Ngwimetoh Leopodine is 24 years of age, and she lives in Bambili precisely at Agam with both her parents. She is the 4th child of parents and the only one that has reached the University level. She has always loved and dreamt of becoming a Speech Therapist. Her elder sister is the inspiration behind her curiosity, she can read and write but can not talk nor hear and wanting to know what’s stopping her from talking is what prompted her into the field of Linguistics. She is a Master’s student from the University of Bamenda studying Linguistics and African Languages, with a specialisation in Sociolinguistics. Aside going to school, She operates a small poultry farm. She has been into this business for 2 years now. Even though at times she faces a lots of challenges she never gives up.
A Sociolinguistics Investigation of Honorifics and their usage in Fang.
Research Problem
While honorifics are an essential part of communication in many languages and culture, little research has been conducted on the sociolinguistic use of honorifics in the Fang society. Additionally the use of honorifics is known to vary across gender, age and social status, but the extend and specifics of this variations are currently unknown in the Fang society.
Research Objectives
This study seeks to:
1) To describe the sociolinguistic use of honorifics in the Fang society.
2) To analyse the variation of honorifics by gender, age and social status in Fang
3) To determine the sociolinguistic implications of honorific use in the Fang society
Research Questions
1) what are the the different honorifics that exist in the Fang language?
2) How does honorific usage vary by gender, age and social status in the Fang society?
3) what roles do honorifics play in maintaining social hierachies and power dynamics in the Fang society?
Research Method
This research will be carryout using the qualitative research method.
1)Techniques of data collection: interview guide and focus group discussion
2) Selection of participants: Fang indigenes of different age group.
3) Data analysis method: Qualitative analysis of honorific and their sociolinguistic usage.