Language Accommodation Strategies in Multilingual Settings: A Case of Kibuye Market, Kisumu County, Kenya

This study examined the language accommodation strategies used by buyers and sellers in the multilingual environment of Kibuye Market in Kisumu County, Kenya. The market brings together speakers of Dholuo, Kiswahili, English, and other Kenyan local languages, making linguistic flexibility essential for effective trade and social interaction. Guided by Communication Accommodation Theory (Giles, 1971), the study focused on how market participants adjust their language choices during transactions. Data were collected through ethnographic observations, structured interviews, and questionnaires involving 24 participants, comprising 12 buyers and 12 sellers. The findings showed that sellers and buyers frequently employ code-switching, use Kiswahili as a common lingua franca, adapt their language to match the customer’s linguistic background, and use tags such as kinship, praise, and honorific expressions to create rapport. Humor and relational terms were also commonly used to ease interactions and strengthen social bonds. These strategies enhance mutual understanding, reduce communication barriers, and facilitate smoother business transactions in the multilingual marketplace. The study concludes that linguistic accommodation is a practical and effective communication tool that supports both interpersonal relations and commercial success among market participants in Kibuye Market.

language accommodation, multilingualism, code-switching, Kiswahili, buyers, sellers, Kibuye Market.

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