THE SOCIOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE IGBO IDEOLOGY: “I NA-ENYE M NRI?”

Abstract

Sociolinguistics, in studying the relationship between language and society, enables the community members not only to learn to use the appropriate language for each occasion, but also to understand the social implications of any linguistic expression. It is against this backdrop that this research is centered on "The Sociolinguistic Analysis of the Igbo Ideology: "I na-enye m nri?" The objectives of the study are: to explain the meaning of sociolinguistics, explain the relationship between an ideology and sociolinguistics, analyze the contexts of the use of the ideology, "I na-enye m nri?" and establish the implications of the analysis. The study adopts the descriptive research methodology, coupled with the use of the researchers' intuition as native speakers of the Igbo language. The theory to guide the study is the Use Theory of Meaning by Ludwig Wittgenstein. The study finds out that sociolinguistics examines the way in which language interacts with the society and the manner in which the language's structure changes in response to its different social functions. Concerning the relationship between ideology and sociolinguistics, the study reveals that ideology influences communication, while constituting a powerful tool for spreading views and ideas. In addition, the study discovers that the ideology, "I na-enye m nri", is a rhetorical question used to refuse intimidation, own one's right and announce a disrespectful treatment in inter-human dealings. The major implication of the analysis is the exposure of the nuances of the expression.