Research Work on Pidgin English

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study Being a bilingual and multilingual society, several languages are being used to communicate in different communities in Nigeria. In fact, according to Wikipedia’s official data, there are more than 520 languages. By the way, nine of them are extinct. The English language is considered as the language of wider communication. Moreover, it is difficult to replace it with any other language no matter its popularity. The other major languages are Igbo, Urhobo, Hausa, Yoruba, Ibibio, Fulfulde, Edo and Pidgin English (unofficial). Other spoken minor languages include Ijaw, Kanuri and Tiv. Meanwhile, each of these languages has its own dialect, depending on the area where it is being spoken. Language is an integral part of any community. Nigeria being a multi-ethnic and linguistically diversified nation with many tribes and cultures as well as languages, which means a single tiny tribe can have more than one language with different dialects. According to LinkedIn, Nigeria is a perfect example of biblical tower of Babel. It has over 170 million people who speak over 250 languages. Not many Nigerians are proficient in the use of the Nigerian Standard English. Major languages which dominate the language areas in Nigeria include;