Language use and choice: A case study of Kinubi in Kibera, Kenya

Abstract

This article analyzes the domains of language use and choice of the Kinubi speaking community in Kibera, Kenya in relation to Kinubi maintenance in a multilingual location. Language use and choice has been a debated issue whenever languages come into contact. It refers to a situation where members of a speech community try to keep a language the way it has always been used despite linguistic challenges emerging from a multilingual convergence. In this paper we argue that Kinubi, a minority language spoken in Kibera, is expected to face maintenance challenges. However, the findings reveal that it has defied this logic and seems to thrive in various domains of language use and is the natural choice at home. Thus, Kinubi’s ethnolinguistic vitality particularly in the home domain in a region of linguistic diversity is quite evident.