LINGUISTIC INNOVATIONS IN STRENGTHENING DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTION FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Abstract

While some research has been carried out on linguistic innovations in some parts of Africa, studies are yet to attend to how linguistic innovations can be used in strengthening democratic institutions for good governance in Nigeria. This paper addresses this gap by investigating the challenges and strategies in approaching the use of English language in various democratic institutions through the use of loan words, coinages/neologisms, pidginization and code switching. Some sampled expressions that are routinely used in Nigerian social contexts were subjected to analyses, using insights from the theoretical coverage of linguistic determinism/relativity. This paper notes that deviation from the international linguistic norm helps citizens to express and understand themselves properly, and this promotes good governance as it unites people together, in and outside any institution. Although challenges such as public scepticism, apathy and persuasive distrust of politicians may be prevalent in politics, the paper contends that linguistic innovations in democratic institutions offer an outlet for creativity in language for beneficial effects. The paper concludes that in this age of globalisation, Nigerians cannot deny themselves of good governance by adopting the bookish imported language with unending rules. They should consider reconstructing English as a medium of communication for strengthening democratic institutions