Semantic Deviations of Nigerian English: A Study of Year-One Students in the Department of English, University of Uyo, Nigeria
Keywords:
English language, Nigerian English, official language, semantic deviationsAbstract
This paper addresses semantic deviations in the Nigerian variety of English using the pragmatic theory of language as its theoretical framework. The aim is to investigate the differences in usage in the two varieties of English in Nigeria (Nigerian and British). Data were collected from questionnaire administered to thirty year-one students from the Department of English, University of Uyo, Uyo. Simple percentage and frequency count were used in analyzing the data. The findings reveal that the meaning of semantic items in Nigerian English may be achieved through creativity and may be independent of the original meaning in the language. These deviations are influenced by the new environment within which the language finds itself. Hence, the study joins in the agitation for the standardization of Nigerian English as a distinct variety of the new Englishes to enhance its propagation of the knowledge and maximize its communicative potentials as a language of official communication in Nigeria.
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