Journal of Language and Linguistics

METAPHOR AND EVALUATION AS ECOLINGUISTIC DEVICES IN HELON HABILA’S OIL ON WATER

Rachel Omoyokan Davidson — 2025-10-09

This paper investigates metaphor and evaluation as ecolinguistic devices in Helon Habila’s Oil on Water, a Nigerian novel that dramatises the ecological devastation of the Niger Delta. Oil on Water presents an imaginative re-creation of how oil exploration has altered the natural environment and human livelihoods. Within the framework of ecolinguistics and drawing insights from cognitive metaphor theory and appraisal theory, this study examines how metaphors construct ecological meanings and how evaluative language conveys attitudes, judgments, and values about environmental degradation. The analysis reveals that metaphors in the text highlight tensions between purity and pollution, life and death, and nature and exploitation, thereby encoding the struggle of marginalised communities in ecologically compromised spaces. Evaluation, on the other hand, amplifies ideological positions by foregrounding negative judgments of oil corporations and political elites, while affirming sympathy for human and nonhuman victims of ecological violence. The study concludes that metaphor and evaluation function not merely as stylistic devices but as ecolinguistic strategies that deepen readers’ awareness of the politics of ecology and the ethics of environmental survival in Nigeria. The paper argues for the continued use of literary texts in ecolinguistic inquiry to illuminate the cultural and moral dimensions of ecological crises.

THE IMPACT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE DOMINANCE ON YORUBA LANGUAGE USE AMONG SELECTED YOUTH IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Moshood Abimbola Alabi — 2025-10-09

Language endangerment, which can lead to linguicide (language death) in some cases, is an important concept in linguistics. The dominance of the English language over other local languages can be a threat to the growth of some of these languages. This study investigates how the English language in Lagos State dominates the local language, Yoruba, in Nigeria. The method adopted for the study is a mixed method. The basis for the analysis was through the investigation of the school subjects and the outcomes of the interviews conducted with some filmmakers in Lagos State. We collected data from the sources so as to demonstrate the influence of the dominant language on the local language (Yoruba) through the Language Imperialism Theory. Our results showed that most schools in Lagos do not adhere to the language policy of the government on the use of the local languages, and most of the movies that are supposed to be acted in the Yoruba language are dominated by the English Language. The implications of this are that the Yoruba language has been marginalised. This study contributes to the policy of the government in ensuring that the local languages do not become extinct.

A COGNITIVE STYLISTICS STUDY OF MIND-STYLE IN DUL JOHNSON'S ACROSS THE GULF

Ogechi Stella Mmeka — 2025-10-09

This article adopts a cognitive stylistics perspective, applying Schema Theory and Text World Theory to examine mind style in Dul Johnson’s Across the Gulf. Using qualitative textual analysis, it explores salient passages featuring Ifunanya, Janbut, and Ofala to demonstrate how linguistic choices and narrative structure construct distinct mental worldviews and guide readers’ cognitive engagement. The analysis reveals layered text worlds and nested subworlds of memory, imagined futures, and traumatic recall that foreground a semantic split between characters’ internal and external realities. Through deliberate schema affirmation and disruption, Johnson invites readers to reconstruct characters’ perspectives: Ifunanya gestures toward a maternal schema while contesting imposed silence, Janbut unsettles masculine archetypes through vulnerability and displacement, and Ofala’s communal authority fractures under threats to lineage. These stylistic strategies function as powerful devices that cultivate empathy, ethical response, and psychological complexity rooted in experiences of war and dislocation. The study contributes to cognitive stylistics and postcolonial reading practices by showing how text-world construction and schema dynamics mediate cognition and moral engagement with trauma and identity.

LEXICO-SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF HELON HABILA’S MEASURINGTIME

Victoria Bala — 2025-10-18

This paper explores Helon Habila’s Measuring Time through the lens of lexico-semantic analysis, investigating how language functions not only as a narrative tool but also as a medium for ideological expression and thematic exploration. The study examines the author's deliberate use of lexical patterns, figurative expressions, collocations, and connotative meanings to construct characterisation,pe narrative progression, and communicate complex socio-political realities. Drawing on Lyons’Lexical Field Theory as a theoretical framework, the paper analyses how language is used in literary texts helps revealow meanings are shaped and how writers manipulate linguistic choices to create particular effects. This is achieved through semantic relations that extend beyond sentence boundaries, reinforcing the novel’s emotional and ideological depth. Special attention is paid to how lexical choices highlight the inner lives of the twin protagonists Mamo and LaMamo while also reflecting broader postcolonial themes such as identity crisis, disillusionment with leadership, historical memory, and the human cost of resistance. Through a combination of lexical richness and semantic layering, Habila crafts a narrative that is introspective, politically charged, and emotionally resonant. The study also draws from relevant critical literature to support the claim that meaning in Habila’s novel is constructed not only by what is said but by the subtle semantic associations that permeate the text. By uncovering the intricate web of language use in Measuring Time, this paper highlights how linguistic strategies can enrich literary meaning and deepen readers’ engagement with African narratives. Ultimately, the study affirms Habila’s place among contemporary African writers who use language to interrogate history, identity, and power.

SALIENCE AND ERASURE AS ECOSTYLISTIC DEVICES IN HELON HABILA'S OIL ON WATER

Alfred Austin Obi — 2025-10-20

In Nigeria's Niger Delta, where oil drilling has caused significant harm to the environment and communities, Helon Habila's 2010 novel Oil on Water stands out as an important response. This study examines the book through the lens of ecolinguistics, specifically using Arran Stibbe's (2015) ideas of salience (what is highlighted) and erasure (what is hidden). The goal is to understand how Habila’s writing highlights the severe environmental damage happening in the Niger Delta, alongside the suffering of people affected by oil extraction. The analysis focuses on Habila’s use of vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and broken narrative styles to illustrate the impact of this exploitation and the silences created by companies and the government. By examining ten excerpts, this paper demonstrates how the novel expresses the hidden realities of those harmed by oil extraction, transforming overlooked victims into central elements of the urgent ecological narrative. Ultimately, this research positions Oil on Water as a significant voice against harmful practices and supports the idea that literature can challenge damaging ideologies, striving for justice and sustainability.

ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS IN THE DISCOURSE OF POLITICAL APOLOGIES IN NIGERIA: A SOCIOSEMANTIC

jolladmin jolladmin — 2025-10-09

In Nigeria' s complex socio- political landscape, ethnic and religious affiliations significantly influence public discussions, especially regarding political apologies. These apologies act as vital tools for conflict resolution, rebuilding trust, and affirming authority in a diverse yet divided nation. This research examines how ethnic and religious sentiments are woven into political apologies and their role in either worsening or easing societal divisions, particularly after Nigeria' s return to democracy in 1999. Analysing political apologies sheds light on how leaders address identity- based grievances related to perceived injustices and violence that deepen ethnic and religious tensions. The study aims to identify language patterns in apologies that reveal ethnic biases or religious appeasement, assess their effects on public perception and peace efforts, and suggest ways to promote fairer political dialogue. Using a sociosemantic framework, this qualitative discourse analysis reviews excerpts from five reputable online news articles, including Premium Times and Vanguard, from 2018 to 2022. These articles feature Nigerian leaders' expressions of remorse regarding ethnic displacements, historical injustices, and interfaith conflicts. Results show that, although apologies often use strategies like expressing regret and admitting fault to foster inclusivity, they also expose underlying ethnic or religious biases. For example, shared heritage may be invoked to deflect criticism but often overlook deep- seated prejudices. This research enhances discourse analysis by providing a detailed understanding of how political apologies connect to Nigeria' s ethno- religious issues, offering helpful recommendations for policymakers to develop narratives that promote national unity and prevent conflicts. Overall, this study highlights the importance of sociosemantic methods in analysing power- related discourse in fragile democracies like Nigeria.

INTERTEXTUALITY AND INTERDISCURSIVITY IN POLITICAL APOLOGIES: TRACING THE REUSE OF APOLOGY TROPES IN NIGERIA'S DEMOCRATIC HISTORY

Covenant Adura — 2025-10-09

This study examines the discursive strategies of political apologies within Nigeria's democratic landscape, utilising the theoretical lenses of intertextuality and interdiscursivity. The research is important as it moves beyond evaluating the sincerity of apologies to deconstructing their function as rhetorical tools that recycle historical tropes to achieve specific political ends. The primary objective is to trace how apology discourses are reused, recontextualised, and recalibrated across different political events, revealing a patterned performance that shapes public memory and political legitimacy. Employing critical discourse analysis, this paper analyses five media excerpts from The Sun and The Guardian newspapers, dated between April 2023 and April 2025. The findings reveal a persistent repertoire of apology tropes, including the 'legacy apology', the 'proxy apology', the 'nostalgic reconciliation apology', the 'rejected apology', and the 'bureaucratic error apology', which are intertextually linked to past grievances. The study contributes to the field by providing a nuanced framework for understanding Nigerian political discourse, demonstrating that apologies are not isolated speech acts but are deeply embedded in a complex web of historical, social, and political discourses that continually inform and reshape public sphere negotiations.

CONFLICTS AND MULTIPLE INTERPRETATION OF JUDGEMENTS IN THE NIGERIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: DEALING WITH THE ABUSE OF ENGLISH AS THE ROOT CAUSE

Ukaoma Comfort Obiageri — 2025-10-09

The Nigerian Criminal Justice System continues to grapple with a persistent challenge: the conflicting and multiple interpretations of judicial judgments. At the heart of this issue lies a fundamental problem-the abuse and inconsistent use of the English language, which serves as the official language of legal proceedings in Nigeria. This paper explores how linguistic imprecision, ambiguous legal expressions, and poor language training among legal practitioners and court officials contribute significantly to contradictory judicial interpretations. Using Okocha v. State (1995) as a supporting case study, the paper analyses how the poor framing of judicial pronouncements can lead to miscarriages of justice or prolonged litigation due to conflicting interpretations. The research further examines how legal English, with its complex structure and technical vocabulary, often becomes a barrier rather than a tool of clarity in the justice delivery system. Recommendations are made for improving the use of legal English through specialized language training, clearer drafting of legal documents, and the institutionalization of plain English in court proceedings. The paper argues that without addressing the linguistic foundation of legal discourse, efforts at judicial reform may remain superficial and ineffective.

MUSIC AS CATALYST FOR PEACE, UNITY AND NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION: A SOCIO – PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF SELECT NIGERIA PEACE AND UNITY SONGS

Chinecherem Esther Obasi — 2025-10-17

The incessant ethnic conflict, religious intolerance and political instability witnessed in the country, attributed to the multilingual and multicultural nature of Nigeria have left the citizens with sense of fear, despair and loss. These have also threatened the fabric of national unity and hindered social progress. Attempts aimed at putting an end to this menace are on – going. Musicians are not left out in this quest for peace and unity. Consequently, this paper sets out to examine how musical discourse functions as a catalyst for social change and national integration. A purposive sampling technique was adopted in selecting two peace and unity songs produced in Nigeria that directly address these challenges. The study adopts a socio-pragmatic framework, applying Presupposition, Context, and Leech’s (1983) Politeness Maxims as analytical tools. Through qualitative analysis, the study reveals among others, that the musicians exploit linguistic politeness, shared cultural presuppositions, and contextual cues to negotiate and broker peace, reinforce unity in diversity as well as appeal to loyalty and empathy. The study concludes that peace and unity songs in Nigeria do not only mirror societal aspirations but also perform pragmatic acts that can shape national consciousness, heal divisions and foster inclusivity and sustainable peace and transformation.