Name: Odumosu, Tosin Anthony
Matriculation Number: 210321221
Course Code: ENG 310
Course Title: Nigerian English
Assignment: Attempt a comprehensive description of the Phonology,
Vocabulary, and Semantics of the basilectal Nigerian English.
The basilectal Nigerian English can be described as the low or uneducated
Nigerian English. It has local acceptability and lacks international
intelligibility. The greatest number of Nigerian English speakers is found in
this group. It is widely used by the market women, motor conductors and
those who have no formal education. To be succinct, it tantamounts to the
patois of the market place. Its phonological pattern, morphological affixation,
syntactic arrangement and perhaps its semanticity of this lect is grossly
coloured with the features of indigenous languages.
In Nigeria, there is a tendency for the basilectal spoken English to be strongly
marked by interference and autonomy in terms of pidginization and to
deviate remarkably from the common core to the extent that some of the
utterances are no longer intelligible to some non-Nigerian speakers of
English.
In general, the phonological opposition between certain segments are
neutralized, such that while the sounds may be attested in the clines, they
enter into free variations in their distribution. For example, [i] and [ι], which
are distinctive in acrolect usage, occur in free variation in both mesolect and
basilectal usage; this is also the case with [u] and [υ]; and [æ] and [Α] merge
into [a].
This description may well be attributed to synchronic phonology; but when
focus turns to the processing of neutralization phenomenon, cognitive
activities and language faculties are involved, which may link contemporary
terms with previously encoded patterns (i.e. as transmitted and/or acquired);
thus the account appears more to be diachronic; this is more so when the
linguistic ecology of contact situation enters the account, especially with
respect to the contributions of the mother tongue varieties.
The basilect speech substitutes interdental sounds with alveolar sounds. This
is explicable as a contribution from
L1; since the phonology of the substrate mother tongues do not attest such
segments. It is viewed that basilect and mesolect speakers may cognize such
forms on the basis of prior phonological information encoded in their
language faculty; and since this faculty lacks information with respect to
inter-dentals, they simply become incapable of discriminating them, and this
could be both orally and aurally depending on the extent of learning or
acquisition achieved and whether competences are already fossilized for
certain speakers or speaker communities.
Glide formation may convert high vowels to their corresponding consonants
and may consequently adjust syllable count in basilect and mesolect usage
especially. This is attested in lexical items such as coward, crayon, iron,
lawyer, wire, choir, hire, fire, higher, hour, flower, prayers, etc.:
Gloss: Crayon Iron Prayers Wire Choir Higher Power Hour Flower Coward
Acrolect: /kreιən/ /aιən/ /preιəs/ /waιə/ /kwaιə/ /haιə/ /pαə/ /αυə/ /flαυə/
kαυəd/
Basilect: /krejɒn/ /ajɒn/ /prejas/ /waja/ /kwaja/ /haja/ /pawa/ /awa/ /flawa/
/kawɒd/
Nigeran Engish shows variations in pitch accent placement on words, as
shown in the synchronic data below:
Acrolect Basilect
‘Madam ma’dam
‘Janet ja’net
‘David ‘David/da’vid
‘Harass ha’rass
Ne’gotiate nego’tiate/’negotiate
‘Criticism cri’ticism
Dis’tribute distr’bute/’distribute
The phonology of basilectal Nigerian English refers to the sound system and
pronunciation patterns in this variety of English. Here are some key features:
1. Vowel shifts: Vowels are pronounced more openly and with a more
centralized tongue position, e.g., “bit” is pronounced more like “beat”.
2. Diphthongization: Vowel combinations like “ai” and “au” are pronounced
more like “ah” and “aw”.
3. Consonant substitutions: Sounds like “th” are often replaced with “t” or
“d”, and “v” is pronounced like “b”.
4. Syllable stress: Stress patterns differ from standard English, with
emphasis often on the penultimate syllable.
5. Tone: Basilectal Nigerian English is a tonal language, with pitch changes
affecting meaning, e.g., “ma” can mean “mother”, “mā” can mean “marry”,
and “má” can mean “march”.
6. Syllable reduction: Unstressed syllables are often reduced or eliminated,
e.g., “information” becomes “infor”.
7. Assimilation: Consonant sounds are influenced by surrounding sounds,
e.g., “k” becomes “g” before a nasal sound.
8. Glottal stops: The glottal stop (ʔ) is used to separate vowels, e.g., “co-
operate” becomes “co-ʔoperate”.
9. Rhythm and intonation: The rhythm is often more syncopated, with a
rising intonation at the end of sentences.
10. Regional variations: Phonological features can vary across different
regions and communities in Nigeria.
Some examples of phonological differences:
- “Hello” is pronounced more like “HAY-lo”
- “Thank you” is pronounced more like “TANK yu”
- “Water” is pronounced more like “WATA”
- “Car” is pronounced more like “KA”
The basilectal Nigerian English vocabulary refers to the pidgin or creole
language spoken in Nigeria, particularly in informal settings. Here are some
common vocabulary and phrases of Basilectal Nigerian English:
- “Wahala” (trouble)
- “Sabi” (know)
- “Chop” (eat)
- “Jollof” (a popular Nigerian rice dish)
- “Suya” (grilled meat)
- “Gbe bodi e” (good morning)
- “How far?” (how are you?)
- “I dey fine” (I’m fine)
- “Wahala no dey” (no trouble)
- “Make we go” (let’s go)
- “Abeg” (please)
- “No vex” (don’t be angry)
- “Sha” (used to express agreement or confirmation)
- “Shey” (used to seek agreement or confirmation)
- “Gbes” (goodbye)
- “Make we chill” (let’s relax)
- “Wetin dey?” (what’s up?)
- “I dey hail” (I’m doing well)
- “No worry” (don’t worry)
- “Take am easy” (take it easy)
- “Guy” (friend, used to address a male)
- “Chic” (friend, used to address a female)
- “Bros” (brother, used to address a close friend)
- “Sis” (sister, used to address a close friend)
Some popular phrases include:
- “How far now?” (how are you doing?)
- “Wetin dey happen?” (what’s happening?)
- “I dey your back” (I’ve got your back)
- “Make we settle am” (let’s settle it)
- “No be small thing” (it’s not a small thing)
Nigerian English is a dynamic language, and new words and phrases are
constantly emerging. This is just a small sample of the vocabulary and
phrases used in basilectal Nigerian English.
The semantics of basilectal Nigerian English refers to the meaning and
interpretation of words, phrases, and sentences in this variety of English.
Here are some aspects of semantics in basilectal Nigerian English:
1. Extension of word meaning: Words may have broader meanings than
in standard English. For example, “chop” (eat) can also mean “enjoy” or
“have a good time”.
2. Metaphorical expressions: Phrases like “my head is burning” (I’m very
angry) or “my belly is sweet” (I’m very happy) use metaphors to convey
emotions.
3. Idiomatic expressions: Phrases like “make we go dia” (let’s go there) or
“I dey your back” (I’ve got your back) have idiomatic meanings that differ
from literal translations.
4. Pragmatic inference: Meaning is often inferred from context, so
listeners may need to use inference to understand the intended meaning.
5. Emphasis and intensification: Emphasis is often achieved through
repetition (e.g., “fine fine” for strong agreement) or intensifiers like “too
much” or “plenty”.
6. Proverbial expressions: Short phrases like “no condition is permanent”
(nothing lasts forever) or “small small” (gradually) convey wisdom or advice.
7. Colloquialisms: Informal language is prevalent, with words like “sha”
(okay), “shey” (right?), and “wetin” (what?) used frequently.
8. Tone and pitch: Tone and pitch can significantly impact meaning, with
rising intonation often indicating a question.
9. Code-switching: Speakers may switch between basilectal Nigerian
English and other languages or varieties of English, depending on context
and audience.
10. Contextualization: Meaning is often dependent on shared knowledge
and context, so understanding the cultural and social context is essential for
effective communication.
These aspects of semantics can vary across regions and communities, and
basilectal Nigerian English is a dynamic language that continues to evolve.
Basilectal Nigerian English is a unique and dynamic variety of English that
has evolved in Nigeria, shaped by the country's linguistic, cultural, and
historical context. It has its own distinct grammar, vocabulary, semantics,
and phonology, which differ significantly from Standard English.
