Pidginization and English Language Proficiency: A Study of Nigerian Undergraduates in Rivers State.

Abstract:

This paper examined pidginization and English language proficiency: a study of Nigerian undergraduates in Rivers State. The population of the study consisted of four hundred and eighty seven (487) undergraduates from Ignatius Ajuru of Education, Port Harcourt. The sample size was forty-nine (49). The data for analysis was elicited through recording of undergraduates conversations in Nigerian pidgin (NP). The recorded conversation was later transcribed and translated into Standard English. Our aim was to investigate if the frequent use of Nigerian pidgin by undergraduates can have any negative implications on their English proficiency. From this research, we discovered that Nigerian Pidgin has greatly affected the English proficiency of many undergraduates. Our findings revealed that most undergraduates begin a sentence with ‘me’ instead of ‘I’ which is a lift from Nigerian pidgin. Again, the expressions of most undergraduates lack the s – marker in the simple present tense and in the case of plurality. It was also observed that most undergraduates replace stress and intonation with tone since Nigerian pidgin is a tonal language. It was therefore recommended that lecturers who teach English to first – year students should discourage them from using Nigerian Pidgin frequently; Nigerian pidgin should be restricted to domains where it will not affect undergraduate’s English proficiency.