Language Choice Among Commuter Bus Conductors (Drivers' Mates) and Passengers at Kumasi Kejetia Bus Terminal, Ghana

Isaac Oduro Isaac Oduro,Mercy Asantewaa Mercy Asantewaa,Wilson Oduro Wilson Oduro,Francis Kwadwo Kusi Francis Kwadwo Kusi,Olivia Donkor Olivia Donkor,Felicia Asamoah-Poku Felicia Asamoah-Poku

doi:10.37256/ser.122020495

Isaac Oduro Isaac Oduro, Mercy Asantewaa Mercy Asantewaa + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.37256/ser.122020495

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Abstract

This research aims to examine the language used by the commuter bus conductors and passengers moving to and from Kejetia bus terminal in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. This research basically focuses on sociolinguistics approach. The source of the data is purely the utterances of the bus conductors and the passengers on board in the commuter buses. Observation and recording were used as the data collection instruments in the study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze the data gathered. The study found Asante Twi dialect as the most dominant language choice of the majority of the sampled population (passengers and drivers' mates). The use of unmarked code switching in conversational discourse was not uncommon among participants. Finally, the study found English language to be the second most dominant language choice in the participants' verbal discourse. The implication is that apart from Akan language, all the other seven languages stand the risk of experiencing language shift leading to eventual language death should the ethnic groups concerned fail to maintain their languages.

Highlights

Language and society are two inseparable entities which cannot be divorced because language is used to disseminate social information
This confirms that the Asante Twi is the most dominant language choice used amongst the passengers in commuter buses in Kumasi metropolis
Per the data collected and analyzed, it has been established that even though Kumasi Metropolis is a multilingual community with about nine different functional languages, comprising Akan, Ga-Dangme, Ewe, Guan, Gurma, Mole Dagbon, Grusi, Mande and others, yet the only dominant language choice among the passengers and the bus conductors on board as per this research is the Asante Twi, a major dialect of the Akan language

Summary

Introduction

Language and society are two inseparable entities which cannot be divorced because language is used to disseminate social information. Language choice is a determinant for the development of any society. It is very important to make choice that will suit one’s conversation especially when there are many linguistic repertoires at one’s disposal[3]. This will definitely facilitate the necessary understanding between the parties involved in that discourse if the parties can display their communicative competence in the selected code. If on the other hand, one party decides to make a choice and participants involved in the conversation do not understand, there will be either no communication at all or a total miscommunication

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