The Communicative Implications Of Nigerian English Usage

Nigeria. Jowitt particularly notes that “we might regard Nigerian English as English that has England as its first mother and Nigeria as its second, and has defied nature by undergoing a gynaecological reprocessing”. (x). In his preface to the book: Nigerian English Usage: An Introduction, Jowitt declares: “I have a thesis, it is that Nigerian English is something real and identifiable ….” (ix). The linguists mentioned above and indeed many others tend to base their scholastic views on Nigerian English on three cardinal theories namely variability, adaptability and ecological theories. First, the group argues that language varies both at individual and geographical levels. At individual level, we have idiolect whereas at geographical or regional level, we have dialectal variety. From the adaptability perspective, they argue that language is organic and thus is subject to change. That once a language is put in an environment, it is bound to change and adapt itself to
the prevailing socio-linguistic peculiarities of the environment. They also contend that adaptability is the hallmark of living organisms. Closely
related to this is the ecological theory, which according to them, implies that language is living and mutable and so changes with time and use.
Uzoezie appears to advocate this ecological or mutuation view point. He contends that “a living language has tendency to adapt itself to the
socio-cultural milieu within which it operates whether such a language is spoken as L1, L2 and L3” (173). Furthermore, Barber (203) reiterates that” no language which is being used can be prevented from changing”. He recapitulates a great classical scholar, Richard Bentley’s views that “every language is in perpetual motion and alteration”. However, we should not lose sight of the fact that these envisaged changes should not be lobe sided and, as a matter of fact, should be changes towards correct usages and not flagrant deviations or esoteric usage-evident in some Nigerian English expressions. Moreover, the foregoing standpoints notwithstanding, a crucial question regarding the state of the English language in Nigeria still persists. That is: is the variety truly “Nigerian English” or simply anglicized Nigerian expressions? The question no doubt has been informed by the flagrant infiltration of Nigerian slang and deviant expressions into English usage of some Nigerian speakers even at formal situations. The result is that what is today branded “Nigerian English” has gained more Nigerian flavour from the peculiar socio linguistic environment. Consider Banjo in Jowitt’s (vii) succinct conclusion that “the usage of every Nigerian user is a mixture of standard forms and popular Nigerian English forms, which are in turn composed of errors and variants”. Fries (1945) cited in (Baldeh 40) warns against this variants or errors.

He cautions that: The only correctness there can be in any language is the actual usage of the native speakers of that language. In learning English one must attempt to imitate exactly the forms the structure, and the mode of utterance of the native speakers Many users of English in Nigeria are very aversive of the imitation of the native speakers’ forms, structures and mode of utterances. Out of prejudice and linguistic laziness the majority of users speak and write the language too badly. The result is that comprehensibility is oftentimes affected or distorted. Fries has to sound the above warning because the variants and errors distort the message and thus impedes communication leaving the listener in total confusion. Consequently, Eyisi (19) re-echoes Baldeh and Umeh’s unequivocal statement that “in a world language such
as English comprehensibility and intelligibility are worth any price.” One is therefore left in doubt of the comprehensibility and intelligibility of some Nigerian English expressions particularly the esoteric slangy expressions today branded “Nigerian English”. In highlighting the objectives of the book. Dictionary of Nigerian English Slang, Oluikpe and Anasiudu (iv) assert “we intend to combat and, therefore, hopefully minimize the common problem of inappropriate use of words common among our students” These lexicographers in the course of their ethnographic research discover and thus state that they glossed “Nigerian slang expressions which are blends of English and vernacular”. If  appropriateness” (Oluikpe 17) is the cardinal parameter to determine, classify and accept a variety of a language, what then would be the parameter for the acceptance of Nigerian English variant?