may analyse more Gikuyu data or data from a related language such as Swahili or Kikamba, to find out if a-link constructions occur cohesively. The present study provides a theory-governed description of cohesion in Gikuyu. This is useful for the writers of Gikuyu grammars used for the teaching of the language. The study also contributes to the increasing body of knowledge in Bantu linguistics, Gikuyu being a Bantu language. This thesis is organised into six main chapters. Chapter 1 is composed of the background information introducing the study. Chapter 2 investigates other research findings that relate to the current one, and the theoretical framework in which this study is carried out. Chapter 3 contains methodology, data presentation and analysis. Categorisation of the cohesive devices identified in chapter four is done in chapter five. To conclude the thesis, chapter six presents a summary of the entire work, and identifies gaps requiring research in this field.

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