A SOCIOLINGUISTIC INVESTIGATION OF FUJI MUSIC

ABSTRACT

This study, the Sociolinguistic Investigation of Fuji music aims to critically examine the language choice utilized in Fuji music, the sociocultural implication of language choices in Fuji music and how Fuji music contributes to the preservation and transformation of Yoruba language. The methodology used in this study is the qualitative approach which involved the collection of selected Fuji songs using the criteria of functionality which includes: love, societal issues, and daily. This primary source is complemented by secondary data, gathered through scholarly books and articles. The theoretical framework for this research is the SPEAKING MODEL of ethnography of communication by Dell Hymes (1964) as it extensively examines the systematic tenets for a discourse and manifests the careful consideration that different elements of communication should receive by those who study them, highlighting the overall complexity of mundane and seemingly trivial interactions. It was initially designed for the analysis of culturally demarcated speech events, but can be and truly has been employed in relation to a wide spectrum of communication rituals. It explores the relationship between the components of a speech community and language use. The findings of this analysis across the selected music pieces reveals a common theme which is the communicative strategies employed in Fuji Music such as the lyrical content, the language use, and the influence of African percussion in the preservation of the Yoruba culture. The language choice utilized in the genre’s composition also establishes the components of Yoruba music. This research holds significant value in the sociolinguistic field as it contributes to the understanding of how music, as a form of cultural expression, can serve as a vessel for language preservation and transformation. It furthers by shedding light on the sociocultural implications of language choices in music, thereby enriching our knowledge of the intersection between language, culture, and society. Through this study, Fuji music is presented not just as an entertainment medium, but also as a mirror reflecting the dynamism of the Yoruba language and culture.