Abstract:
Language shift is the process whereby members of a community in which more than
one language is spoken abandon their original language in favour of another. This
research concerns language shift by speakers of the Tshivenḓa language found in
Beitbridge district in Zimbabwe. The Vhavenḓa people in Beitbridge district are
shifting away from their language and using other languages found in the district.
Today the Vhavenḓa people living in Beitbridge have adopted other languages and
dislike their own. The consequence of forsaking their mother language has had a
negative impact on the Vhavenḓa people. The research aims at discussing the
concept of shift, what kinds of behaviours constitute shift and indications of shift in
the Tshivenḓa language. The research also gives recommendations on how to
reduce language shift in the Tshivenḓa language in Beitbridge.
