Emerging trends in Nigerian Pidgin: Focus on radio talk-exchanges

Ngozi Ezenwa-ohaeto, Agatha Uchenna Ikemelu, Charles Chukwuma Motanya

Abstract


Pidgin, as a medium of communication, has been performing interactional needs of its users. Due to its vibrancy, it has been the object of study of sociolinguists who continue to carry out various studies on it. Pidgin has been described as marginal, rudimentary, makeshift and fit for informal talk by different linguists. This work is designed to find out if this description still holds in the Nigerian Pidgin. By so doing, it determines the emerging trends therein. To achieve this objective, the study was designed to carry out an analysis of Nigerian Pidgin as used in live radio talk-exchanges: “Wetin Mega” on Radio Nigeria, Purity 102.5 FM, and “Otigba Junction” on Solid 100.9 FM. This work is framed with the theory of conversation analysis, while the data were collected through tape-recording of the live radio programmes. The result of the analysis shows that Nigerian Pidgin is no longer a nadir language. The conversations were ordered even as the language was used to discuss burning national issues. The study therefore recommends that Nigerian Pidgin, in addition to the English Language, be used in public gatherings, especially non-academic ones so as to carry everybody along in the proceedings.


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