Lexico-Grammatical Features of Nigerian English

Abstract

English is a second language which serves a number of purposes in Nigeria and certain socio-cultural variables influence its use in the Nigerian context. There is rapid expansion in the vocabulary used by Nigerians to translate their thought into language. This has brought about different coinages to suit the situation and context of usage. The English language lacks the ability to perfectly capture all aspects of Nigerian culture, hence it is frequently augmented by fresh coinages and importations derived from Nigerian English lexis as different from native speakers’ lexis. There is the introduction of culture-specific vocabulary items into the English language by Nigerian speakers of the language. This has led to creativity which manifests in coinages to reflect the Nigerian experience. Examples of Nigerian English are drawn and examined in this paper to reveal the influx of new words into the English language as occasioned by lexical derivations and innovations in the Nigerian usage of the language.