Introducing the Historical Corpus of English in Nigeria (HiCE–Nig)

Abstract

Nigerian English (NigE) is a second language (L2) variety of English that has been domesticated, acculturated and indigenised within the Nigerian socio-cultural and linguistic contexts (Adegbija, 2004). Based on Schneider's (2007) Dynamic Model of the Development of New Englishes, scholars have shown that NigE is currently at the late stage of nativisation (stage 3) and is on the verge of entering the stage of endornormative stabilisation (stage 4) (see Gut, 2012; Collins, 2020). Nativisation, which typically begins with the declaration of independence, is a very active and important stage in which there are large-scale linguistic changes, especially during a time when English is usually the only official language (see Schneider, 2007). Although previous studies have investigated the historical development of English in Nigeria (see Taiwo, 2009), there are limited studies on the particular linguistic features that have changed over time, especially from the time Nigeria gained independence. It is very likely that the rapid increase in the number of universities and other educational institutions managed by Nigerians from independence, as opposed to previous management by Britons, would have affected the variety of English spoken in Nigeria and culminated in the development of NigE today.

(Socio)linguistic indices of the codification of Nigerian English

“…The most recent is the Historical Corpus of English in Nigeria (HiCE‐Nig) compiled by Unuabonah et al. (2022). These sources provide a ready pool of NE usage from which researchers, pedagogists and policymakers can draw evidence for a wider codification of NE.…”

“…Another important reference source is the availability of corpora. NE figures prominently in all major WE corpora, such as the prestigious International Corpus of English (ICE), which is considered Unuabonah et al (2022). These sources provide a ready pool of NE usage from which researchers, pedagogists and policymakers can draw evidence for a wider codification of NE.…”

Analysing The Factors Influencing English Performance of Islamic-Based University Students

“…In places where English is the official language, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, it is crucial for communication within the country and for international trade and diplomacy. In other countries, such as India and Nigeria, English is used as a second language and is often the language of education, business, and government (LaDousa, 2022;Unuabonah et al, 2022). In these countries, fluency in English can provide a significant advantage in the job market and can help individuals to communicate more effectively with people from other parts of the world.…”