Influence of Islam and Language Prestige in Kinubi Maintenance in Kibera, Kenya

Abstract

This paper strives to point out a how a language used in religious practices and a people’s prestige can influence the maintenance of an indigenous language such as Kinubi. Kinubi is an indigenous language of the Nubi people that has some linguistic homogeneity with Arabic. The linguistic relationship between these two languages has played an important role in enhancing the usage of Kinubi in the multilingual setting of Kibera, Kenya. Kinubi, in Kibera, is a minority language faced with the competitive presence of majority languages such as English and Kiswahili. The study discerned that the way the Kinubi speakers view their language with prestige is an indicator of ethnically identifying with it. Moreover, the study found that Kinubi thrives in domains it is least expected such as the religion domain. Thus, Kinubi, in Kibera, has maintained its vitality.