DIALECTAL VARIATIONS IN LEBLANGO: THE CASE OF LIRA, OTUKE AND ALEBTONG DIALECTS
| dc.contributor.author | ADAR FELIX | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-10-18T06:56:10Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-10-18T06:56:10Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description.abstract | ABSTRACT This study, which is within the field of sociolinguistics, aimed at examining the dialectal variation in Leblango, considering the case of Lira City, Otuke and Alebtong districts. According to Shareah et al. (2015), dialectal variation refers to differences in speech patterns within the same language, often influenced by geographic, social, and cultural factors. These variations can manifest themselves in pronunciation (phonology), vocabulary (lexicon), and grammar (syntax). Over time, different regions or communities develop distinct dialects, even though they share a common language. The study sought to establish phonological, lexical and grammatical variations in Leblango. It used cross-sectional and descriptive designs, guided by a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to identify participants from Lira City, Otuke and Alebtong districts. The study used a questionnaire survey, conversational module guide and focus group discussion guide (which involved pronouncing a list of Leblango words and reading sentences, and writing an essay) meant to determine the different levels of variations typical of each district. These instruments of data collection provided both qualitative and quantitative data. The data was analysed using the Microsoft Exel, and content analysis which took care of the qualitative data. The study found out that there were variations in Leblango regarding how certain words are pronounced, the use of particular words and grammatical aspects. This study was grounded in Labov’s (1963) Variationist Sociolinguistics theory and Chambers and Trudgill’s (2004) Dialectal Continuum theory. The study recommends that future studies on Leblango should focus on its syntax, tense behavior, and nominal structures. Additionally, teaching efforts should prioritize correct spelling, as some irregularities were notable in participants’ essays, while others stem from a lack of knowledge about proper forms. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14270/1012 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Gulu University | |
| dc.title | DIALECTAL VARIATIONS IN LEBLANGO: THE CASE OF LIRA, OTUKE AND ALEBTONG DIALECTS |