AN ANALYSIS OF THE NEXUS BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND GENDER IN HAWKER CULTURE IN KIBUYE MARKET, KISUMU COUNTY, KENYA
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Date
2024-09
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THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN AFRICA
Abstract
Language is part and parcel of human experience and every aspect of human life is dependent on communication. Language also defines a people’s way of life, their transmission of social and cultural norms, attitudes, beliefs, traditions and values. Language, by extension, facilitates the reinforcement of existing beliefs about group features and distinctions between groups. Language structures and patterns of language use are believed to be responsible for perpetuation of stereotypes, and in some instances, reifying one group’s dominance over the other. It is perceived that men and women use different expressions. Gender is one of the social constructions that has been studied in language use for quite some time now. These studies have, however, not focused on how language dynamics intersect with gender identities and roles, especially in the context of hawker culture. Against this backdrop, this study sought to analyse the nexus of language and gender in hawker culture in Kibuye Market in Kisumu County in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study are: (i) to examine how language dynamics intersect with gender identities among Kibuye hawkers, (ii) to explore how these language dynamics influence hawker culture and business practices and (iii) to determine how language use in hawker culture impacts on construction of gender roles. This study was anchored on social constructionist theory as proposed by Searle (2007) and Bo (2015). It employed an embedded mixed methods research design. The targeted population was one hundred hawkers. Using a blend of purposeful and stratified random sampling techniques, thirty (30) participants (fifteen male and fifteen female) were sampled for interviews and another ten (10) hawkers for video recording. Data collection methods included observation, interviews, and audio-visual recording. Thematic and inferential methods were employed in the analysis and interpretation of data. To guarantee compliance with ethical standards in the conduct of this research, data sources have been duly acknowledged and approvals were sought from relevant authorities before the commencement of data collection. This study concluded that patterns of language use in hawker culture revealed cultural norms, beliefs, traditions, and values that were useful in constructing gender identities. These linguistic structures not only demonstrated the persistence of social stereotypes but also group dynamism. Language use in hawker culture represented social constructs outside business operations. Paralanguage and body language complemented, reinforced, substituted, and occasionally contradicted verbal messages. The complementary role was more prominent in hawker culture. From the researcher’s scrutiny of video records and a close analysis of the interviews conducted, female, as opposed to male, hawkers in Kibuye Market relied heavily on body language in their communication with customers. Body language can be difficult to interpret; nevertheless, it can give one a more nuanced understanding of what someone may be trying to communicate. The results of this study will enrich academic scholarship on gendered use of linguistic varieties.
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Language use in informal settings, gendered discourse, power relations in communication, market interactions, cultural practices, speech patterns, gender dynamics