Journal of Linguistics, Literary and Communication Studies
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs
<p>The <strong>Journal of Linguistics, Literary and Communication Studies</strong> is a high-quality open-access, peer-reviewed, and refereed multidisciplinary research journal, dedicated to serving society in the global dissemination of information through an unparalleled commitment to quality, reliability, innovation, and research work. The journal welcomes and acknowledges high-quality theoretical and empirical original research papers, case studies, review papers, literature reviews, and conceptual frameworks in the fields of Linguistics, Literature, and Communication Studies. Journal of Linguistics, Literary and Communication Studies engages its noble efforts for the development and endeavours to give you the best.</p>UTAFITI FOUNDATIONen-USJournal of Linguistics, Literary and Communication Studies2957-8477<p><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/" rel="license"><img src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-sa/4.0/88x31.png" alt="Creative Commons License" /></a></p> <p>This work is licensed under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/" rel="license">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>.</p>Semantics of Affixes in Kemunang’weli dialect of Kisukuma
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1045
<p>The article dwells on the semantics domains of affixes in Kemunang’weli dialect of Kisukuma under Lexical morphology and prototype theories. For example, tema ' cut' to n-teng’-w-a can fit in the lexical morphology as in ‘the one who has been cut’ or the one who is lead under the prototype model. The motivation behind the examination was that Many if not most of the Sukuma linguists have investigated tonal transfer, phonology, and verb extensions but less is done in noun affixes and their semantic functions, thus the need for investigation to fulfill this gap. The study used an interpretivism paradigm veiled in a qualitative approach, based on the fact that the data comes from natural settings. The study used a descriptive study design to describe the semantics of affixes in Kemunang’weli dialect of Kisukuma from Sukuma population in Njingani village, Geita rural district, in Mwanza region. Three methods of data collection were used namely, focus group discussion, intuition knowledge, and critical documentary analysis. Ten Sukuma native speakers were selected purposively for the discussion. Sukuma native speakers were selected for the study. The study revealed inflectional and derivational affixes, the former are prefixes as in diminutive {ka, tu}, hugeness {ma, li, mi}, locative {ku, mu, ha}, adjective and deverbal {i, ma, n} while the later are suffixes as in causative {j, ch, sh, y}, passive {w, ng’w, v}, adjective prefix {n, ß} and applied {ɪg, ɪj, eg, a or i}. The prefixes are ordered in three maximally in a single noun while this is true, the derivational suffixes trigger numerous senses. Based on the findings, it was concluded that such semantics of affixes in Kemunang’weli dialect of Kisukum contribute to and strengthen the development of Lexical morphology and prototype theories. The study urges other studies be carried out on other affixes which with no doubt would contribute to the grammar of the language to both this generation and generations yet to come.</p>Njana Masanja
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2025-05-112025-05-114211110.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1045Eco-narratives and Bukusu Traditional Music through Time: A Linguistic Analysis
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1092
<p>Music is a powerful tool that speaks to the environment as it fosters human-nature relations for mutual benefit; this is despite its negative effects. Taking a linguistic perspective, the study investigates the place of eco-narratives in ecological im/balance through the Bukusu traditional music, arguing that despite the changing times, this music is still relevant in ecological sustainability. Specifically, the study identifies and discusses eco-narratives that are embedded in Bukusu traditional music, and how they speak to the ecology, it examines how eco-narratives are used in the sustainability of the Bukusu traditional music and Cultural Heritage, and finally, it conceptualises the future of the Bukusu traditional music in the face of change. Primary and secondary data in the form of songs were purposively sampled, translated into English, and analysed using He’s (2021) Ecological Discourse Analysis framework, and Kress’ (2012) Multimodal theory. Findings from the study make explicit how, and for what purpose the Bukusu traditional music is preserved, and they predict the future of the sustainability of the Bukusu traditional music in the shifting environment.</p>Mary K. Lonyangapuo
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2025-06-182025-06-1842122310.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1092Sources of Frames for Organic Farming Practices in Kenya’s Newspapers: Analysis of Seeds of Gold and Smart Harvest Articles
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1094
<p>Organic farming practices are being promoted as a sustainable farming system that has less effects on both humans and the environment at large. Research shows that there is a low adoption of organic farming methods in Kenya. One of the reasons could be due to lack of adequate skills and knowledge in organic farming technologies. Hence, this paper analyses the source of mass media frames on organic farming practices as covered in Kenya’s newspapers. The focus of the study was on two Kenya’s national newspapers; Daily Nation and The Standard which have weekly news articles (pullouts); ‘Seeds of Gold’ and ‘Smart Harvest’ every Saturday. This study employed content analysis to achieve the objectives. Two pull-outs from leading newspapers ‘The Seeds of Gold’ from the Daily Nation and ‘The Smart Harvest’ from the standard Newspaper were used for this study. Data was collected using a coding sheet (book). The key sources of information on organic farming frames were organic farmers (through interviews, and farm visits), institutions and advocacy groups on organic farming, scientists (including crop and agronomists), entrepreneurs on organic foods, and industries involved in organic food products. However, government institutions' sources promoting the organic farming systems were found to be low and therefore show that the government is not committed to advancing the sustainable agenda in Kenya. It is therefore recommended that newspapers amplify the voice of organic farmers through their news articles rather than relying on sponsored articles for publication purposes which are dominated by inorganic farming players.</p>Leonard KoechJames AbilaLeah KomenMillicent Otieno
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2025-06-182025-06-1842243210.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1094Voicing Familial Struggles: A Critical Analysis of Child Images in Selected Kenneth Khaemba’s Popular Songs
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1098
<p>Familial struggles, though often glossed over and rarely voiced, form the very cartography of a community’s history. Considering this, scholarship accords so little attention to the multifaceted meanings embedded in child images, particularly as these images can themselves be powerful expressions of those same familial struggles, especially within popular songs. The neglect seems to emanate from the relegation of Indigenous knowledge and foregrounding the adult in an adult/child dyad. Nevertheless, popular songs, as one of the popular cultural forms, provide a platform for reading about the familial struggles in contemporary society. In this paper, using the Luyia community, and Kenneth Khaemba’s popular songs the paper seeks to investigate the child images as a (re)presentation of the family as a site of struggles. The paper is anchored on the premise that popular songs, vide child images, are a vital avenue in understanding the contemporary community. In achieving this end, the paper uses the ideas of Globalectics theory as propounded by Ngugi wa Thiong’o in particular, the perception of a community’s verbal arts, specifically folklore, as being at the center of comprehending the lives of members of any community. Individual community, globalectically, is equidistant to any community in the globe. Before subjecting the songs to discourse analysis, Khaemba’s popular songs were listened to and transcribed and translated into the two purposely sampled songs, namely ‘<em>Mayi Mutiti</em>’ (Little Mother) and ‘<em>Mayi Muro</em>’ (Step Mother). The study used the presence of a child narrator in the songs as the parameter for the selection. The findings of the study demonstrated that the child image in Khaemba’s songs is literary and, therefore, is a canvas for insights into the struggles of Luhyia community.</p>Zadock OyooloLencer NdedeChris Wasike
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2025-06-182025-06-1842334110.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1098Integrating Total Physical Response with Traditional Pedagogical Approaches in English Oral Skills Instruction among Grade 3 Learners in Kenya
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1127
<p>The integration of innovative pedagogical approaches with traditional teaching methods presents significant opportunities for enhancing English oral skills instruction in multilingual educational contexts. This study examined how Total Physical Response (TPR) can be systematically integrated with conventional teaching approaches to optimise learning outcomes. To examine how Total Physical Response is integrated with traditional teaching methods in English oral skills lessons to enhance communication and collaboration competency among Grade 3 learners in Kakamega County, Kenya. A mixed-methods quasi-experimental design was employed with 116 Grade 3 learners and 8 teachers from public primary schools. Experimental group teachers implemented systematic TPR integration over four weeks using three distinct models: Sandwich, Spiral, and Bookend approaches. Data collection included classroom observations, teacher interviews, and lesson time allocation analysis. TPR activities comprised 42.3% of total lesson time whilst maintaining traditional instruction at 57.7%. Three integration models emerged: The sandwich model (34% of lessons), the Spiral model (28%), and the Bookend model (38%). Integration effectiveness improved systematically from Week 1 to Week 4, with teacher confidence ratings increasing from 2.3 to 4.1. Transition times decreased from 2.8 minutes to 1.1 minutes, demonstrating improved efficiency. TPR can be successfully integrated with traditional teaching methods through systematic approaches that complement rather than replace established instructional practices. The integration models provide practical frameworks for educators implementing kinaesthetic learning approaches within existing curricular structures.</p>Vivian AfandiAtichi AlatiRalph Wangatia
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2025-07-042025-07-0442425010.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1127Enhancing English Language Skills Among Female Science Students in Tanzania: Insights from the Special Foundation Programme
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1140
<p>This study examined the English language skills of Special Foundation Female Science Students (SFFSS) at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT). involved total of 127 SFFSS admitted into the Open University of Tanzania under the Special Foundation Programme sponsored by the HEET Project participated in this study. Sociocultural theory and the theory of Krashen's Input Hypothesis guided the research. Employing a quantitative research approach, data were collected through closed-ended questionnaires with four Likert scale levels. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS Version 23, with results presented as means and standard deviations. Findings revealed that students demonstrated confidence in their listening and speaking skills but faced difficulty in reading and writing. These results highlight the strong relationship between reading and writing skills, supporting existing theoretical frameworks. The study recommends that basic educational teachers, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education Science and Technology, strengthen English language instruction, particularly in reading and writing, to support higher-level learning. Additionally, efforts should be made to change the perception that English language proficiency is unrelated to science education. Further research is needed to assess the effectiveness of intervention strategies aimed at improving literacy among secondary science students to inform future educational practices.</p>Leopard Jacob Mwalongo
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2025-07-092025-07-0942516110.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1140The Portrayal of Nouns and Figures of Speech in the Expansion of the Standardisation of Swahili Language in Tanzania
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1171
<p>In this era of science and technology, the standardisation of the Swahili language in Tanzania has been developed due to the emergence of new words in various fields such as health, politics, ICT, and education. This article focuses on the portrayal of nouns and figures of speech in the expansion of Swahili language standardisation. The research in this article is evaluative. The data was collected in the field and libraries, where interviews and text analysis methods were used. The discussion was guided by Einar Haugen’s (1966/1972) theory, concerning standardisation of languages whose main foundation is expansion aimed at broadening the use of language in fields such as education, politics, law, health, science, business, architecture, and sports. The results of this research have shown that language expansion gives language the ability to fill gaps in vocabulary and to eliminate the shortcomings in discussing various activities across all areas of life. It also gives the language the capacity to be used in the relevant contemporary contexts. This means that it allows the language to keep pace with the time, development, and changes in society.</p>Sarah VincentNeema Julius Luhwago
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2025-07-282025-07-2842627010.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1171Influence of Social Media Advertising on Student Enrolment in Private TVET Institutions in the Central Economic Bloc, Kenya
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1205
<p>It has become paramount for higher education institutions, such as Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, to invest heavily in their advertising budget. Despite significant resources being invested in advertising, growth in enrolment has not been witnessed in private TVETs. This study, therefore, sought to analyse the influence of different social media advertising platforms on student enrolment in private TVET institutions in the central economic bloc in Kenya. Principals of these institutions and heads of marketing were the respondents in the study. A census of all 174 private TVETs was conducted, resulting in 348 respondents. The study had a 90.5% (n=315) response rate. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect information for the study. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis were conducted on the quantitative data while thematic analysis was performed on the qualitative data. Results were presented using tables and narration. All TVETs in the study were found to have a website and social media presence, with 73.4% spending under KES 100,000 on digital ads. Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok were the most cited social media platforms utilised. Pearson correlation analysis showed that social media marketing had a strong, positive, and significant association (r = 0.690, p < .001) with student enrolment. The study concluded that social media advertising is a powerful medium for reaching prospective students and influencing their enrolment decisions. The researcher recommended that TVETs ought to invest heavily in social media marketing. They should hire professionals to ensure that they are visible online.</p>Caroline Muthoni WanjiruJuliet MachariaKellen Kiambati
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2025-08-142025-08-1442717910.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1205Multilingual Communication Strategies in African Religious Music: A Linguistic Study of Dholuo Ohangla Gospel Expression
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1236
<p>This study explores multilingual communication strategies employed in contemporary Dholuo Ohangla gospel music, analysing how artists utilise various linguistic resources to enhance spiritual messages and engage audiences across cultural and linguistic boundaries within Kenya's multilingual religious environment. The research adopts a qualitative descriptive approach based on Relevance Theory to analyse four intentionally selected Dholuo Ohangla gospel songs. Data analysis focuses on identifying metaphorical expressions, patterns of code-switching between Dholuo, English, and Swahili, and stylistic devices that facilitate effective multilingual spiritual communication. It reveals sophisticated multilingual strategies, including the deliberate use of English military and technological terminology, inventive metaphorical structures combining animal, modern, and traditional imagery, and culturally embedded communication tools that preserve Luo cultural authenticity while reaching diverse audiences efficiently. The study concentrates on four songs from a single linguistic community, which limits the generalisability of the findings across African gospel music traditions. Future research should involve broader comparative analyses across multiple African languages and larger sample sizes to validate the results in different contexts. The findings inform multilingual education policies by demonstrating successful indigenous language adaptation strategies, guiding religious organisations in creating artistic expressions that serve as genuine cultural heritage, and thus warrant documentation and promotion.</p>Elizabeth Quin Awuor
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2025-08-232025-08-2342809110.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1236The Construction of Fragile Identities: African Women’s Narratives of Post-colonial Trauma in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions and Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1269
<p>The paper explores how post-colonial trauma is depicted in African women’s literature. It examines the close connection between historical colonial trauma and the identities of African women in <em>Purple Hibiscus</em> by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and <em>Nervous Conditions</em> by Tsitsi Dangarembga. The two authors act as literary historians addressing traumatic histories to rewrite and reframe the portrayal of African women in a global context. The paper examines how colonial and postcolonial traumas influence the identities of female characters in these texts. However, the female characters will be examined not in isolation but through their relationships with indigenous males who impose fractured identities on their women and children. By highlighting the connections between recalling traumatic events and promoting community healing, the paper underscores the significance of a specific post-colonial feminist trauma theory in understanding these texts. It further proposes that this approach helps reveal how women’s fiction articulates and creates pathways for collective healing from traumas unique to the experiences of African women in post-colonial settings.</p>Miriam Achiso OpumbiLencer NdedeMaureen Amimo
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2025-09-032025-09-03429210010.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1269The discourse functionality of argument schemes in county assembly debates in Kenya using the pragma-dialectical approach
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1277
<p>The communicative interaction between discussants in parliamentary debates is aimed at exchanging different viewpoints through discussion to arrive at a policy decision. Discussants in Nairobi County assembly debates present their standpoints in a persuasive language that helps build conversations, minimise potential conflict, and maximise personal profit. This study aimed to examine the discoursal functionality of argument schemes in county assembly debates using the pragma-dialectical theory. A descriptive case study design was used with qualitative approaches to allow a deeper enquiry into the phenomenon of debates using data from online archival Hansard records of the Nairobi County assembly. The study systematically sampled 48 debate transcripts of the print version of the Hansard from a total target population of 132 debates for a period of ten months. The study then purposively sampled 20 debates, which consisted of motions of the Nairobi County assembly over the ten months, for analysis from February to November 2023. Public documents from the Nairobi County assembly registry, consisting of schedules of the sectoral committees and the Standing Orders of the assembly, were collected from the website. Qualitative data were analysed with speech acts forming the unit of analysis. The data were subjected to analysis using the criteria recommended in the pragma-dialectical theory. The study established that discussants employed pragmatic and symptomatic argument schemes purposefully to resolve differences of opinion on the merits in debates. The study was useful in suggesting procedural interventions aimed at improving parliamentary argumentative practices that could benefit discourse practitioners.</p>Robinson OdumaAtichi AlatiBenson Ojwang’
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2025-09-062025-09-064210110910.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1277Domestic Neocolonialism through Narrative Structure: A Comparative Analysis of Mia Couto’s Sleepwalking Land and Jose Eduardo Agualusa’s The Society of Reluctant Dreamers
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1280
<p>This article provides a comparative analysis of Mia Couto’s <em>Sleepwalking Land</em> and José Eduardo Agualusa’s, <em>The Society of Reluctant Dreamers</em>, examining how domestic neocolonialism is represented through narrative form. Informed by Frantz Fanon’s theory of Decolonisation and Achille Mbembe’s concept of Necropolitics, the study investigates how fragmented structures, temporal disjunctions, and layered perspectives convey the persistence of colonial domination within post-independence Mozambique and Angola. Couto employs a frame narrative and embedded texts to evoke the collapse of order and identity in a war-torn society, while Agualusa blends metafiction and shifting viewpoints to critique the internalisation of neocolonial power. Both authors reject linear realism in favour of disrupted and hybrid storytelling, transforming narrative architecture into a political act that resists imposed epistemologies and affirms African modes of meaning-making. Ultimately, the analysis argues that these formal strategies both expose the realities of domestic neocolonialism and function as decolonial interventions, positioning the novels as critical engagements with the instability and contested sovereignty of postcolonial African states.</p>Juliana Ndubi OumaLencer NdedeMaureen Amimo
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2025-09-082025-09-084211011810.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1280Women Politicians’ Political Communication Strategies in Kenya’s Digital Space: An Afrocentric Perspective
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1316
<p>This study explores how Kenyan women politicians articulate and negotiate political representation within the digital public sphere. Grounded in Afrocentricity (Asante, 1980, 2003) as both a philosophical paradigm and theoretical framework, the study examines women’s political communication in online spaces through African epistemologies, socio-cultural values, and community agency. The study addresses two key questions: (1) How do Kenyan women politicians use digital platforms to enact political representation from an Afrocentric perspective? (2) How do ethnic, cultural, and gendered narratives shape women politicians’ perceived political legitimacy and the strategies they employ in online spaces? To address these questions, 20 posts comprising of 11 FB posts and nine tweets by women politicians, published in 2020 and 2022, were purposively selected from a larger dataset of 58. The posts were chosen for their relevance to the research questions and the traction they gained during the two periods. Analysis of data was done using interpretative repertoires, a discourse analytical methodology articulated by Potter and Wetherell (1987), and Wetherell (2015). Findings reveal that in their digital representation and communication practice, Kenyan women politicians strategically employ Afrocentric discursive practices, including invoking ethnic identities, drawing on communal values, and incorporating spiritual symbolism rooted in African socio-political traditions. These culturally grounded political strategies enhance their digital visibility, legitimise political authority, and foster resonance with constituencies.</p>Nancy Gakahu
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2025-09-192025-09-194211913110.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1316The Visuality of Virtue: Pre-Iconographic Analysis of Constructive Pride in Disney’s The Lion Guard
https://utafitionline.com/index.php/jltcs/article/view/1347
<p>This study investigates how <em>The Lion Guard</em> visually constructs pride as a constructive virtue, challenging the dominant view of pride as a destructive vice. Drawing on Panofsky’s pre‑iconographic methodology, the study identifies and interprets visual markers that encode pride at the level of form before symbolic meaning emerges. A systematic analysis of selected episodes (Seasons 1–3) reveals three interrelated dimensions: (1) Self‑Image, wherein characters’ postures, coloration, and personal artifacts signal individual dignity and self‑respect; (2) Collective Existence, which depicts communal rituals and shared spaces that foster group cohesion, cultural continuity, and hierarchical stability; and (3) Existential Ecology, which links pride to the stewardship of the Pride Lands through recurring motifs such as Pride Rock, the Lion Guard’s lair, and the “Circle of Life” narrative. These visual strategies demonstrate that pride functions as a foundational moral force that sustains both personal agency and ecological balance. The findings contribute to media‑ecocritical scholarship by illustrating how animated texts can revalorize traditionally negative virtues, offering a nuanced model for future analyses of ethical representation in children’s animation.</p>Eunice SamwelGeorge Obara NyandoroBwocha NyagemiAbou-Bakar Mamah
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2025-10-112025-10-114213214610.58721/jllcs.v4i2.1347