Language Use and Attitude towards Kafi Noonoo: The Case of Bonga Town

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the patterns of language use and attitudes towards Kafi Noonoo: the case of Bonga town. The study employed descriptive survey design, which involves both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. Important data for the study were collected from primary sources by using tools such as questionnaires, interviews, and observation. Accordingly, 66 employees from Bonga city administration were selected through simple random sampling techniques for the questionnaire whereas 10 religious leaders and 40 followers of Orthodox Tewahido, Catholic, Protestant, and Islam religions were selected by using purposive sampling for an interview and availability sampling for questionnaires respectively, and 6 shopkeepers from shops Gebeya-meda market by convenient sampling techniques for interview. Then, the data were organized thematically and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS Version 26) was utilized for data analysis. Accordingly, the study has revealed that most of the community members used Kafi Noonoo moderately and mixed the language with Amharic in the aforementioned domains of language use. The study has also revealed that most of the members of the community have a negative attitude in most aspects and a positive attitude in some aspects towards Kafi Noonoo and they have a positive attitude towards the Amharic language. It can be concluded that Kafi Noonoo is used moderately in government offices and market domains but less used in religious institutions of Bonga town. Local government, educated members of the community, and stakeholders should intervene in the development and maintenance of the language: such intervention can be done by increasing the awareness of the community through mass media and by producing publications in Kafi Noono. Furthermore, employees of Bonga city administration offices, both religious followers and leaders and traders should use the language at offices, at religious institutions, and in local markets which may lead to the revival of the language.in Bonga town.