Code Mixing in ‘devil on the Crossa Translation by the Author (Ngugi Wa Thiong’o).: Sfl Approach

Abstract

This study is a stylistic analysis of code- mixing in the Novel ‘Devil on the Cross’ as translated by the author. The study focuses on three types of code-mixing: Intersentential mixing, intra – sentential mixing and intra word mixing. The study hypothesized that: code mixing in ‘Devil on the cross’ is used in social contexts, minor characters in ‘Devil on the Cross’ use code mixing, code mixing is related to certain concepts, the code- mixing brings out communicative intentions clearly and that Systematic Functional Linguistics theory of M.A.K Halliday can be used to analyze code- mixing in ‘Devil on the Cross”. SFL incorporates three meta- functions of language: ideational, interpersonal and textual. SFL is a social theory of language that sees meaning as choice and its focus is on how language is used as a meaning making resource in contexts of situation and culture. The study is organized into six chapters with the first chapter laying the foundation for the research and giving us the definition of code- mixing, and problemitizing the concept of codemixing under the statement of the problem. Under this same chapter, the objectives of the study have been stated clearly, the rationale of the study has been outlined, the scope and limitation given as well as the research methodology. The data for the study was obtained through selection of texts from the literary work under study through purposive sampling. These is corroborated by scholarly works on code- switching and code- mixing, propounded by other scholars and underpinned by SFL conceptual framework in analysis. ‘Devil on the Cross’ manifests various types of code- mixing techniques. These can be analyzed by the SFL linguistic lens which can pan across sets of texts produced within a discipline or it can zoom in on specific texts produced by individual writers. To address the research questions, the thesis draws on a critical social theory of language (SFL) that focuses on how language is used as a meaning making resource in contexts of situations and woven together for communicative purpose.