ChiShona lexical interference in Zimbabwean isiNdebele: A case of selected schools in Gweru

Abstract

The study explores syntactic interference involving isiNdebele and ChiShona in the teaching and learning of isiNdebele in a dominant ChiShona-speaking environment. The study was undertaken in secondary schools in Gweru in Zimbabwe. The investigation adopted a qualitative paradigm, while the selection of the participants was purposively carried out. The sample consisted of three isiNdebele heads of department (HODs), three isiNdebele subject teachers and fourteen secondary learners who were learning isiNdebele as a subject at ‘O’(rdinary) Level. Collected data are presented, analysed and discussed in relation to research themes and linguistic categories which serve as the framework of the study. The study reveals that syntactic interference is inevitable as long as isiNdebele is learnt as a subject in a pre-dominantly ChiShona-speaking area. Consequently, its domination results in the decay of the dominated through syntactic interference. Besides that, syntactic interference weakens and yields poor results in its examination as a subject. In conclusion, the study observes that, while learners learn isiNdebele as a subject, its decay will persist due to ChiShona syntactic interference and as long as efforts to contain the challenge are not considered.