How does Arabella's relationship with her heritage language in Episode 10 of I May Destroy You represent the larger sociolinguistic experiences of the British-African diaspora?*

*(Content warning: References to rape and sexual assault)

"Basic Twi, Bells. How have you still not learnt basic Twi?" [1] The hit BBC series I May Destroy You follows Arabella (Bells) as she grapples with the aftereffects of a rape. In Episode 10, a visit home causes Arabella to confront her inability to speak or understand her Ghanaian heritage language like her younger brother, Nicholas. Her understanding of Twi, or lack thereof, provides an interesting depth to her character. As she strives to reconfigure her identity in the aftermath of her trauma, this language 'barrier' displays a very genuine relationship between Arabella and her heritage. More importantly, Arabella's identity reveals the challenges that current diaspora communities face in finding ways to connect and stay connected to their heritage.

Language Contact and Language Change in the Multicultural Metropolis, a paper by sociolinguistic professors, including Jenny Cheshire and Paul Kerswill, offers valuable insight into the dynamics of language expressions amongst young individuals. The research paper follows the development of heritage languages in Hackney, where the TV series is also based, into variations of English known as 'Multicultural London English' or MLE. MLE contains "innovative phonetic, grammatical, and discourse-pragmatic features", [2] and MLE is used within Arabella's friendship group to distinguish between her second-generation experience and her parent's first-generation position. Displaying the entanglement of diasporic identities and language variations between these two social groups results in a realistic depiction of the linguistic interactions occurring within London’s young Black-British diaspora. 

The shows’ narrative is grounded around Arabella's interactions with her tight-knit friendship circle, allowing for dialogue and exchanges to feel natural. The research paper similarly approaches examinations of language engagement by collecting data from friendship groups because of the ease at which the participants would engage with one another. [3] When Arabella mentions that her relatively absent father, Kojo, will be at the family gathering, her best friend Terry voices her distaste for fathers by using a heavy Ghanaian accent. She then kisses her teeth, making a typical West African sound of disapproval. Moments later, Terry calls Arabella's mother to wish her a happy birthday. "Eti Sen?" Terry chimes in her normal, British accent. The phrase translates from Twi to "How are you?". When Grace reciprocates the question, Terry voices with the typical response, "By the grace of God, I’m okay." [4] The bidialectal shift between English and Twi, between friends and Elders, filter into 'micro-variations' of English shared amongst the young diaspora. [5] Depicting this common conversation offers a necessary representation of heritage culture that the broader Ghanaian diaspora can recognise. 

Arabella's removal from that circle of security and into one with her parents makes space for other forms of language interaction. As the paper states, MLE does not stem from the parents' generation, [6], which is mirrored in the differing relationships Nicholas and Arabella have with their father Kojo. Despite Nicholas's arguably closer proximity to his Ghanaian heritage, Kojo is unsatisfied with Nicholas's lack of focus on improving his socioeconomic condition, "By 26 I didn't have muscles, I had a house." [7] Therefore, while language can help individuals connect with their heritage, other factors such as geography and community create an inevitable digression of cultural identity. Kojo's strong Ghanaian accent —as Terry had similarly imitated—roots him as a first-generation immigrant who speaks a "postcolonial variety of English" called "Ghanaian English." [8] While he does not speak Twi at the dinner table, the accents and spoken interjections popular within African dialects is also utilised to distinguish between the first-generation and second-generation individuals. Hence, the silent gaps in the conversation speak louder than words ever could, showing the ways language represents a deviation of second-generation diaspora from their kinfolk.

The detachment that Arabella experiences resonated profoundly with diasporic viewers. Nicholas's question as to why Arabella still hasn't learned basic Twi resonates with larger questions of agency and individuality. The aftermath of her trauma causes her to continue exploring other means of reconfiguring herself beyond Twi, and connect with her heritage through other means such as MLE. Even though the language derives from the southern and central regions of Ghana, it acts as a vessel of empowerment for the diasporic community. Furthermore, the wider audience hears and experiences the display of an identity prevalent within the British community. Therefore, the shows' inclusion of Twi allows the British diaspora to both metaphorically, as well as physically, 'be heard' by the wider public.

The research paper argues that there are several languages and variations that influence MLE. [9] This conclusion can be extended further to argue that language is not the only element that influences itself. Interactions with others lead to attempts in configuring an authentic cultural identity. The results are amalgamations of phrases, tone and sounds that enable the young diaspora to connect with their heritage. Therefore, Arabella's lack of Twi reveals a framework that should be researched and explored further in other minority languages within Britain and beyond.