ABSTRACT
This study was designed to investigate on the effect of pidgin English on the spoken English of student in higher-institution. A case study of Emmanuel Alayande of college of education. The sample consisted of 100 respondents from the student, 25 from each department in Emmanuel Alayande college of education. The instrument used was self constructed questionnaire and it was administrated personality to the respondents of selected survey and sampled population. The statistical method used for the analysis of the responses was simple percentage [%]. The result to the study revealed that pidgin english affects the academic performance and competence in English language grossly. It also show that during teaching learning process, it affect understanding of English language because it set out to confuse the student adversely, it also shows that society, communities, peer groups like influence the speaking of pidgin English thereby producing the spirit of comradership. Hence, all the people involve in educating the children and young adult should encourage the speaking of standard English language in as much as is the official language of the nation. Government on their part should provide enough school and academic materials and remunerate the teacher very well so as effect change positively in this student.
CHAPTER ONE
- Introduction
1.1 Background of the study
One of the most important difference between man and animal is man`s ability to speak and make others understand him. According to Edward sapir language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols.
According to Akindele and Adegbija, language is : a human phenomenon that has form which can be described in terms of units of sound [phonemes] word, morphemes, phrases, sentences and paragraph or discourse. This definition show that language has often been identified as the most unique attribute of man. It reality and transmit it from one generation to another.
Language which Oyewo Yinka describe as “the medium or vehicle for conveying ideas, a system of arbitrary vocal symbol based on social cooperation, the totality of meaningful utterances in any given society” is by far the most important means of human communication.
Effects of pidgin English on the performance and competence in English language among higher-institution students is the focus of this research. Pidgin has it different his tories about language contact and subsequent borrowing and code-mixing.
The term pidgin is used to refer to a language which develop in a situation where speakers of different language have a need to communicate but do not share a common language. One a pidgin has emerged. It is generally learned as a second language and used for communication people who speak different dialects.
Language is the most creative and unlimited instrument for social communication and it helps us to understand the deep seated social relevance, culture involvement and the human relatedness of language. Having said this, we can therefore agree that pidgin is a language on its own and not just a supplementary tongue as some people see it, since it serves as an unlimited instrument of social communication especially in a mult-lingual community as Emmanuel Alanyande college of education.
According to R.Linton, he stated that “the culture of a society is the way of life of its members, the collection of ideas and habits which they learn, share and transmit from generation. Their culture, idea and habits can only be transmitted from one generation to another through language. In linguistic, every language is considered adequate to represent the communicative needs of its people and as such should not be made to suffer any partiality.
This cannot be said as Nigerian pidgin because various attempts have been made by different factors to eradicate the use of Nigerian pidgin English. These attempts have however been unsuccessful because of the significant value the language has to it users. It is a language that has brought people together in spite of their differences, ancestral culture and language by creating a local culture for itself which blends ideas from different culture.
1.2 Statement of the problem
Pidgin English is traceable to the portugues coming to Nigeria as traders and missionaries pidgin English is an hybrid language that contains element of both immediate African language speaking environment and English language. It usually learnt as second language.
Pidgin English is a language just as English language and there is enough room for both language to co-exist and be mutually enriched. It is a fairly closed language sound system to serve fresh function whole sale borrowing of vocabulary from English.
Hence, despite this and fact that pidgin English appears to be most popular means of communication among diverse groups and is easier to learn than any other language, in the country today, it is generally asserted that it is not the suitable language for use in the formal setting an it uses in such setting is usually frowned at. Understand the fact that pidgin English is used to facilitate effective communication among the individual serves and a language of the literate and illiterate in the Nigerian society. However pidgin English which is mostly used at homes, market place, peer group and undergraduate student should be set aside in the school system of the society by the teachers and lecturers by the learners. This will makes students take the standard English learning and efficient daily use serious and affords team active for good English in terms of communication and enjoyable social interaction.
This research will explore the potentials of Nigerian pidgin English as a language. If Nigerian pidgin English does have this potential, why is its usages and status denigrated? Also, does the speaking of Nigerian pidgin affect the student`s academic performance? Answer to these questions subsequently will enable us make useful recommendation for further studies.
1.3 Purpose of the study
This research intends to look at the effectiveness and status of pidgin English in Nigeria. It will also investigate the reasons students use pidgin English instead of a standard English. It will also make it known to the student that it has effect on their use of English i.e it enhance proficient use and good English language.
It study would also show the way and how students will minimize pidgin English usuage in their daily performance. It is inherent for a long period of time that pidgin English has been in existence as a means of communication among student in higher institution. Eventually, the research will bring into light if the use of pidgin English has any effect on the students and their academic competence and performance in Emmanuel Alayande college of education.
The findings will be regarded to be generic, affecting also students in other institutions who equally exalt pidgin English above standard English.
1.4 Research questions
The research questions will centre and revolve around the topic of the research such as.
- Does the pidgin English have any influence on the teaching and learning of English language?
- Is there any relationship between pidgin English standard English?
- Is pidgin English undergoing some process of standardization?
- Does the communication in pidgin English affect the academic competence and performance in English language?
- Does it hamper proficient use and retards proficient’s acquisition of standard English?
1.5 Significance of the study
The significance of this study is to be found among the undergraduate students recognizing that pidgin English usage slow down the pace of efficient use of English. In various homes, peer groups, class e.t.c. native language is often use than the pidgin English at the expense of standard English.
Hence if a student converses too often in pidgin, there is no way such student will have good command of standard English any where he or she finds his/herself. Rather any parents, teacher, tutor or the student himself who had trained with standard English and communicate very well with it will be proud and will enhances the educational standard because English is a means through which every other subject is taught.
The study is important because its results can go a long way to finding out the cause of student`s negative or positive academic performance if pidgin English has contributed negatively or positively to the students.
This research will in no doubt contribute to one`s knowledge especially in the department of English Emmanuel Alayande college of education as it will highlight some issues in educational palnning. It will be a guide for the federal government in palnning for effective educational system.
1.6 Delimitation/scope of the study
This research is limited to Emmanuel Alayande college of education among the three hundred level students and the lecturers in the department of English language.
The scope of this research is on the effect be pidgin English on the performance and competence in English language among undergraduate students. An assement of its use in various forms will be carried out.
In as much as the researcher cannot go round the country to collect information due to financial constraints and time factor the research has to be limited to Emmanuel Alayande college of education even though the findings ming be generic
1.7 Definition of terms
In this research there are some terms which there is need to give meaning to a enhance even the research.
- Pidgin English: pidgin English is an hybrid language that contains the element of both African language speaking and English language. It is a fairly close language sound system and serves numerous functions and expanding to serve fresh function by wholesale borrowing of vocabulary from standard English. It is generally learned as second language use for communicate among people who speak different language.
- Competence: competence means that knowledge of a language system. It refers to our ability to make sentence and to understand it. It also includes our knowledge of what belong to sentences and what does not belong in a language.
- Performance: performance means what we do with our knowledge of certain language. It is about how we, as a language user, can apply the language in actual use performance also means our actual use of language,
- English language: English language is an indo European language belonging to the west Germanic branch, the official language of Britain and the united states and most of the common wealth countries. English is conventionally divided into three historical periods. Old English, middle English and modern English. English is derived from angelia, the speech of the angles, one of the three Germanic tribes that invaded England during the fifth century.
English language is adopted in Nigeria of fill the void left by multi lingual state of the nation.
- undergraduate students: this is the education level taken in order to gain one`s first tertiary N.C.E. hence, in many subjects and many subjects and many educational systems. Undergraduate education is post secondary education up to the level of a bachelor`s degree.
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