Translinguistic apposition: Structure and function of a language choice practice in Kinyarwanda news articles

Abstract

Introduction:

This paper investigates the structure and function of translinguistic apposition in Kinyarwanda news articles. In the structure, a Kinyarwanda noun phrase and a French / English noun phrase are juxtaposed as if the second clarified the first. Two major issues are identified, namely the possibility of translinguisticc apposition as practical action and its implicativeness relative to preceding and subsequent choices. These issues are identified against the background of two important discourse organisational principles, namely the principle of progressivity and that of the preference for same language discourse.

Methods:

Data were collected in two media blogs in Rwanda, namely Igihe.com and Umuseke.com using the method of theoretical sampling. They were analysed, in the tradition of the Ethnomethodology of Written Discourse, using a conversation-analysis-inspired qualitative analysis.

Results:

Translinguistic apposition is found to be possible as practical action because, organised as a parenthetical, it is shielded off from the reach of the preference for same medium discourse. It is also found to serve as a discourse-based language management strategy. Its implicativeness derives from this function.

Discussion:

Implications for the study of bilingual language use and for the practice of lexical development at the macro level are discussed.

Keywords

Translinguistic apposition language alternation discourse-based language management Kinyarwanda language choice progressivity preference for same language discourse parenthetical

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