LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 11 : 10 October 2011
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.

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Effects of Inter-Personal Relationship on Code Choice in Communication – A Case of the University Community of Cape Coast, Ghana

Richard T. Torto, B. A. (Hons), Dip. Ed., M.Phil.

Abstract

The present work is based on an academic investigation conducted in the university community of Cape Coast, Ghana. The research target population comprised: students, lecturers and the non-academic staff. The study focused on the effect of inter-personal relationship on code choice. It also looked at the nature of the linguistic situation and the kinds of code choice in the university. A sociolinguistic approach was employed in the research and the investigation was conducted within the framework of ethnography of speaking and sociology of language. The study also adopted the ethnographic research design and the instruments used for data collection were: observation, questionnaire and interview. The results of the research revealed that the inter-personal relationship between interlocutors defined by age, sex, rank, status, religious affiliation, marital status, level of education and ethnicity affected code choice in discourse situations.

Key words: Interpersonal relationship, participant relationship code choice, sociolinguistics, communication

Introduction

Language is a social phenomenon. It is a medium of meaningful interaction among individuals in a social context (Gregory, 1978). In addition to being a means of communicating information, language is also an important means of establishing and maintaining relationship with other people (Trudgill, 1983). Although the role of language differs from society to society, it often includes the identification or marking of social categories, the maintenance and manipulation of individual social relationships (Saville-Troike, 1982). Communication in a social context, therefore, patterns according to particular roles and groups within a society defined by sex, age, social status, occupation, level of education, rural or urban residence and other features of social organisation.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Richard T. Torto, B. A. (Hons), Dip. Ed., M.Phil.
Department of Communication Studies
University of Cape Coast
Ghana
rchrdtorto@yahoo.co.uk
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