Semantic Extension As A Factor In The Evolution Of Nigerian English
Sapientia Global Journal of Arts, Humanities and Development Studies (SGOJAHDS), Vol.7 No.3
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60951/afrischolar-344Keywords:
Meaning, Decoding, Coding, Semantic Extension, Nigerian English, Language TransferAbstract
This study investigates the nature of meaning as a factor in the evolution of the variety of English in Nigeria, which has been developing in the Nigerian situation of English as a second language. The purpose was to show how the coding of meaning leads to the creation of certain expressions that are usually identified in the English expressions of some Nigerian English Speakers/Writers. Using Robert Lado’s (1957) Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis which is based on the idea that a person’s native language influences their ability to learn a second language, data were collected from oral and written sources, particularly from the speeches of Nigerian English bilinguals ranging from students at secondary, college and university levels, graduates and post-graduate students and people who belong to different occupational categories. Data were also collected from written essays of some students as well as published texts with samples of Nigerian English expressions. Our findings show that the English expressions that can be identified as reflecting the Nigerian variety of English occur mainly as a result of interference from the speaker's/writer's first language. The meaning being communicated is influenced by the situations of the local environment, including socio-physical features, which usually influences the Speaker/writer initially in his or her first language. In the process, the first language tends to transfer some Nigerian Language expressions into target language, English to complement or capture the experiences and shared view of the people. This does not however, alters the general intelligibility or acceptability of the new variety.
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