DEIXIS IN KIMERU SONG AND DANCE LYRICS BY KAMANU M’TUAMWARI AND KARIMI BRUNO

Abstract

KamaNu and Karimi’s song and dance lyrics have become increasingly popular in social functions and entertainment circles in Meru County and beyond. This makes many people quite receptive to the music, yet there has not been any attempt to investigate and analyse their song and dance lyrics with regard to their deictic value. These song and dance lyrics are a recreation of a blend of traditional, religious and secular music infused with unique elements of person, spatial, temporal, and social deixis. The main focus of this study was to explore how the deictic properties of these compositions by KamaNu and Karimi unravel the thematic issues and their social significance under the guidance of the following objectives: first, to examine the types of deixis used in the Kimeru song and dance lyrics by KamaNu and Karimi, then secondly, establish themes expressed through deixis; thirdly, assess the deictic strategies of communicating information and finally evaluate the linguistic social significance of deixis used in these song and dance lyrics. The study adopted a descriptive qualitative research design underpinned by Cruse’s (2006) theory of deixis supported by Grice’s theory of Conversational Implicature and Van Dijk’s Ideological square framework within Socio-cognitive Approach (SCA). Two non-probability sampling techniques namely purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to generate a sample of sixteen fans of KamaNu and Karimi’s song and dance lyrics and twelve Kimeru song and dance lyrics, six for each artist. Data were generated using the following instruments: observation, semi-structured interviews, video recording, and note taking. The instruments were pilot tested before their actual use. Qualitative analysis of the data was undertaken. The study established that Kimeru song and dance lyrics employ deictic strategies which enhance the expression and interpretation of people’s ideas and thoughts, and in turn aid in perpetuating their culture and identity through shared preferences. The linguistic value of deixis is clearly delineated. The study is expected to serve as a valuable resource for future reference and provide a foundation for comparative studies to identify potential similarities and differences in the deictic nature of songs. Additionally, the study will make significant contributions to the fields of pragmatics and applied linguistics by enhancing the theoretical understanding of song texts as linguistic entities, distinct from the more literary perspective of musical orientation. It will also offer insights to policy makers as a means of preservation of cultural heritage through documentation for posterity.