A SEMANTIC STUDY OF UNIVERSITY OF UYO’S SLANG EXPRESSIONS

The rapid development of human society has a great influence on the most important tool of communication—language. The modern way of living goes faster and new trends are also reflected in the development of language in a form of various new words and expressions as well as the improvement, and facilitation of grammar structure. Comparison of these two linguistic areas shows that vocabulary grows rapidly that the communicative function of language claims more novel and concise expressions in the language terminology in order to keep pace with the modern trends in the human life. 

Slang seems to be one of the most important language formations, having great influence on the development of language. Slang expressions are characterised by the various linguistic features reflecting the users’ way of living and using the language with emphasis on belonging to a particular group of language. In other words, slang expressions are characterised by a high degree of informality, familiarity, and vocabulary richness usually realised by a specific group of group of people whose members are connected by some particular link such as territory (Nigeria), age (teenagers), subculture (students), and mainly occur in the spoken form of the language.

Importantly, slang invokes meaning by drawing significantly in the shared cultural knowledge of its users. Slang does not utilise any peculiar process that makes it different from any kind of language. It is a language that springs up naturally and gains acceptance within a group. It satisfies, to a reasonable extent, their communicative needs. The implication therefore is that, slang expressions among Nigerian university students, University of Uyo students in focus, would be expected to encode issues about their academic endeavours, their daily lives, and general expectations as part of the Nigerian society. Therefore, it is the interest of this study to examine slang expressions used by students of the University of Uyo for daily communication.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Abstract------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i

1.1: Introduction/Background to the Study--------------------------------------------1

1.2: Statement of the Problem-----------------------------------------------------------2

1.3: Methodology-------------------------------------------------------------------------2

1.4: Aim and Objectives-----------------------------------------------------------------2

2.1: Theoretical Framework------------------------------------------------------------- 3

3.1: Review of Related Literature-----------------------------------------------------

3.1.1: Sociolinguistic Analysis of Nigerian English and World Englishes--------

3.1.2: Definition and Characteristics of Students’ Slang Expressions----------

4.1: Presentation/Analysis of Data---------------------------------------------------

5.1: Conclusion-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reference