EXAMINING THE DISCOURSE OF THE NIGERIAN ENGLISH AS A NON-NATIVE VARIETY: FROM EVOLUTION TO STATUS

Abstract

This study examines the discourse of Nigerian English as a non-native variety, tracing its evolution and establishing its present status within the framework of World Englishes. Focusing on selected lexical items, the analysis highlights systematic patterns of semantic narrowing, broadening, extension, and pragmatic reorientation that distinguish Nigerian English from Standard British English (henceforth SBE). Data were drawn from Nigerian literary texts and newspapers in the bid to ensure authentic representations of usage. Items such as Godfather, conductor, big man, compound, and home training illustrate how English, among World Englishes, has been indigenised to reflect Nigeria’s socio-cultural realities and communicative practices. The findings demonstrate that these innovations are neither random deviations nor errors but adaptive processes that enrich the expressive capacity of Nigerian English. The study concludes that Nigerian English has developed into a stable, dynamic, and legitimate variety in its own right, embodying both local identity and global relevance.