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English Education Project Topics

The Misuse of the English Articles in Selected Nigerian Newspapers

The Misuse of the English Articles in Selected Nigerian Newspapers

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The Misuse of the English Articles in Selected Nigerian Newspapers

Chapter One

ย Purposeย ofย theย study

Considering the huge importance of the English language both locally and internationally, an urgent need for attention to be paid to the misuse of English articles in Nigerian newspaper arises.ย English is an asset inย most facets of life and therefore, a functionally correct knowledge of theย languageย isย needed.

Theย aimย ofย thisย researchย isย toย highlightย theย alarmingly increasingย occurrence and frequency of the misuse of the English articlesย in ourย newspaperย today.

CHAPTERย TWO

REVIEWย OFย RELEย VANTย LITERATURE

Conceptual ย Framework

ย Theย Englishย Articles

Articlesย areย kindsย of determinersย occurring inย manyย languages,ย includingย English. Articles lackย independent meaningย butย mayย serve to indicate theย specificity of referenceย of the nounย phraseย withย whichย they occur.ย Theย Englishย articlesย areย dividedย intoย definiteย (the) andย indefiniteย (a/an)ย articles. The nature of nouns (count/uncount) and their formsย (singular/plural)ย areย significantย inย choosingย theย suitableย articleย toย use.ย Countย nounsย areย nounsย referringย toย itemsย thatย canย beย countedย andย theyย canย haveย anyย articleย whileย uncountย nounsย takeย onlyย theย definiteย article.ย Singularย nounsย canย take anyย article,ย whileย pluralย nounsย take onlyย theย definiteย article.ย Inย theย singularย form,ย nonย -countย nounsย doย notย requireย aย determinerย andย theyย areย notย usuallyย used inย theย plural.ย Atย times,ย itย isย notย easyย toย decideย ifย aย pluralย nounย isย beingย usedย asย aย generalizationย orย inย aย restrictiveย context;ย theย choiceย isย thatย ofย theย speakerย orย writerย toย make.ย Forย example,

  1. Lagos buses are yellow in
  2. TheLagos buses are yellow in

In the first example above, the writer is clearly implying a generalizationย on the noun group, i.e. Allย Lagos buses are yellow inย colour.ย Inย theย second example, he is referring to a restricted or defined category of theย noun, i.e. Lagos buses are yellow in colour butย other buses may be ofย otherย colours.ย Inย casesย likeย these,ย theย choiceย isย dependentย onย theย context.

An article is a word that combines with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun. Articles specify the grammatical definiteness of the noun, in some languages, extending to vol ume or numerical scope. Articles belong to the category of determiners i.e. an English class of words that combines arti cles and demonstratives such asthisย andthatย .

The figure above illustrates the role of the English articles in constructions.ย Inย theย sentence, Jamesย broke abottleย thatย wasย inย theย cupboardย ,ย there are two articles โ€“ โ€œaโ€ and โ€œtheโ€ . Both articles appear before nounsย โ€“ โ€œbottleโ€ and โ€œcupboardโ€. Without theย article โ€œaโ€ in theย above sentence, it would be impossible to determine how many bottlesย wereย brokenย byย J ames.ย Inย theย sameย vein,ย withoutย theย articleย โ€œtheโ€,ย itย wouldย beย difficultย toย determineย whichย cupboardย theย bottleย wasย in.According to Skern, โ€œEmails and t ext messages are slowly leading theย way to the elimination of โ€˜theโ€™ a nd โ€˜aโ€™ in the English Language.ย Until theyย disappear completely, it is important to use them correctly in scientificย Englishโ€ย (21).

Usesย ofย theย Definiteย Article

Theย definiteย articleย โ€œtheโ€ย isย oneย ofย theย mostย utilisedย wordsย inย theย Englishย language.ย Asย aย matterย ofย fact, Yagodaย assertsย thatย theโ€œisย theย mostย commonlyย usedย wordย inย theย Englishย lย anguageย occurringย nearlyย 62,000ย timesย inย everyย millionย wordย writtenย or uttered โ€(50).Thisย impliesย thatย theย articleย โ€œtheโ€ย isย quiteย importantย inย theย Englishย language.ย โ€œย Theโ€ย performsย aย numberย ofย importantย functionsย inย English.ย โ€œTheย definiteย articleย isย usedย when identifying the thing being referredto; repetitionย of a word that hasย beenย earlierย mentioned inย aย text orย conversation โ€ย (Yagodaย 10). Examplesย ofย theย roleย ofย โ€œtheโ€ย areย givenย below:

 

CHAPTERย THREE

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

Theย studyย adoptedย theย integrationย ofย libraryย research.ย Itย isย aย non –ย experimentalย researchย designย basedย onย theย linguisticย methodย inย i tsย analysisย ofย selectedย newspaperย s.

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Areaย ofย Study

Theย studyย involvedย Nigerianย newspapers

Population

Theย researchย subjectsย wereย non -humanย elements .Theย populationย comprisedย newspapersย publishedย in theย Englishย languageย inย Nigeria.

CHAPTERย FOUR

DATAย PRESENTATIONย ANDย ANALYSIS

In this chapter, the data gathered by the researcher is presented and analysed. The relevant data will be used to answer the research questions formulated for the study .

CHAPTERย FIVE

DISCUSSIONย OFย RESULTSย ANDย CONCLUSION

DISCUSSIONย OFย RESULTS

The results of this research are discussed below with reference to the research questions put forward in chapter one.

Researchย Questionย One: ย ย In what manner do the print media deviateย from established grammatical uses of articles? In the first place, thisย researchย establishesthe fact that the Englishย ar ticles are misused inย Nigerian newspapers.ย Evidence of this misuse is presented. The studyย alsoย findsย thatย thisย misuseย occursย inย manyย waysย including

  • Through the omission of articles where the articles should be g.

*He said that since no nation can gamble with education of itsย children, โ€ฆย (Tableย 5).

  • Wrong insertion of articles where they should not be g.

* The Governor commended Nigerians forย theย electing Presidentย Goodluckย J onathanย from the south -southย regionย of Nigeriaย (Tableย 6).

  • Selectingtheย wrongย articleย g.

*They submitted that the fund was seriously requiredโ€ฆ but notedย thatย bureaucracy mightย be anย hindranceย โ€ฆย (Tableย 5).

Researchย Questionย Twoย :ย Toย whatย extentย areย theย articlesย misused?Withย thisย researchย question,ย theย researcherย seeksย toย findย outย howย prevalentย theย misuseย ofย theย Englishย articlesย inย Nigerianย newspapersย is.ย Theย resultsย ofย theย researchย indicateย thatย theย misuseย ofย theย Englishย articlesย isย quiteย widespread inย Nigerianย newspapers. Allย theย newspapersย thatย wereย consultedย hadย instancesย ofย errorsย ofย articleย misuse.ย Asย aย matterย ofย fact,ย the researcher sometimes found several cases of the misuse of articles inย aย singleย editionย ofย aย newspaper.ย Forย example,ย Tablesย 2ย andย 6ย showย fourteenย andย nineteenย wrongย expressionsย respectivelyย inย singleย editionsย of a newspaper. Where we can find several cases of the misuse of articlesย in a single edition of a newspaper, then we can safely conclude that thereย isย aย highย prevalence ofย theย misuseย of articles.

Researc hย Questionย Three :ย Toย whatย extentย doesย theย misuseย ofย theย English articles inhibit effective communicationย in Nigerian newspapers?ย This research question was formulated by the researcher to address theย issue of the effect of misuse of the English articles onย proper effectiveย communication. The resultsย of the dataย analysis show thatย theย misuse ofย theย Englishย articlesย inhibitsย effectiveย communicationย toย aย largeย extent.

The ultimate goal of language is effective communication. In order to achieve this aim, languages develop grammars that must be adhered to by the language users. Words are not combined haphazardly in any language, but follow laid down rules of syntax. The English language is not an exception, and the article system of English is essential to the workings of the language. The misuse of the English articles would therefore inhibit effective communication, because what is written cannot be readily interpreted and comprehended. Generally, articles are seen as precision tools because they enhance the m eaning and scope of nouns. Where an article is misused, the accompanying noun suffers. The wrong use of articles sometimes results in ambiguities. Other times, the misuse of articles results in obscuring the intended meaning of the writer. Below are examples of the misuse of the English article that have led to a gap in communication:

  • *โ€ฆ like Farouk Mutallab whom Nigerian Media saw as boyโ€ฆ(Tableย 2).
  • *At the same time, Naira came under intense pressure from the(Tableย 5).

The omission of the definite article in the ย first example makes the sentence ambiguous. The sentence could mean that Nigerian Media is a proper noun representing a particular person .Closer reading of the text reveals that, indeed, โ€œthe Nigerian Mediaโ€ as a collective entity is meant. Thedefinite article is sorely missed here. The omission of the definite article before โ€œNairaโ€ in the second instance cited above leads to potential ambiguities. One who is not familiar with the โ€œNairaโ€ which is Nigeria’s unit of currency might assume that โ€˜Nairaโ€ is the name of a person.ย Currencies of the world are always preceded by the definite article. In theย sentenceย above, thisย isย notย the case.

Research Question Four : To what degree does the misuse of the Englishย articles disconnect the relationship between nouns and articles?With thisย research question, the researcher aims to find out to what degree theย misuse of the English articles affect the relationship between the articlesย andย theย nounsย to whichย theyย are attached.

Theย majorย syntacticย roleย ofย anย articleisย toย qualifyย aย noun,ย thatย is,ย giveย moreย informationย aboutย theย noun.ย Nounsย areย notย alwaysย precededย byย articles, but whenย they are,ย there is aย clear relationship betweenย them.ย Theย articlesย referenceย nounsย thatย areย alreaย dyย inย contextย byย indicatingย definitenessย orย specificity.ย Theย natureย ofย nounsย (count/uncount)ย andย theirย formsย (singular/plural)ย playย significantย rolesย inย choosingย theย suitable article to use. What this means is that theย relationship/connectionย betweenย nounsย and articles is quite significant.ย So,ย ifย theseย articlesย are inappropriatelyย used,ย theย connection willย definitely beย lost.ย Forย example:

  • Hesaidย thatย inย theย postย -privatizationย era,ย privateย sectorย isย expectedย to holdย 70ย perย centย โ€ฆย (Tableย 6).
  • Thegangsย wereย allegedย toย beย responsibleย forย aย robberyย operations

…(Tableย 6).

In the first example above, there is a disconnect between the singular noun phrase โ€œprivate securityโ€ and the missing article. There are manyโ€œsectorsโ€ but only one โ€œprivate sectorโ€. The definite article is needed here to add the feature +specific. In the second example, the indefinite article has been wrongly used with a plural noun phrase. This leads to a clear syntactic error. Generally, arti cles are seen as precision tools because they enhance the meaning and scope of nouns. Where an article is misused, the accompanying noun suffers. Evidence of this has been presented above.

Researchย Questionย Fiveย :ย Whatย areย theย reasonsย forย theย wrongย useย ofย theย Englishย articlesย byย newspapersย inย Nigeria?Withย thisย researchย question,ย theย researcherย aimsย toย exploreย theย reasonsย whyย errorsย inย theย misuseย ofย articles areย commonย inย Nigerianย newspapers.

The study finds that the misuse of articles in Nigerian newspape rs is sometimes deliberate on the part of the editors, and other times, unintentional. Sometimes, especially in writing headlines, newspaper editors intentionally leave out articles. This is intended to make a forceful impactย onย theย reader.ย Theย fewerย theย wordsย inย aย headline,ย itย isย thought,ย theย moreย forcefulย the headline.

However, this study does not consider headlines. N ot all the instances of the misuse of the English articles are found in the headlines. The errors are not restricted to the headlines, but appear even in the stories themselves. In these cases, it is clear that these deviations from standard writing practices are caused by a lack of competence on the part of the writers.As has been noted earlier, apart from the omission of articles, articles are sometimes inserted where they are not needed, and sometimes the wrong articles are utilized by writers .

Finally,ย itย isย futileย forย newspaperย writersย toย claimย thatย someย ofย theseย errorsย highlightedย aboveย areย typologicalย errors,ย andย notย aย resultย ofย theirย incompetence. It has been said that when a mistake appears in writing, itย becomesย anย error.ย Anyย pieceย ofย writing,ย especย iallyย inย aย newspaper,ย shouldย beย proofread.ย Whereย anย errorย appearsย inย theย finalย printย ofย aย newspaper,ย then itย isย assumed thatย the writer ofย theย erroneousย piece lacksย competenceย inย theย language.ย Inย chapterย twoย ofย thisย work,ย theย researcherย hasย alreadyย identifย iedย theย majorย causeย ofย thisย incompetenceย โ€“ย motherย tongueย interferenceย .

SUMMARYย 

The English articles are constantly misused in Nigerian newspapers. In Newspaper headlines, for instance, the misuse of the articles could mislead or falsely inform a user of English. Headlines are display windows of newspapers, the major source of information for hasty readers. This unique role of headlines stresses the importance of grammatical accuracy in writing headlines. The misuse of articles creates confusion and ham pers effective communication. According to Hoffman, โ€œwhat is worse is that the writer can never know if the reader is confused or has misunderstood something, so cannot add more in case of a confused reader, nor can the reader ask a questionโ€ (253). A writ er must maintain clarity so that readers can discover what the writer thinks or wants them to know. The effectiveness of communication is measured by the clarity of a message hence; dissemination of a lucid idea is believed to be the ultimate goal of commu nication. In a global language such as English, intelligibility and comprehensibility are worth any price. The correct use of language is of utmost importance to both the writer and the reader because that is only when effective communication takes place and the reader effortlessly decodes the writerโ€™s intended meaning.

It is also important to note that the print media, as influential users of language, are (or should be) beacons of linguistic excellence. The fact that their products are widely spread sho uld make them adopt a better principleย ofย communicationย becauseย communicationย becomesย successfulย onlyย whenย theย readerย correctly decodes whatย theย writerย intends.ย Theย newspaper is generally known to be a medium of communication and theย readingย publicย comprisesย bothย theย eliteย andย theย layman.ย Sinceย manyย considerย newspapersย toย beย infallibleย inย theย areaย ofย Englishย grammarย andย usage,ย manyย readersย failย toย recognizeย deviantย structuresย inย newspapersย asย theย errorsย whichย theyย are,ย andย assumeย allย whatย theyย readย toย beย ofย theย desiredย standard.ย Theย linguisticย positionย ofย newspaperย writersย isย soย sensitiveย thatย they oughtย toย keep abreastย withย the correct use/currentย use of language with which they communicate information to the readingย public.ย Newspapersย reachย aย widerย audiencย eย becauseย ofย theirย reducedย prices; written communication like newspaper could transcendย continentsย ofย theย worldย andย standย forย aย veryย longย time.ย Theย worldย isย nowย aย globalย village,ย theย internetย andย socialย networksย giveย newspapersย widerย coverage.ย Sufficeย itย tย oย sayย thatย thisย all-importantย languageย shouldย beย carefullyย written andย shouldย notย involveย anythingย shortย ofย theย standard.

Theย Englishย articlesย areย veryย usefulย inย writing,ย individualizingย andย givingย definitenessย orย indefinitenessย toย nounsย theyย precede.ย Aย nyย inappropriateย useย ofย theseย articlesย automaticallyย disruptsย meaningย andย makesย effectiveย communicationย fail.ย Thisย isย theย reasonย theย knowledgeย ofย theย grammarย ofย everyย writtenย languageย isย aย prerequisiteย toย writersย ofย suchย aย language.

Poorย knowledgeย ofย theย grammarย ofย theย Englishย languageย amongย writersย isย the reason for a massive misuse of the English articles in many of theย Nigerianย newspapers.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Newspapers should not exploit journalese at the expense of good grammatical constructions because this affects the meaning of what is meant to be conveyed. News items should be properly edited before being published; this will go a long way in helping the reading public to become acquainted with the correct and acceptable forms of the English languages.

Only competent language users should be retained as writers by theย newspapers. Any journalist that cannot effectively communicate to theย readersย shouldย notย beย employed.

Theย readersย shouldย beย enย lightenedย asย toย theย linguisticย shortcomingsย ofย the newspapers which they read. Many readers take all they read in theย newspapers as gospel, and do not believe that errors can find their wayย into theย newspapersย thatย they read.

Finally, newspaper houses should adhere to employing only well- qualified language experts that are highly proficient in the English language to serve as editors that will competentlyproofread articles before they are published. If these recommendations are put to use by the media houses, they will become pacesetters in the effective use of the English language they ought to be. Newspapers, through this, will enhance maximum comprehensibility of conveyed messages and at the same time promote the standard of English.

CONCLUSION

Theย importanceย ofย theย Englishย artย iclesย cannotย beย overย emphasized.ย Theย articlesย playย aย veryย importantย roleย inย writing.ย Unfortunately,ย itย hasย beenย foundย thatย thereย areย aย lotย ofย errorsย inย theย useย ofย theย Englishย articlesย inย Nigerianย newspapers.ย Thisย errorsย comeย aboutย forย differentย reasonsย butย theyย allย resultย inย hamperingย effectiveย communication.

ย SUGGESTIONSย FORย FURTHER ย ย STUDIES

  • This research was based onthreeNigerian newspapers namely ;Theย Sun, The Vanguardย and The Independent . A similar study could beย carriedย outย usingย otherย newspaperย sย and/orย even
  • The present study focused on the misuse of the Englisharticles,otherstudies could be carried out on other deviantย structuresย commonlyย foundย inย Nigerian
  • A comparative studyof the use of the English articles among several newspapers can be carriedย ย Also, a study could compare the handling of articles by Nigerian newspapers and British/American newspapers.

 

Worksย Cited

  • Ahukanna,ย J oshua.ย โ€œBilingualismย andย Codeย -Mixingย inย Languageย Use:ย Theย Caseย of Igbo-English Bilinguals.โ€ย Emenanjoย 175ย -185.
  • Babalola, Emmanuel Taiwo. โ€œ Newspapers as Instruments for Buildingย Literate Communities: The Nigerian Experience.โ€ย Nordic Journal ofย Africanย Studiesย 11.3 (2002):ย 403-410.
  • Baldeh, Fodeh.ย Better Englishย Learning and Teaching . Nsukka: Fulladu,ย 1990.
  • Theย Studentโ€™sย Companionย toย Goodย English:ย Anย Encyclopaediaย ofย Englishย Grammarย andย Correctย Usage.ย Nimo:ย Rexย Charlesย andย Patrick,ย 2001.
  • Boadi et al.ย Grammatical Structure and its Teachingย . Ibadan:ย Uย ofย Ibadanย P,ย 2004.
  • Brown,ย Dย ouglas.Principlesย ofย Languageย Learningย andย Teachingย .ย 3rdย ed.
  • Newย Jย ersey:ย Prenticeย Hallย Regents,ย 1994.

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