Analysis of the language techniques and thematic - University of the ...

socialisation the individual internalises them in order to be an acceptable member of the
society. His behaviour and actions are regulated by the value system within which he
operates. No individual is exempted from the social expectations even on the basis of
his/her social standing. As people pursue their different interests in their lives, they do so
on the basis of the long standing tradition of their norms and values. Furthermore, for any
social structures to function and operate properly and smoothly within the society as a
whole, such structure needs both input from and acknowledgement by the relevant
society.
Basotho accordion artists as individuals are basic units that form social structures and
perform certain functions within Basotho society. They are born into and nurtured within
the society of Basotho; consequently, they imbibe and internalize norms and values of
Basotho. Naturally their music is bound to be influenced and reflect the environment
which produces them. Thus, their artistic creativity is somehow dependent upon their
social environment. Similarly, their survival as artists and the sustainability of their
careers depends on the reception and marketability of their product. On the other hand,
their audience expects to be fed with the music which satisfies their needs. Thus the
relationship of parasite-host and host parasite is in perpetual reversal. The relationship is
symbiotic. Evidently, there is interdependence between the artists and their society for the
benefit of harmony within the society. This form of interdependence leads to the
continuity of both their music and the social structure of their society. Radcliffe-Brown
(1952:10) opines as follows:
Continuity in forms of social life depends on structural
continuity, that is, some sort of continuity in the
arrangements of persons in relation to one another…
The social life of the artists depends on the continued structure of their society whilst the
continued structure of the society also depends on the role played by the artists through
their music.
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