The Use of English in Business Naming Practices in Mbeya, Tanzania: Motivations and Linguistic Implications for Kiswahili
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Business; business naming practice; English language; Kiswahili; name##article.abstract##
This study examines the use of English in the naming practices of business enterprises in Mbeya, Tanzania. The study investigated the motivation behind business owners’ preference for English names and to analyzed the linguistic implications for Kiswahili language. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and observation. Interviews were conducted with business owners and their customers while observation assessed the linguistic correctness of business names as well as their relevance to the type of business. The findings indicate that the use of English in business naming is largely influenced by prevailing social ideologies that associate English with prestige, modernity and global identity. Consequently, some business owners adopted English names by imitating existing business labels without sufficient attention to spelling and grammatical accuracy. This practice has resulted in instances of inappropriate English language use. The growing use of English in commercial naming practices has both positive and negative linguistic implications for Kiswahili. The study recommends the use of widely understood local languages, particularly Kiswahili, in naming business enterprises because the main target of naming practice is to make customers identify the business and the type of business conducted. Therefore, using the common language, particularly local languages will make ease for customers to know and identify the businesses.
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