Recontextualisation of multilingualism in learners’ graffiti in selected Zimbabwean secondary boarding schools

Piason Makarati; Kufakunesu Zano

doi:10.64782/jssal/2025.216

Authors

Piason Makarati Sandon Academy, Zimbabwe https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7346-0291
Kufakunesu Zano Faculty of Education, Walter Sisulu University, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64782/jssal/2025.216

Keywords:

Graffiti, multilingualism, code-switching, bilingualism, translanguaging.

Abstract

Different forms of cross-linguistic interactions in learners’ graffiti in Zimbabwe have not received attention in empirical multilingualism research. Thus, this paper, part of a postgraduate study, explored the acts of codeswitching in the graffiti secondary school boarding learners in Zimbabwe. Seven secondary boarding schools were sampled for the study, providing valuable insights into the linguistic landscape of graffiti writing in these institutions. Employing a qualitative research design, graffiti inscriptions were collected exclusively from classroom walls and desktops. All the data were transcribed, paying particular attention to the source of the inscriptions from a locational linguistic perspective. The inscriptions were thematically categorised based on the specific linguistic features constructed. The study revealed instances of language alternation during different phases of graffiti communication, encompassing interactions between learners and teachers or other authorities, as well as peer interactions. Understanding codeswitching dynamics is crucial for optimising language use strategies and fostering a more effective communicative environment. This research underscored the need for a nuanced approach to subcultural interaction, acknowledging and leveraging the new multilingual era in graffiti writing. By recognising the role of these linguistic practices, educators may begin to understand that multilingualism in graffiti writing is a socially constructed phenomenon where languages are sets of resources rather than fixed linguistic systems. This study sets the stage for further research on the implications of codeswitching in diverse subcultural discourses within educational settings.

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