Factors Contributing To Language Change
Introduction
Besters-Dilger, Dermarkar, Pfänder and Rabus (2014) define language change as the variation in the language’s morphological, phonetic, syntactic, semantic among other features over time. Language is always changing across social groups, space and time. In Nigeria exploration contributed to the development of English language in the country. Explorers associated with Nigerians making the citizens to learn and adapt to the explorers language for effective communication. From one generation to another, new pronunciation emerges, new and additional words evolve or invented by the population, morphology decays or develops over time. Hickey (2003) records that, although the rate of change differs, the changes in language accumulates until the original language becomes different or distant. English language is considered the second most popular language in the country.
During the colonization period, the white European introduced the language into the country that spread and gained popularity among the Nigerians and other immigrants in the country. Isolated subgroups that speak a similar language do not share most of the language changes resulting to the subpopulations drifting from one another linguistically leading to misunderstanding of the groups (Roesch, 2012). Trade brought people from different ethnic backgrounds and had to use a common language to understand one another and communicate effectively leading to development of the language in the state (Aitchison, 2001). Language change is a social problem in the contemporary world as it brings about difficulties in communication. Turning to Aboh (2015) one finds that change in languages occurs because of different reasons that include economic, political and social pressure. Research by In Chambers and In Schilling-Estes (2013) shows that, historically, language change was as a result of migration, invasion and colonization. A language can dramatically change if the users modify the way the language is spoken. The essay will focus on factors that affect language development and change in Nigeria.
Factor contributing to language change in Nigeria
Aitchison (2001) shows that different factors contributed towards language change in Nigeria. Geographical dispersion, age, economy and trade are among the contributing factors affecting language change in the country.
Hickey (2003) perceptively states that geographic segregation of individuals brings about language change. Movement of people from one another creates language divergence especially in the vocabularies because of multiple experiences. Migration of people from one location to another contributes to changing the language as the migrants learn the languages from other communities or places neglecting or changing their home language. Migration also changes the language of the people in places of settlement as most immigrants continue speaking in their language. For example, different communities and tribes have a different pronunciation of words and can cause alteration to other ethnic groups’ language. Immigration in Nigeria has significantly contributed to development of English language in the country as the immigrants have to speak in a language that can be easily understood by other people in the country. Geographic separation changes the medium of communication that influences language used. For example Bieswanger and Koll-Stobbe (2013) argues that people in different locations can use a phone or other modes of communication, the communication channel can lead to changing the language. Geographic separation encourages the cultural environment where diverse groups speaking different languages will be reflected in new areas leading to the objection of their original language (Exploring Language Change, 2005).
The work of Beard (2004) shows that, speakers usually make utterances efficiently and more in their attempts to obtain communication goals and objectives and hence the purposeful communication involves a trade-off of benefits and costs. Griffiths and Keohane (2000) postulates that, most speakers frequently use economy in articulation that results in a reduction of phonetics and after duration the change may be accepted and may be treated as a standard language. The economy has contributed to language change in Nigeria by encouraging analogy among the speakers, that is, reducing forms of words. Also, economic factors favour language borrowing or contact where people borrow words and constructions from other language groups especially when conducting businesses in the country (Wolkowitz, (2010). Borrowing of words changes the vocabularies, pronunciation of words and sentence construction in an area. Furthermore, the act of language contact can completely replace one language with another.
Reference to Wolkowitz (2010), one observes that children and young people in a population mostly learn adult appearances imperfectly. The changed forms usually turn into new standards. Imperfect learning may occur in small parts of the society like an immigrant team where the small language group constitute a substratum and can influence majority usage of the language (Griffiths & Keohane, 2000).
Hickey (2003) asserts that social influence cause language changes. Change in language does not only occur towards prestigious or precious accents but may also change from those with negative prestige.
Beard (2004) records that expansion can bring about language change in an area. Colonizers may use language that differs from the one utilized in the area being colonised. Colonization brings new vocabularies and new pronunciation of words. The colonizers also find it necessary learning the local language to enhance understanding with the other groups of people. After colonization process, the colonizers may continue using or teach their home colleagues the new language learnt, and this may alter or change the language.
Technology advancement, new industries, experience and products may require additional and new words (Aboh, 2015). Terms such as the internet, plastics, and cell phones have emerged with the advancement of new technologies. Hickey (2003) states that by employing emerging and new terms, the users contribute to language change. Also the uniqueness in the speaking styles of people encourages language change. Individuals differ in the use of the same language.
Education difference acts as a contributing factor towards language change. Wolkowitz, (2010) states people use phrases and vocabularies depending on their education levels. Highly educated personnel make collect use vocabularies and phrases that result to language enrichment (Beard, 2004). Poorly educated people contribute to language change through an unfortunate combination of words and poor construction of sentences in writing and speaking. The changes can be adopted by the entire or significant proportion of the population (Wolkowitz, 2010). Improved level of education in Nigeria has enriched the English language in Nigeria.
The work of Hickey (2003) shows that young adults and teenagers often use different phrases and words from the ones employed by the parents and other adults. The population of Nigeria constitute a high number of youth and hence most of the vocabularies used by young adults spread throughout the population slowly resulting in language change in the long run. For example, the employment of new vocabularies by young people in a region can quickly diffuse across other areas and may become prominent leading to the introduction of new words that may be informal (Language Change, 2004).
Language usage is influenced by social and regional differences. Roesch (2012) argues that people from different regions use different vocabularies and phrases and interaction between the various groups of people like in businesses, and other social gatherings can result in language change. The change can be due to the communities adopting words used by other region members and spreading to other people in a given region (Jahr, 2002).Group interactions can contribute to language change through borrowing of words and phrases and incorporate them into their language.
In Chambers and In Schilling-Estes (2013) define social status as a rank or a position of a group or individual in society. People in a different social status make use of various words and phrases. In Nigeria, introduction and continued use of new vocabularies can lead to language change. People on a higher social status use broad vocabularies and new pronunciation of a word that can influence other members in a society. Social status can improve or weaken the language (In Atanga, In Ellece, In Litosseliti & In Sunderland, 2013).
Conclusion
Language change is the shift in the phonetic, semantic and other language features. Various reasons drive language change such as political, social and economic pressures. Different factors such as geographical separation, economic factors, social prestige, age, social status among others fuel language change. The elements enrich or weaken the language.
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