Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
  1. Home
  2. Search

Refine search

Refine search

Access:
Content type:
Publication date:
Apply   From and To filters
Subject: Show more
Journals Show more
Publishers: Show more
Societies Show more
Series: Show more
Collections: Show more

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
Cancel
×

1 results

  • 6 - Sheng and Engsh in Kenya’s Public Spaces and Media

  • Edited by Rajend Mesthrie, University of Cape Town, Ellen Hurst-Harosh, University of Cape Town, Heather Brookes, University of Cape Town
  • Book:
    Youth Language Practices and Urban Language Contact in Africa
    Published online:
    20 August 2021
    Print publication:
    09 September 2021, pp 141-158

  • Summary

    This chapter will discuss the role of the media in the development of Sheng (showing largely African language syntax with salient English lexis) and Engsh (showing the reverse; i.e. largely the syntax of English and lexis from several African languages) in Kenya. While African urban youth languages may start as anti-languages of the streets, many develop a much wider speech community due to their gradual spread from the street and the informal transport environment into song lyrics and thus the radio, and into comic strips and cartoons and thus the printed press. The use of these two youth language varieties in these media has the additional effect of making them acceptable for a larger part of the society as a style of youth and modernity and rendering this style fit for advertisement and use on television, such as in soap operas. This development is illustrated with Sheng and Engsh examples.