A social semiotic analysis of inscriptions on bajajis in Tanzania.

This study investigated the meaning-making potential of inscriptions written on bajajis from the point of view of Tanzanian society in which they are found. Using Halliday’s (1978) social semiotic theory, especially the ideational, interpersonal and textual metafunctions, the study analysed the inscriptions in question to find out whether their contents were a reflection of the respective society. The other objective was to find out the strategies inscribers employ in to convey the messages to the audience(s) and to show the role inscriptions play in the society. Using observation, interviews and focus group discussions data were collected and the key findings show that; What is communicated through inscriptions reflects the lives of the people in Tanzanian society. Inscribers employ different strategies to convey their messages to the audience(s).Inscriptions written on bajajis are used by inscribers as an important means of communication whereby a lot of information is communicated to various members of the society. Inscribers employ both, language and other means artistically to deliver their messages to the audience(s). Inscriptions on motor vehicles tend to change from time to time because inscribers aim to reflect the situation prevailing in the society at a particular time. Thus, studies on this area should be carried out from time to time so as to gain some important insights into the situation. Flexibility nature of the inscriptions, forces the need for the studies of the kind to be conducted regularly to capture important insights of the situation, thus calling for more scholars to reflect the area from many other different angles to exhaust the richness for the present and future generations.