Impact of the Zimbabwean language policy on the Shona language and culture

Abstract

The paper explores how the Zimbabwean language policy’s promotion of the English language to the official language status at the expense of the local languages has impacted on the Shona language and culture. The paper reports on results of a qualitative research that employed interview and observation as the two data collection methods. The sample for the information was drawn from the Shona speakers in Masvingo province and analysis as well as presentation was done qualitatively. It emerged that the Shona language and culture are suffering immensely as a result of the status accorded to English in the nation. For instance, some parents have opted for speaking with their children in English in order to make them acquire it as their mother tongue at the same time sending them to schools where English is the sole medium of instruction and no teaching of a local language taking place. Some of the parents are encouraging their children to fully adopt the English culture as this would enhance their mastery of the language since language is culturally transmitted. The diglossic situation that saw Shona as a Low variety and English as the High variety is also heavily impacting Shona structurally. It has been concluded that the 1980 independence was only a political rather than a sociolinguistic one. The research recommends an urgent review of the current language policy in order to save the endangered indigenous languages and cultures.

Key Terms: language policy, Shona language, Shona culture