The morpho-sociolinguistic aspect of the morpheme /-ng~-eng/ in Sesotho

Abstract

This is a morpho-sociolinguistic article that adopts a qualitative approach to investigate the attachment of the morpheme /-ng~-eng/ to  Sesotho parts of speech and to determine the validity of the justifications provided for this type of suffixation. The study employs the  integrated frameworks of item-and-process and variationist sociolinguistics. It is a known fact that human language is inherently a  culturally evolving system. That is, it is not monolithic, but instead, is dynamic or variable. Among the social dynamics stimulating  language variability is age. In our everyday experience, we witness a generational gap between youngsters and adults in terms of communication. Adults tend to be conservative, while the youth are innovative in their language use. Through their peer groups, the  youth are able to establish new linguistic norms which may diffuse into the wider community. In Sesotho, one such linguistic norm is the  current suffixation of /-ng~-eng/ to some parts of speech to which traditionally it was not suffixed. The article further discusses the  semantic implications of the attachment of this suffix and the reaction of the elderly towards it.