Language attitude and use of dangme by the people of Vilo and Manya Krobo

Abstract

This study explores the language attitude and use of Dangme by the people of Yilo and Manya Krobo. It examines the sociolinguistic factors that are influencing language attitude in Yilo and Manya Krobo areas. The study aims at achieving the following objectives: to assess the current language attitude of the Yilo and Manya Kroo communities towards the use and study of Dangme, to identify the sociolinguistic factors that are affecting the use and study of Dangme by the people of Yilo and Manya Krobo, and to evaluate the implications of these attitudes on the preservation and transmission of Dangme language within the Yilo and Manya Krobo communities. A sample size of 80 respondents was used. The Critical Discourse Analyses and the Variationist theories were the theoretical frameworks adopted for the study to explain language attitude and the sociolinguistic factors influencing the use of Dangme in Yilo and Manya Krobo. The mixed method, which merges both quantitative and qualitative data at the same time of the research before integrating the information in the interpretation of the results was employed. Data were primarily sourced purposively from schools, churches, funerals, marriage ceremonies, and commerce using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and participant observation from a sample size of 80 respondents. The study revealed that the negative attitude towards the Dangme language has resulted in associating negative comments to it and these have resulted in the use of two or more languages during social, economic, and cultural activities. This was largely influenced by sociolinguistic factors such as social class, prestige, political, historical, economic and government policy. The study also revealed that misinterpretation is a common phenomenon when language interpreters were used and this causes miscommunication.