Abstract:
The purpose of this article is to examine patterns of language choice in
environmental signage in Nyanza, Kenya. While environmental signs are
essential tools of communication for conveying ecological messages to target
audiences, the focus here is not on accommodation strategies per se but on how
linguistic diversity is reflected in the choices of language used.
Environmentalists employ signage as a medium to reach varied audiences, and
this study seeks to uncover the underlying patterns of language selection that
shape the communicative effectiveness of these signs. Given that Nyanza,
Kenya, is a multilingual region, developers of environmental signs in this region
must choose the language to use. Thus, the main objective of this study was to
analyse the functional implications of the linguistic choices of developers of
environmental signs in the urban and peri-urban areas of three counties,
including Kisumu, Kisii and Migori counties. The environmental signs were
photographed, after which the texts written on them were transcribed for
analysis. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Findings reveal that most
environmental signs in Nyanza, Kenya, are written in English. Swahili-only
environmental signs came second to English-only environmental signs. There
were also significant instances of English-Swahili code switching. Indigenous
languages were featured only in the environmental signs that were studied. The
study is significant because it highlights the functional state of language in
environmental conservation in Nyanza, Kenya. An analysis of the language of
environmental preservation is vital, given the multilingual state of the study
area. The study triggers deep insights into the linkages between language and
the environment.
