Reviewed by Gian Claudio Batic, University of Naples ‘L’Orientale’
The contributions included in this book offer, with varying degrees of originality, a general picture of the complex relationship between English and Nigerian languages. The book is divided into eighteen chapters preceded by a foreword, written by Herbert Igboanusi, and a short introduction.
The article by Dele Adeyanju (1–13) focuses on the longstanding relationship of English with indigenous Nigerian languages. Sola Babatunde (14–29) discusses the issues of multilingualism, sustaining the need to improve bi- and multilingualism as a tool of regional development. I.E. Olaosun (30–39) sees English as a predatory entity and suggests that, to avoid the disappearance of indigenous languages, ‘the functional territories of the English Language should be cut down to consign pre-eminent roles to the indigenous languages in the country’ (31). R.A. Soyele (40–58) assesses language attitude in the use of Yoruba and English with regard to the legislature and media power domains in Ogun State.
C.B. Egwuogu (59–68) analyzes the role of English as a vehicle of globalization, highlighting the passive role of African languages in such a process. He proposes that local languages assume some of the functions reserved for ‘colonial languages’ (e.g. English and French). Mahfouz A. Adedimeji (69–87) conceives of globalization as a threatening process whose main targets are the developing nations. Affirming that ‘the US offers a good example for Nigeria in terms of protecting the linguistic rights of her citizens’ (81), Adedimaji argues that a lesson could be drawn from what he calls ‘the American paradigm’. Adeniyi Harrison and Bello O. R. (88–99) stress the importance of minority languages for the development of the country, concluding that the government should reach the people in the language they speak. Akinola A. Asiyanbola (99–113) analyzes the role of English in Nigerian universities. The following chapter by Oyinkan Medubi (114–28) focuses on the metaphorical nativization of terms of address in the context of English. The article by Ayoyinka O. Ogunsanya (129–56) deals with an interesting phenomenon: the emergence of English as a mother tongue among the elite children in Lagos. Fadaro J. Oludare (157–77) presents a study carried out in Osun State with the purpose of assessing the teaching of oral English at the secondary school level.
From a diachronic perspective, Adeyemi O. Babajide (178–90) analyzes epitaph writing in a few cities of Yoruba. Henry J. Hunjo (191–205) discusses President Yar’adua’s letter of campaign as a new kind of social tie between the writer (the former president) and the reader (the electorate). The employment of slang expression among university undergraduate student is addressed by Ayo Osisanwo (206–22). ‘Demola Jolayemi (223–37) adopts a sociophonetic approach to examining gbòzà, a word evolved in the lexical repertoire of Nigerians as a ‘societal response to the overbearing presence of the military in the Nigerian polity’ (235). Abolaji S. Mustapha’s article (238-51) deals with the status of Nigerian English as an English as a second language (ESL) variety. K.K. Olaniyan (252–75) analyzes conversational interactions in Chinua Achebe’s A man of the people. The contribution by Jide Balogun (276–84) uses Jamaica Kincaid’s A small place to investigate whether the colonizer in the West Indies should be identified with the White or the Black.
This volume presents an original collection of quality articles that deal mostly with the sociolinguistic situation of southern Nigeria. The general point of view stressed by the contributors is that indigenous languages should compete with English as tools for national development. The book is rich in suggestions and might offer insight for language planners and policy makers.