The Role of Multilingualism in the Emergence of Nigerian English
Akwapoly Journal of Communication and Scientific Research (APJOCASR)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60787/apjcasr.vol6n02.33Keywords:
Multilingualism, English Language, Nigerian English, pramatics, code-switchingAbstract
This research explores the impact of multilingualism on the English language in Nigeria. With approximately 400 local languages present in Nigeria, the use of English has been influenced by a vast array of cultures, regions, and other factors. This trend is also evident in Akwa Ibom, where approximately 20 local languages and dialects are spoken. Speakers exhibit deviations and colourations in lexical, phonological, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic features of Standard English. At the lexical level, coinage, hybridization, analogization, transliteration, and transfer are observed. At the phonological level, local languages result in a reduced vowel system, a reduced intonation system, non-differentiation in some aspects of length, absence of glottalization, voicing of non-voiced consonant endings, absence of consonant clusters, insertion of epenthetic vowels in some consonant clusters, and substitution of alveolar fricatives for interdental fricatives. Plural morpheme generalization, word reduplication, and deviated tag question formation are found at the syntactic level. At the semantic and pragmatic level, new meanings are attached to words and expressions based on culture. The pragmatic features of Nigerian English emphasize politeness. Code-switching and code-mixing are regular and unavoidable features of Nigerian English. The research recommends that language teachers in Nigeria should be familiar with the features of Nigerian English to teach both Standard Nigerian English and Standard English effectively. The use of Nigerian English should be encouraged as it reflects Nigerian culture.
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