DECLARATION …………..iii

CERTIFICATION …………….iv

DEDICATION…….v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …….vi

ABSTRACT ………….ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS ……….x

Chapter ONE

INTRODUCTION …………….1

1.1 Background to the Study 1

1.2 Statement of Research Problem …………………4

1.3 Research Questions ……………………………………5

1.4 Aim and Objectives ……………………..6

1.5 Significance of the Study …………………..6

1.6 Scope and Delimitation ………………………………………….7

Chapter TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ……………………….8

2.0 Preamble………………8

2.1 DEFINITIONS OF A PIDGIN ……………………….8

2.1.1 A Pidgin as a Contact Language …..8

2.1.2 A Pidgin as a Make-Shift Language …………..9

2.1.3 A Pidgin as a Restricted Language ……………… 10

2.1.4 Definitions Based on Communicative Needs ……..11

2.1.5 Pidgin as a Distinct Language …..12

2.2 THEORIES OF THE ORIGIN OF PIDGINS ……….12

2.2.1 Monogenetic Theory …………….12

2.2.2 Polygenetic Theories ….14

2.2.3 The Baby Talk Theory ………..14

2.2.4 Foreigner Talk Theory ……………….16

2.2.5 The Nautical Jargon Theory ……………….17

2.2.6 Theory of Linguistic Universals ……….18

2.3 SOCIOLINGUISTIC PROFILE OF NP …………….. 19

2.4 CHARACTERISTICS OF PIDGINS ………..21

2.5 LINGUISTIC BORROWING ----24

2.5.1 Direct Borrowing ………26

2.5.2 Indirect Borrowing ……………… 27

2.6 REASONS FOR LINGUISTIC BORROWING ……………….. 28

2.6.1 Bilingualism …….28

2.6.2 Innovation/Necessity/Need for New Designation ………..29

2.6.3 Need for Differentiation ……………………30

2.6.4 Need for Euphemism…….30

2.6.5 Social Values …………… 31

2.7. LANGUAGE BORROWING PROCESSES ……..31

2.7.1 Loanword ………………31

2.7.2 Loan shift ……………….32

2.7.3 Loan-translation …………….. 32
2.7.4
Loan blend ……………..32

2.8 LANGUAGE CONTACT AND LINGUISTIC CHANGE…………….32

2.9 UNIVERSALITY OF LINGUISTIC/WORD BORROWING……………..34

2.9.1 Words Borrowed by English: ……………………..35

2.9.2 Words borrowed by Nigerian Languages….36

2.10 THE VOCABULARY OF NIGERIAN PIDGIN ……..37

2.11 NAME FOR NP ………….38

2.12 LEXICAL ITEMS IN NP ……………. 38

2.13 FUNCTIONS OF A PIDGIN ………….. 40

2.14 USES OF NP ……….. 41

2.15 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ………. 45

Chapter THREE

METHODOLOGY……..47

3.0 Preamble……47

3.1 Sources of Data ………….. 47

3.1.1 Primary Source ……….. 47

3.1.2 Secondary Source …………..48

3.2 Method of Data Collection………48

3.2.1 Identification of loan words 48

3.2.2 Questionnaire: 48

3.2.3 Interview 49

3.3 Research Subjects 49

Chapter FOUR

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA 50

4.1 Preamble 50

4.2 Procedure for Data Analysis 50

4.3 Semantic Shift 50

4.4 Categorisation of NP Loanwords into their Meanings, Origins, Direct and Indirect nature of Borrowing 51

4.5 Analysis of the Data 51

4.6 Interpretative Tables of the NP Loanwords 52

4.7 Coinages in NP 88

4.8 FINDINGS 92

4.9 Clash of Homonyms 96

4.10 Phonological Changes 97

4.11 Morphological Changes 98

Chapter FIVE

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 99

5.1 Preamble 99

5.2 Summary 99

5.3 Conclusion 100

5.4 Recommendations 101

5.5 Suggestions for Further Studies 102

APPENDIX A 110

QUESTIONNAIRE 110

APPENDIX B 113

APPENDIX C NP

LOAN WORDS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) AND THEIR SOURCES 116

APPENDIX D 119

HANDWRITTEN SCRIPTS FROM RADIO STATIONS 119