The role of semiotics in the isiZulu radio drama and the impact it has on the culture of isiZulu-speaking community

Abstract

Performance in isiZulu radio drama is imaginative and abstract to the listeners and radio drama writers make use of semiotic signs to convey intended action or information to the listeners. This research is meant to uncover the role of semiotics in the isiZulu radio drama and the impact it has on the culture of the isiZulu-speaking community. This study was dedicated to answer the following research questions: • How does semiotics play its role in isiZulu radio drama? • To what extent does semiotics play its role in isiZulu radio drama? • What impact it has on the culture of isiZulu-speaking community? To answer these research questions the researcher formulated the following objectives: • To identify different semiotic signs that plays a significant role in isiZulu radio drama. • To explore the role of semiotic signs in isiZulu radio drama. • To analyse the role of semiotic signs in isiZulu radio drama. • To examine the extent to which semiotic signs can influence the revival of cultural knowledge in isiZulu-speaking community. • To suggest for further research on the role of semiotics in isiZulu radio drama and the impact it has on the culture of isiZulu-speaking community. The researcher used a mixed method consisting of quantitative and qualitative approaches which examined the research problem by surveying isiZulu radio drama listeners, observing selected isiZulu radio drama scripts and conducting a telephone interview with the participant. The researcher found that semiotics play significant and different roles in isiZulu radio dramas and has the potential to revive cultural knowledge of the isiZulu-speaking community. The researcher recommended further research on the grounds that this study did not focus on the infringement that exists in isiZulu language, which is used in isiZulu radio dramas to fit the socio-economic, political, technological and demographic changes whether such infringement still restore and revive cultural knowledge of the isiZulu-speaking community