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Ugandan English: Its sociolinguistics, structure and uses in a globalising post-protectorate
Edited by Christiane Meierkord, Bebwa Isingoma and Saudah Namyalo
[Varieties of English Around the World G59] 2016
► pp. 173–200

The use of the progressive in Ugandan English

| Ruhr-University Bochum
| Gulu University
| Ruhr-Universität Bochum

This study explores the use of the progressive in spoken Ugandan English. Like in many other second language varieties of English, the progressive is used with a high frequency, predominantly in the present or past tense active. Detailed analyses show that the most frequent uses of the progressive in Ugandan English are reference to non-delimited habitual activities, expression of an interpretative semantics and reference to activities in progress. The first, extended, use occurs considerably more often with speakers who have Luganda as their first language than with speakers of Acholi-Lango and Runyankole- Rukiga. The results indicate considerable substrate influence, suggesting, above all, that Uganda is home to various Englishes.

Keywords: habitual context, progressive aspect, stative verbs, substrate influence, Ugandan English
Published online: 20 October 2016
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https://doi.org/10.1075/veaw.g59.08sse
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