A STUDY OF LOAN WORDS IN NIGERIAN PIDGIN

ABSTRACT

The tittle of this work is A Study of Loan Words in Nigerian Pidgin. Researches have shown that Nigerian Pidgin (NP) is a Nigerian language and clearly different from other varieties of West African Pidgins. Pidgins are known to have small vocabularies which continue to expand to fulfill the linguistic needs of their users. Nigerian Pidgin is no exception. This work sets out to identify the sources of the words that came into NP. Data for this research were got from two sources – a book ―Sozaboy (1985), which is a relatively earlier variety of NP, and news scripts from three NP using radio stations (2015): the latter is a relatively current variety. A questionnaire listing words got from our data was administered to NP speaking ABU students, and the respondents were required to provide or confirm the sources and meanings of the words. The responses were analyzed using Serjeanston and Erik Bjokman‘s models. The findings reveal that specific languages have contributed to the vocabulary of NP, and that a difficulty exists in identifying the real provenance of every linguistic item. The findings, while maintaining that English is the initial lexifier language, show that words from other languages have come into NP. This research goes further to prove that NP is like any other natural language in active use, in that it has borrowed and continues to borrow to swell its initially small vocabulary.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1         Background to the Study

During the European quest for new markets and raw materials in the 17th Century, many Portuguese missionaries and traders arrived on the shores of Jamaica and West and Central African countries like: Sierra Leone, Cameroon and Nigeria were largely visited by the missionaries. Akinmade and Oladipo (2010). For trade and religious purposes with no language in common they created a form of communication with bases from the European language, giving birth to most African languages: such as Creole, Pidgin, and Patois. These languages came to serve the linguistic need there, by giving birth to the Cameroon Camfranglais (mixture of French and English) spoken by the youth today.

Nigerian Pidgin English (NPE), originated as a lingua franca for trade purposes amongst the Nigerians and the Portuguese merchants during the 17th century. Onguene (2012).  It is broken English like Patois and Creole, spoken along the coast of West Africa and it has extended to the diaspora, due to Nigerian migrants.  After the departure of the missionaries, this lingua franca did not go with them but remained and is the most widely spoken language in Nigeria today compared to English.  There are still Portuguese words present in the NPE such as : “ Sabi (to know)  and Pikin  (child)” .

NPE is regarded as a bastardization of the English language used by the non-literates, though it is highly spoken in Nigeria by every individual starting from an early age. In the country, both the literates, such as the president, campaigning politicians, lawyers, doctors, and non-literates speak and understand pidgin, though it is mostly used in informal situations and English is used for official purposes and the medium of education. NPE is the most widely spoken language as it is not a native language of any tribe in Nigeria but the only language everyone understands and regards as the easiest form of interaction amongst the population. The Federal Republic of Nigeria has three major languages namely: Igbo in the (East), Yoruba in the (South) and Hausa in the (North )  having English as the official language alongside other 500 different spoken dialects Sumaila (2008). Indeed, NPE is considered as a bastardized language as it is yet to have a standard written form. University in Nigeria, University of Port Harcourt both undergraduate and postgraduate levels , department of English and Drama are now offering it as a course  and many struggles are being put up for NPE to be considered Nigeria’s official language as it is highly used by the masses, high school students, postgraduates and undergraduates, politicians and business people.

NPE is not only spoken in Nigeria, it is widely used by the diasporic communities in America, England, and Canada. In addition, a large group of the Nigerian community in Luxembourg use Pidgin as a means of communication, these diasporic communities use pidgin among themselves as a means to feel at home Brubaker (2005).

NPE varies in written and spoken form depending on which part of the country the speaker is from, as the language is spoken differently in each state of the country. Each State tends to add words from their dialect into Pidgin making it more interesting for the ears and understood by everyone. Nigerian Pidgin English remains the only language that unifies the 186 million population.

1.2 Statement of Research Problem

 Nigerian Pidgin has grown more rampant over time and is used by quite a majority of youths throughout Nigeria. It is a popular communicative means among most Nigerians as it is a language which blends together the relationship between the educated and uneducated asses, particularly the youths. It is evident that students and educated Nigerians feel very comfortable whenever they are expressing themselves in Pidgin. This research will explore the positive and negative effects of Nigerian pidgin and asses the attitude to Pidgin.

1.3 Aims and Objectives

1. To examine the level and the extent of loan words  in  Nigerian pidgin usage among Nigerians
2. To critically identify the pattern of the loaned item in Nigerian pidgin.
3. To analyze the Nature of borrowing and coinage of loan words in Nigerian pidgin.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What are the level and the extent of loan words in Nigerian pidgin usage among Nigerians?
2. What are the identification and the pattern of the loaned item in Nigerian pidgin?
3. What are the Nature of borrowing and coinage of loan words in Nigerian pidgin?

1.5         Significance of the Study

Pidgin English is an important code for communication in a multilingual society, where many cultural differences are in existence and in one way or the other dominated the day- to-day conversations of the Nigerians. Pidgin plays a major role as it enables Nigerians from different cultural backgrounds to communicate with each other in any informal environment because there are no rules guiding its usage unlike the standard English where you have to abide by the rules of concord, syntax, phonology and semantics among others. many Nigerians feel more convenient when they express themselves in pidgin because there is always a tendency of being careful not to breach the rules of concord, grammar, syntax etc. pidgin is commonly used during conversations among Nigerians especially among because, in an academic environment, conversations appear more formal and restricted as they tend to carefully use words in order not to contend with the rigorous rules and process involved with the standard British English.

This study will enable students to have more insight on the pidgin which they use to communicate with everyday and how it affects them and the environment due to their extensive usage.

1.6         Scope and Delimitation

This study investigates Loan Words in Nigerian Pidgin Emphasis will be laid mainly on lexical items. Words from different sources will be analyzed. The choice of this literary text is that it depicts an earlier version of pidgin and it is also a codified form too. The author calls his work rotten English, not by accident but by choice. On the other hand, Port Harcourt is a cosmopolitan city, hence the use of NP in broadcasting stations is a deliberate practice. News scripts from three NP using radio stations in Port Harcourt have been considered in this work.

1.7 Limitations of the Study

Financial Constraints: The researcher was with limited funds, she cannot visit all the areas to get responses from respondents but she was able to get good information concerning the research topic.

Time Constraints: The researcher was involved in other departmental activities like seminars, attendance of lectures et.c which limited her time for the research but the researcher was able to meet up with the time assigned for the completion of the research work.

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