Browsing by Author "Kinuthia, Jane Wanjiku"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Gendered Identities in Gikuyu marriage negotiation discursive domain
    (International Journal of Linguistics and Communication, 2015-12-01) Kinuthia, Jane Wanjiku; Wathika, Lucy; Yakobo, J.K.M
    The practice of bridal payment has since time immemorial remained an important feature of heterosexual marriages in many human cultural practices. In contemporary Kenyan Law on marriage and divorce, bridal negotiation and payment is regarded as central evidence of the validity of customary marriage and in the establishment of the legality of such union. Gendered identities in this case refer to the social and cultural construction of the femininities and masculinities perspectives which are known to influence and shape the practices of social institutions. This paper focuses on the formal discursive process of negotiating and legalising marriage in the domain of ‘Ruracio’ or bride wealth payment amongst the Agikuyu of Kenya. Data consisted of five recorded discourses from sampled negotiation sessions and five focus group discussions from Kiambu County, Kenya. The data collected was translated, transcribed and analysed with a view of investigating language use for gendered identities and their implication on society. Guided by principles in discourse historical approach, the study established that language use in this domain defines gender roles, perspectives and identities which are useful in constructing individual and societal identity. It is hoped that these findings will benefit the general public as they interact linguistically.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    The impact of HIV/AIDS message in selected Kenyan primary school texts: A linguistic perspective
    (International Journal of Linguistics, 2012-06-01) Kinuthia, Jane Wanjiku; Tchai, Furaha; Yieke, Arudo Felicia
    In Kenya, HIV and AIDS education has been integrated into the school curriculum as an effort to curb transmission of HIV and AIDS. The current study identified the phrases with HIV and AIDS message in selected textbooks of English, Science and Social Sciences in primary schools which were classified according to Mills (1995). Standards of textuality in the phrases were then examined and their impact on the readers evaluated as per Beaugrande & Dresseler classification (1981). The target population were class seven pupils and their teachers, in five randomly selected primary schools in Nakuru Municipality Division, Kenya Oral interviews and elicitation tests were used as data collecting tools. Evaluation of 39 phrases identified from 6 textbooks showed that none of the standard of textuality was upheld 100%. However, acceptability scored the highest (71.7%) while informativity scored the least (29.2%). Cohesion & Coherence, Intentionality, Situationality and Intertextuality had average scores ranging between 45 to 67.8%. It was concluded that the extent, to which each standard of textuality is upheld, correlates to a text’s appropriateness. Therefore, text book writers should design material that upholds all the standards of textuality to enhance effective communication. Such a move would ensure that the education system achieves its objectives.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    The implications of language and power in Gikuyu marriage negotiation discursive domain, for Kenya’s vision 2030
    (Kabarak Journal of Research & Innovation, 2016-03-21) Kinuthia, Jane Wanjiku; Wathika, Lucy; Yakobo, J.K.M
    This study was conceived on the premise that there are connections between language use and unequal relations of power and there is widespread underestimation of the significance of language in the production, maintenance and change of social relations of power. There is therefore need to help increase consciousness of how language contribute to the domination of some people by others since consciousness is the first step towards emancipation. Some commonsense assumptions which are implicit in the conventions according to which people interact linguistically are identifiable in conventions which follow a pattern where one party seems more powerful as seen in the way they control the process of talk such as in the Gikuyu marriage negotiation discursive domain. This paper focuses on the formal discursive process of negotiating and legalising marriage in the domain of ‘Ruracio’ or bride wealth payment amongst the Agikuyu of Kenya. Data, consisting of five recorded discourses from sampled negotiation sessions and five focus group discussions from Kiambu County Kenya, was translated, transcribed and analysed with a view of investigating language use for power potentialities. Guided by principles of language and power, the study established that language use in this domain defines power differentials and this has a direct influence on how people think, act and view their society. This paper argues that such potentialities would be instrumental in building a free and fair society as envisioned in the social pillar of Kenya’s Vision 2030.This way, Linguistics as an area of study would be contributing to social development. It is hoped that the findings will be useful to all language users, leaders in general and policy makers in our country.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    A linguistic analysis of HIV/ AIDS messages in Kenyan Primary school textbooks
    (Egerton journal of Humanities, social sciences and Education, 2011-03-02) Kinuthia, Jane Wanjiku; Chai, Furaha; Yieke, Felicia Arudo
    In Kenya, government agencies, line ministries and non governmental organizations have for several decades now made concerted efforts aimed at prevention of HIV/AIDS through increased awareness about the risk of transmission and promotion of positive behavior change. One such effort was the introduction, in 2003, by the Kenya Institute of Education, of the integrated HIV/AIDS syllabus in both primary and secondary schools. This study was conceived with the objectives to identify and analyse the language used in primary school textbooks in order to determine its suitability in communicating the HIV/AIDS message, and to provide empirical data on the kind of language used. Six class seven textbooks used in three compulsory subjects in six percent of primary schools from Nakuru municipality, and the views and comments of ten class seven teachers yielded the data. The data was analysed according to the Mills (1995) model of stylistic analysis. The findings were that most of the HIV/AIDS related concepts feature in science textbooks, and that of all stylistic forms, transitivity choices are the most popular with textbook writers. The study also established that the stylistic forms used have a bearing on how the readers process and interpret the information presented in the text. The study recommends that to make the integration of HIV/AIDS messages a successful venture, textbook writers need to consider what is the appropriate amount of information on HIV/AIDS in each subject and the suitable stylistics (style of language usage in different contexts) for the level of the reader. It is hoped that the implications of the study will be useful to teachers, textbook writers and the general society.