Language of Texting, Patterns and Factors of Language Choice in Text Messaging of University of Zimbabwe, Shona-English Bilinguals

Abstract

This sociolinguistic study investigates the patterns and factors of language choice in text messaging of University of Zimbabwe, Shona-English bilinguals. The findings of this study are based on cell phone messages of 50 second year Faculty of Arts students, questionnaires and interviews. The major findings of the study revealed that there are a number of technical elements that might be responsible for the wide use of English and switching in between English and Shona. The study concluded that the age, sex and perceived ease and swiftness of writing have an effect on the patterns of language choice in text messaging.

Keywords: Language choice, diglossia, code switching and code mixing.