THE USE OF ENGLISH BY DELTA STATE POLYTECHNICS STUDENTS: A STUDY OF THE MORPHO-SYNTACTIC AND LEXICO-SEMANTIC FEATURES OF NIGERIAN ENGLISH

Abstract

Nigerian English (NA) is a variety distinct from the standard variety known as British English (BE). According to Ogu (1992:88), and Walsh (1967), the varieties of English spoken by educated Nigerians, irrespective of their mother tongue have enough features in common to depict a general type, which may be called Nigerian English. Based on this assertion, this paper sets out to identify the morpho-syntactic and lexico-semantic features of Nigerian English in the use of language by the students of Delta Polythenic, Ogwashi-Ukwu by examining the socio-cultural environment in which English is used. Through detailed study, it was observed that the English Language has been cultivated, re-domesticated and indigenized to accommodate the culture and tradition of the people who use it, and as such has acquired local colour and content. This makes it distinct from the native speaker variety with features reflected at the semantic (meaning) level. Both the pragmatic and lexico-semantic features are among other issues characterizing the Nigerian English and posing a challenge to the notions of international intelligibility and acceptability. This paper recommends that polytechnic students and other Nigerian learners should be encouraged to cultivate the habit of voracious reading of newspapers, textbooks, literary texts and  magazines written by native speakers and Nigerian authors, in order to differentiate between the two set of authors in terms of their cultural backgrounds and linguistic systems as reflected in their texts. This will enable language learners surmount any deviation as well as acquaint themselves with native speaker’s usages.