A SOCIOLINGUISTIC STUDY OF CODE-SWITCHING IN THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GHANA: A CASE STUDY OF TESHIE DISTRICT

Abstract

This study investigated the sociolinguistic act of code-switching in congregations of the Teshie District of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. It determined the types of code-switching used and established the patterns and frequency of code-switching during sermons, prayers, and announcements.  It also identified the factors that influence code-switching as well as the roles of age, gender, and education in code-switching during sermons, prayers, announcements. The study involved 9 Presbyterian Ministers and 12 church members from 3 Presbyterian churches in the Teshie District. The research methodology was purely qualitative which deployed instruments such as interview, observation and audio recordings of natural sermons, prayers and announcements. The results of the study showed that the ministers use inter-sentential, intra-sentential and tag-switching as the three main types of code-switching. Inter-sentential code-switching was the most frequently used, followed by intra-sentential code-switching and then tag switching.  The study found out that the overarching factor that influences the switching of languages during preaching, prayers or announcements is the desire to build and deepen the understanding of the audience. Other factors that influenced code-switching between mother tongue languages such as Ga or Twi and English language was the need to create intimacy, sense of belonging and cultural rootedness among the audience. The study establishes that age, gender and educational level of the congregation influence code-switching during sermons, prayers and announcements.