CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The English language in Nigeria is a second language. It is a second language because Nigerians already

had their first language or Mother Tongue (L1) before the incursion of this foreign language called

‘English’ into the country. In this instance a foreign language (English) left its native environment and

met with another language or languages (Nigerian indigenous languages). It is true that the culture and

values of the people are embedded in the language they speak. As such it is said that ‘language is culture’

and none can be separated from each other.

Language is a very important factor in the educational process. It is an indispensable aspect of

communication. It has very strong basics for creative thought and without it there would be no

meaningful progress in civilization and culture, Joy (2019). The above citation explores the powers of

language as a tool for communication and creative thought. Language is used to communicate ideas

through the process of thinking, translated to either speech or writing.

Therefore the language of wider communication of a country is crucial to the progress and growth of that

nation, even academically. Nigeria is a diverse and multi-ethnic country with about four hundred and ten

(410) languages (Joy, 2019). However, with the introduction of the English language in 1842, these

numerous languages have influenced, or if we might say, interfered in the way Nigerians use language on

the lexical, grammatical and phonological levels of communication. Though English is Nigeria's lingua

franca, a unique brand of English has emerged to suit Nigeria’s socio-linguistic and communication needs

(which is to an extent a deviation from standard British English). This has led to a localization or

domestication. Since English has been influenced by our indigenous languages, the way we write will

also reflect this metamorphosis. These variations we referred to as “peculiar Nigerianisms”.

English language did not come to Nigeria just on its own. Its incursion into Nigeria was caused by lots of

factors like trading, slavery, colonization and missionary activities in Nigerian by the Europeans and this

was done in phases. As such English as a language is a borrowed blanket which has been converted to a

personal use by the borrowers so as to suit their purposes.

The exact date that English language usage started in Nigeria is not certain. However, it is believed that

the first intimate contact between the British and some ethnic groupings in Nigeria was in Southern

Nigeria. This must have been at some period before the Atlantic slave trade.

The term pidgin is used to refer to a language which develops in a situation where speakers of different

languages have a need to communicate but do not share a common language. Once a pidgin has emerged,

it is generally learned as a second language and used for communication among people who speak

differently.

The importance of English language in Nigeria cannot be under estimated since it is the official language

of communication, administration and commerce. In recognition of this importance, the government of

Nigeria had made it a mandatory subject in our schools. It forms the stepping-stone for proficiency in

other subjects taught in schools hence its knowledge is very important both for educational, economical

and national development. In Nigeria, it’s not uncommon to see people measuring one’s level of

intelligence, by his or her fluency in English language (Pipkins, 2004). It seems the main function of

education in Nigeria is for people to be able to read and write in English and also communicate in it. This

is because the average educated Nigerian is expected to read and write well in English language and also

to communicate in it well enough. So regardless of the individual’s level of intelligence in other fields,

failure to speak good English is a big issue in Nigeria, especially in the formal sector (Rupp, 2013).
Statement of the Problem

The use of Pidgin English in our society has assumed a wider dimension than previous periods in history.

The widespread is so much that it has spilled over into classrooms in schools. According to Akporero

(1989), the use of Pidgin English by student and teachers in schools has assumed alarming proportions

that there is no longer any unidentifiable factor as causative. From Akporero’s assertion, only one

characteristic remains prone factor- literacy. The implication here is that literacy is tending to accelerate

the use of Pidgin English rather than eliminating it Akporero is of opinion that Nigerian Pidgin is a

language of its own, whose formation is consequent on a multiple borrowing of different words from

more than one language. This in itself goes to emphasize the convenience of its use especially by persons

from different linguistic communities who have no need for a bi-lingual intermediary. Gilbert Ansré

(1971) observes that “it is not quite correct to say that one language has influenced the other. By this, he

implies that language itself is an abstraction from human social behavior and so one language cannot

influence another except through the mediation of users of the two languages. Thus when we say one

language has influenced another, we are merely inferring that the speaking of the language have

incorporated items of another in their own. So it is on this check the study would examine the impact of

Nigeria pidgin English on students spoken and written of English language which often result to mass

failure in English language secondary school examination.

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of the study is to examine the impact of Nigeria pidgin English on the written and

spoken of English of senior secondary schools students. The specific purpose is to;

1. examine the impact of Nigerian pidgin on the written English of selected senior secondary school

students in Ondo West Local Government of Ondo State.

2. evaluate the impact of Nigerian pidgin on students’ performance in English language

3. determine the reason why students communicate in Nigerian Pidgin.

Research Questions

1. Does Nigerian pidgin affect the written English of selected senior secondary school student in

Ondo West Local Government of Ondo State?

2. How does Nigerian Pidgin affect student performance in English language?

3. Is there any reason why students communicate in pidgin English?

Research Hypothesis

H01: There is significant difference between Nigerian pidgin and written English in some selected

senior secondary school student in Ondo West Local Government of Ondo State.

H02: There is significant relationship between impact of Pidgin English and student’s academic

performance in English.

H03: There is significant relationship between student’s communication with Nigerian pidgin and

English language

Significance of the Study

As more and more people including students speak pidgin, the need therefore arises for the examination

of its influence on standard English among the secondary school students in Nigeria. However, the study

will look into the following significance.

The research will bring light to the possibility of standardizing the use of Nigerian Pidgin English and

finding solutions to the problems caused by Nigerian Pidgin English in the proper mastery of the standard

English.

The result of this study may expose the teachers in secondary schools in Ondo state in particular and in

Nigerian in general to the problems posed by Nigerian pidgin in learning of English language and will

enable them adopt corrective methods to suit students need especially in a multi-lingua society like ours.
Definitions of Terms

Pidgin: Pidgin can be defined as a simplified form of speech formed out of one or more existing

languages and used by people who have no other language in common.