LANGUAGE CONTACT AND LANGUAGE CHANGE: AN EXAMPLE OF NIGERIAN PIDGIN

Abstract

Language contact occurs when speakers of two or more languages even varieties interact and influence each other. When speakers of different languages have close conversation, it is certain for their languages to influence each other. Language Contact is normally one of the major factors of Language Change. The idea of change in language has different attitude over the years. Some scholars argued that language change has adverse effect on the standardization of language, they are of the view that change alters the originality of the language. The older generation, for instance, see change in language especially in younger generation as unacceptable and thereby termed the speakers destroyers of the beauty and efficacy of language. However, some scholars have advocated for language change as it has positive effects, it makes language dynamic and stands the taste of time as it tends to flow with the trends of time. The most popular case in respect of language contact is the emergence of Pidgin. Nigerian Pidgin has a lot of variation and changes over time. This paper, therefore, examines the concept of Language Contact, Language Change and the functional advantages of changes that come from contact with other languages such as English, Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Portuguese and Warri slang. The study adopted the Principle of Variation by Labov. Data for this study comprise naturally occurring casual speeches of speakers of Nigerian Pidgin. Data were purposively chosen from discourses of speakers in public bus, some students’ conversations within and outside the university campus. This research discovers that Nigerian Pidgin emerged as a result of contact situation and have undergone some changes over the years.