A Proposal on a Critical Examination of the Communicative Implications of Nigerian English Usage
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The primary aim of this study is to examine the implications of Nigerian English usage. Thus, the following objectives;
- To determine whether the variety of English language is truly Nigerian English.
- To determine whether the English used by Nigerians is a deviation or a variant.
- To ascertain the implication of the features of Nigerian English with regards to communication.
REVIEWOF RELEVANT SCHOLARSHIP
This chapter reviews the relevant literature by examining the conceptual framework before giving account of past researches under empirical studies.
Conceptual Framework
Communication and language are two basically related but mutually exclusive concepts which feature as operational terms in this study. Communication is necessary for the completeness of society. It is through communication that individuals reach out and co-operate with one another. Communication equally facilitates the induction of the young into the adult society. However, communication cannot be meaningfully carried out without language of some sort. According to Vitus I. Obi, communication and language are inextricably intertwined (12). Language is the first, and a major medium or vehicle through which communication takes place. Communication and language have a mutual relationship which biologists would describe as symbiosis. This simply implies that communication depends on language as much as language depends on communication to operate, to be alive and to grow.
The English language is an instrument of communication. It has presently assumed the status of language par excellence in the Anglophone West Africa and the world at large. An African child growing up in our environment has the task of contending with this language of wider communication in addition to his mother tongue (L1). The extent to which he does this determines the success or otherwise of one‟s academic pursuit and relevance in the societal work place. Hence, the views of Obanya P.A.I and T. Okilo, that “academic failure is a feature of linguistic failure” (13). This position agrees with that of Adeyanju T.K who had earlier argued that consistent poor performance in English language is a fairly reliable indicator of an inferior education which in more current parlance is described as falling standards. (10).
Communication is a term that can be viewed from different perspectives. It is a term that changes its meaning from one author to another and from one environment to another. The commonest definition of communication is that of Gosham W. which sees the term simply as the exchange of ideas between one person and another (05). This definition is anchored on the belief that communication is a process whereby one person stimulates ideas in another person‟s mind. This is as it has to do with interpersonal human communication. But other types of communication exist in forms of intra-personal, verbal, non- verbal, intentional, un-intentional, organizational, group, traditional and digital et cetera. Hambagda O.A quoting Lee Thayer identified more than twenty conceptually different definitions of communication in the literature. For the purpose of this study, a review of some of the definitions which it is hoped will throw light into the various orientations and assist in the development of tentative conclusions as regards the nature and dimension of communication is necessary.
Research Design
The research design will be descriptive survey which uses questionnaire, interview, observation and textual analysis to elicit information from respondents and investigate what lecturers and students think about the communicative needs in English for students of Science and Technology. The choice of survey research design will be to be able to make comparisons and evaluation of the existing conditions as well as to be able to collect possible factual information on the study.
Population of the Study
The population of this work will be represented by the Higher National Diploma (HND II) final year students of Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana. The research sample of 150 students and 20 lecturers will be represented by those in Science and Engineering disciplines who offered the Use of English and Communication Courses. The range of a sample for the research examination is not stipulated here as the notions of small or big sample are considered relative.
