Language Choice in Multilingual Communities: The Case of Larteh, Ghana

Abstract

In a multilingual community, the multilingual speaker needs to make the right language choice which principally depends on the domain of usage and the linguistic repertoire of speech participants. This paper investigates factors that govern language choices that multilingual speakers make in Larteh, a multilingual community. The study is informed by insights from the Markedness Model, developed by Myers-Scotton (1993; 1998). Larteh is a non-reciprocal bilingual community: Leteh 2-Akuapem Twi (Johnson 1973: i) and English is the third language for those who have had formal education. In this paper, three domains of language use are examined: education, tradition and religion. Data from an interview survey on language use and participant observations are employed. The paper notes that due to changes in various spheres of life in Larteh, current language use patterns in the community differ from what pertained about three decades ago (Johnson 1973, 1975). Subsequently, factors that determine language choice are gradually undergoing some modification.