Paper short abstract:

In the diverse setting of the city, Nairobians operate through multilingual and dynamic practices on a daily base. Taking this as a starting point the paper will discuss fluid and unstable linguistic practices in opposition to recent trends of stabilising them.

Paper long abstract:

Daily language use in Nairobi*s diverse settings is characterized by highly dynamic linguistic practices. In their communication "Nairobians" use fluid forms to facilitate and allow their communication. They operate through multilingual practices on a daily base while at the same time articulating their belonging to an urban space. The varieties evolve as a symbol and medium of a distinctive Nairobian way of life. Competencies become a measurement of the urban belonging itself. Not to be exposed as a "mshamba" (villager) new residents are quickly adapting to the dynamic forms while their learning progress becomes a measurement of their integration into the urban life itself (Laughlin 2009, 3).

The Nairobi setting does not only display metrolingual practices in the verbal but as well in their written performances: on billboards, in political slogans and in the Social Media. The New Media, as Twitter and Facebook, display the creativity of language use and make them transparent or reproducible even after the "actual" speech event. Despite their non-standardized use, the written forms hint at a process of stabilizing the fluid practices. Taking this as a starting point, the paper will describe linguistic practices working in urban spaces. It will discuss recent trends of stabilising the dynamic forms: Does Vi-Swahili/Sheng evolve towards a proper language in the sense of having a written stbale form, authoritative speakers and a bounded community making it "their" property?