Living with Language. An Exploration of Linguistic Practices and Language Attitudes in Gulu, Northern Uganda

This thesis discusses the positions of languages within various language ecologies of Gulu, Northern Uganda. The research employs a multi-methodical approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods to analyse ideologies and attitudes held towards locally relevant languages and their use in social practices. It includes ethnographic explorations of linguistic landscapes and social groups, the analysis of social networks, as well as the discussion of individual attitudes using direct methods. This dissertation shows the outcomes of economic and cultural globalisation, migration and urbanisation through the lens of language, using a highly empirical approach. Beyond showing individual attitudes towards many of the countries' most spoken languages, it demonstrates how local, national and global discourses and developments aided the spread of English as the main lingua franca in a region that previously was considered a hotbed of Kiswahili in Uganda. The thesis also provides a critical commentary on current approaches to language in society and the conceptualisation of language ecologies.