Title : Associate Professor & Mwenyekiti, Idara ya Kiswahili 
Department: Kiswahili
Address: Kenyatta University, Nakuru Campus, P.O. 17952 – 20100 Nakuru.
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Area of Specialization: Sociolinguistics, Dialectology
Research Interests: Folklinguistics, Language contact and multilingualism, Urban and Youth Languages
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Iv_iagcAAAAJ&hl=en

 

Publications

Referred Journals

  • 2019:Sanaajadiiya Mtandaoni: Misimbo Ibuka Yaimarika ilhali Kiswahili Chaganda. Katika,Obuchi, S, M Mwita na M Noordin (Wah.). Toleo Maalum, Mwanga wa Lugha: Makala Teule ya Kongamano la CHAKITA 2018, kur. 149-161. Eldoret, Moi University Press.
  • 2017:  Folklinguistic perceptions and attitudes towards Kenyan varieties of Swahili. Swahili Forum, 24, 62-84. Co published with Martin Njoroge (United States International University
  • 2014:Kwa miaka hamsini, Sheng imekitunza au imekiua Kiswahili? In Simala, I, L. Chacha & M. Osore (eds.) Miaka Hamsini ya Kiswahili Nchini Kenya. Twaweza
    Communications (pp 34-52). Nairobi, Twaweza Communications
  • 2012: The Usual Suspects: In defense of Urban Languages. In Sanneh, S, K. Wanjogu and O.Adesola (Eds.) Language in African Preforming and Visual Arts: Selected Papers from a Conference held at Yale University. pp 110-116)
  • 2012:Utetezi wa Elimu ya Uwililugha Africa Mashariki. In Momanyi, C, K Njogu nd M Mukuthuria (Eds.) Kiswahili na Utaifa Nchini Kenya (pp 87-105) Chakita Kenya and Twaweza Communications Nairobi
  • 2011: Translanguaging and negotiation of ethnicity: Reproduction of hegemonic structures in communication media. In N. Wachanga (Ed.) Cultural Identity and New Communication Technologies: Political, Ethnic and Ideological Implications. IGI Global. Hershey, Pa.
  • 2011:Insults and folk humor: verbal transgression in Sheng’s Mchongoano. Festschrift in honor of David Dwyer. Joy of Language, East Lansing, Michigan State University, https://www.msu.edu/%7Edwyer/JOLIndex.htm.
    2009:Sheng, Styleshifting and construction of Multifaceted Identities: Discursive Practices in the Social Negotiation of Meaning. Sarbrucken: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller.
  • 2008: Ambivalent attitudes: Perception of Sheng and its speakers. Nordic journal of African Studies 17 (2) 113-136
  • 2008: Sexism and (mis)representation of women in Sheng. Journal of African Cultural Studies 20 (1): 15-32
  • 2007 :Mchongoano verbal duels: Risky Discourse and sociocultural commentary. In Kimani Njogu and G. Oluoch Olunya 2007 Cultural Productions and Social Change in Kenya:Building Bridges vol 1: 89-109
  • 2006 :Bazes and their shibboleths: Lexical variation and Sheng speakers’ identity in Nairobi. Nordic Journal of African Languages 15 (4): 443-472
  • 2006: “The Asymmetric Nature of Bantu Applicative Constructions”. Paper co-authored with Deo Ngonyani Lingua 116: 31-63

Books and Books Chapters

  • 2014:Kwa miaka hamsini, Sheng imekitunza au imekiua Kiswahili? In Simala, I, L. Chacha & M. Osore (eds.) Miaka Hamsini ya Kiswahili Nchini Kenya. Twaweza Communications (pp 34-52). Nairobi, Twaweza Communications
  • 2012: Utetezi wa Elimu ya Uwililugha Africa Mashariki. In Momanyi, C, K Njogu nd M Mukuthuria (Eds.) Kiswahili na Utaifa Nchini Kenya (pp 87-105) Chakita Kenya and Twaweza Communications Nairobi
  • 2011:Translanguaging and negotiation of ethnicity: Reproduction of hegemonic structures in communication media. In N. Wachanga (Ed.) Cultural Identity and New Communication Technologies: Political, Ethnic and Ideological Implications. IGI Global. Hershey, Pa.
  • 2009 :Sheng, Styleshifting and construction of Multifaceted Identities: Discursive Practices in the Social Negotiation of Meaning. Sarbrucken: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller.
  • 2007 : Mchongoano verbal duels: Risky Discourse and sociocultural commentary. In Kimani Njogu and G. Oluoch Olunya 2007 Cultural Productions and Social Change in Kenya: Building Bridges vol 1: 89-109

Conferenced/Workshops/Seminars Attended

Conferences Attended

  • 2018, Conference Presentation. Chama Cha Kiswahili cha Taifa (CHAKITA). Haja ya kuimarisha mikabala na mbinu za kuwafunza wageni lugha ya Kiswahili nchini Kenya. Jointly with collaboration Deo Ngonyani, Joachim Kisanji, and Yusta Mganga. At Moi University, Eldoret (August 9-10)
  • 2018, Conference Presentation. Chama Cha Kiswahili cha Taifa (CHAKITA). Sanaajadiiya mtandaoni: Misimbo ibuka yaimarika ilhali Kiswahili chaganda. At Moi University, Eldoret
  • 2018. Workshop Presentation. What Qualifies as Sheng? A workshop on Kenya Youth Language Practices held at Kenyatta University (July 19-20)
  • 2017. Conference Presentation. Athari za lugha za Kienyeji katika leksia na sintaksia ya Kiswahili cha Kenya. At Kibabii University, Bungoma, (July 20-22)
  • 2016. Conference Presentation. Ngazi za Kiswahili: Je kuna Kiswahili kimoja au “Viswahili”vingi?At CHAUKIDU Conference held at the Catholic University of East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, December 16-17, 2016.
  • 2016. Conference Presentation. Isimuyahe: Haja ya kuzingatia maoni ya wazungumzaji wa Kiswahili.At CHAKITA conference held at Swahili Cultural Centre, Mombasa Kenya (September 8th- 10th2016 )
  • 2014. Conference presentations. Kenyan Scholars and Studies (KESSA), Florence, Alabama, The mental maps of Swahili speakers (September 6, 2014).
  • 2013 Seminar, Conference: Sheng Language in Kenya - Structure, Uses & Pedagogy, The French Institute of Research in Africa (IFRA), Nairobi, Kenya. (July 16, 2013).
  • 2013 Seminar, Reflection on the future of Sheng in Kenya, Public Intellectual Forum on Sheng and Media in Kenya: Twaweza communications, Nairobi, Kenya. (July 10, 2013)
  • 2013 Conference Attendance, Linguistic competition in urban spaces: Sheng’s value, utility and adaptation to Kenyan linguistic market., African Urban and Youth Languages Conference
  • 2013, Cape Town, South Africa. (July 5, 2013 - July 7, 2013)
  • 2013 Inaugural Graduation Ceremony, Josnem Teachers Training Institute, Nakuru, Kenya, They are counting on us, Githinji, P. (Presenter & Author). (September 6, 2013)
  • 2013 International conference for the Celebration of 50 years of Kiswahili Development in Kenya, Chama cha Kiswahili cha Taifa (CHAKITA), Nairobi, Kwa miaka hamsini, Sheng imekitunza au kukiangamiza Kiswahili?
  • 2011 Conference Presentation: Corruption or innovation? Making sense of Kenyan Urban youth Discourse, Kenya Scholars and studies Association, Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. (September 16 -17)
  • 2011: Bilingual education in Kenya: Which way for the Counties, Kenya Scholars and studies association, Bowling Green, Ohio, United States (September 16-17)
  • 2010 Conference Presentation. Brand Swahili: Squandered birthright, misguided policies and linguistic insecurity among Kenyans. Annual Conference of Kenyan Scholar and Studies Association (KESSA) at Bowling Green University (Sept 19-19 2010)
  • 2010. Conference presentation. Tafsiri na ufundishaji wa Kiswahili kwa wanafunzi wa ng’ambo (Translation and Teaching of Swahili to students abroad) to be presented during the CHAKITA conference at Pwani University, Kilifi (August 9-12)
  • 2010 Language in Education policy in Tanzania and Ethiopia: The path in between for Kenya. Paper presented during the International Conference on Multilingualism at Kenyatta University,Nairobi (July 22-23)
  • 2010 Managing L1 in the second language classroom. Presentation during the ALTA/NCOLCTL Conference at Madison, Wisconsin (April 21-25)
  • 2009 Translanguaging in imagined communities: Mismatch between ethnic language and ethnic identity. Presented at the 40th Annual Conference of African Linguistics at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (April 9-11)
  • 2009 Educational marginalization of African children without the Mother-Tongues. Paper presented at the 10th Anniversary of the Institute of the African Child at Ohio University.(March 12-14)
  • 2008 Arresting Language decline: A proposal for trilingualism. A joint presentation with Peter Otiato during the African Language Teachers Association (ALTA) Conference at Madison, Wisconsin (April 24-18)
  • 2008 Lexical gaps: Lexicographers, you got work to do. Paper presented during the Annual Conference of African Linguists (ACAL) in Athens, Georgia (April 18-20)
  • 2008 Outside the Box: Revitalizing local knowledge through linguistic hybridity. Presented at the Symposium on “Enabling Local Knowledge in Africa: A Pathway to Social Resilience?” held at Ohio University on January 24 and 25
  • 2007 Socio-linguistic construction of gender among Sheng Speaker in Nairobi. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of African Linguistics (ACAL) at Gainesville, Florida
  • 2007 Maximizing media output in the language classroom: pros and cons of audio-visual cues. Paper presented at the 11th African Language Teachers Association (ALTA) at Gainesville Florida
  • 2006 Homecoming: Drawing from the source in the teaching of African Languages. Presented in the 10th Annual conference of African Language Teacher’s Association at Rutgers
  • 2006 "Changing with change: Making African Languages relevant to global demands". Presented jointly with Peter Otiato at 10th ALTA conference at Rutgers
  • 2005 Bazes of Sheng and lexical variation: Indices of multiple identities in Nairobi. Colloquium talk at Ohio University
  • 2005 “Non-standard features in language pedagogy: to teach or not to teach?" Presented at the 9th annual meeting of African Language Teachers Association (ALTA) at Yale University.
  • 2001 “The Dilemma of Stereotyping Sheng’ and Its Speakers” Paper presented at the 31st New Ways of Analyzing Variation Conference at Stanford University, San Francisco, California

AWARDS

  • 2013:Fulbright Hays Group Projects Abroad hosted by Michigan State University and Ohio University with Dr. Deo Ngonyani (PI) $362,128. A program that takes Advanced Swahili students for an intensive course during the summer. In-Country Director during the 2014 and 2015 at MS-TCDC in Arusha Tanzania.
  • 2013:Faculty Fellowship Leave. August 2013-December 2013
  • 2016:US department of Education grant (Swahili STARTALK) PI $ 90,000. A 4-week intensive summer program that aims to teach Swahili to American students at Ohio University

Chairperson

Prof. Peter Githinji

Prof. Peter Githinji
Mwenyekiti, Idara ya Kiswahili 

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