Article

Determiners and Adjectives in English and Nigerian Pidgin - A Contrastive Inquiry

Authors:
Macaulay Mowarin at Delta State University
Macaulay Mowarin
Download citation
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the author.

Abstract

This paper undertakes a contrastive analysis of determiners and adjectives in English and Nigerian Pidgin. It observes that there are sub-divisions of determiners; which are pre-determiners, determiners and post-determiners and it discusses the form class of determiners in English and Nigerian Pidgin. This paper notes that Nigerian Pidgin has fewer determiners than English. The sub-classes of adjectives in the two languages are analyzed. It evaluates the difference between English and Nigerian Pidgin adjectives. The intensifiers that precede adjectives and the comparative and superlative degrees of comparison in the two languages are discussed. Finally, the paper notes that the observed differences between determiners and adjectives in the two languages creates learning problems of split and collapsing for the Nigerian Pidgin speaker learning English determiners and adjectives.

No full-text available

Request Full-text Paper PDF

To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.

The selection of determiners and inflections during language production: A task comparison
Article
Full-text available
  • Jul 2014
The research presented here addressed the question whether determiner and inflection retrieval rely on shared or distinct selection mechanisms. In three experiments, determiner and inflection retrieval was assessed by having Dutch participants produce gender-marked determiner NPs, gender-marked inflection NPs, as well as bare nouns. Performance was tested in two tasks: picture-word interference (Experiment 1) and simple picture naming (Experiments 2 and 3). In Experiment 1, a gender congruency effect was found for determiners, but not for inflections, nor for bare nouns. Likewise, in Experiments 2 and 3, a gender by number interaction was found for determiners, but not for inflections, or bare nouns. These results suggest that different mechanisms underlie the production of determiners and inflections. A further discussion of the determiner results clarifies the constraints that the observed pattern places on theories of lexical selection.
View
View
View
View
West African pidgin English: simplification & simplicity.
Article
  • Jan 1971
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Committee on Linguistics, Stanford University. Bibliography: leaves 203-212. Copyright.
View
An Assessment of the Role of English and other Languages in the Education Delivery Process in Nigeria
  • Jan 1995
  • 178-195
  • F Akere
Akere, F. (1995). "An Assessment of the Role of English and other Languages in the Education Delivery Process in Nigeria" New Englishes, Ibdan. The British Council (p. 178 -195).
Speaking in Tongues: Implication of multilingualism for Language Policy in Nigeria
  • Jan 2002
  • A Bamgbose
Bamgbose, A. (2002). "Speaking in Tongues: Implication of multilingualism for Language Policy in Nigeria." Nigeria National Merit Award Winner's Lecture, Kaduna.
The Cambridge Handbook of Engangered Languages
  • Jan 2012
  • L A Crenoble
  • P K Austin
  • J Sallabank
Crenoble, L.A.(2012). "Language Ecology and Endangerment" (Eds) Austin, P.K. and Sallabank, J. The Cambridge Handbook of Engangered Languages. Cambridge University Press.
The Nigeria Linguistic Ecology and the changing profile of Nigeria Pidgin
  • Jan 2001
  • 54-67
  • F Egbokhare
Egbokhare, F. (2001). "The Nigeria Linguistic Ecology and the changing profile of Nigeria Pidgin," Igboanusi, H. (ed.) Language Attitude and Language Conflict in West Africa. Ibadan: Enicrownfit Publishers. (p. 54-67)
Nigeria Pidgin (Background and Prospects)
  • Jan 1991
  • B Elugbe
  • A Omamor
Elugbe, B. & Omamor, A. (1991). Nigeria Pidgin (Background and Prospects), Ibadan Heinemann Educational Books.
  • Jan 1988
  • J Holm
Holm, J. (1988). Pidgin and Croele Vol. 1 (Theory and Structure). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. www.sciedu.ca/elr
Growing English and National Growth: The Nigerian Experience
  • Jan 2005
  • 13-25
  • M I Osakwe
Osakwe, M.I. (2005). "Growing English and National Growth: The Nigerian Experience". Abraka Humanities Review, 1(1) (p. 13-25).
The New Linguistic Order: A Critical Examination of the Impact of Globalization on the English Language
  • Jan 2005
  • 5-20
  • L Oyeleley
Oyeleley, L. (2005). "The New Linguistic Order: A Critical Examination of the Impact of Globalization on the English Language" Olateju, M. and Oyeleye, L. (eds) Perspectives on Language and Nigerian Literature. Ile-Ife. Obafemi Awolowo University Press. (5-20)