The impact of language contact on morphological structures among Yoruba and English speakers in Lagos
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Background of the study
In Lagos, a major urban melting pot, extensive language contact occurs between Yoruba and English speakers. This interaction has profound implications for the morphological structures of both languages. Language contact, through daily communication in diverse settings such as markets, workplaces, and media, creates opportunities for borrowing, code-mixing, and morphological convergence. Research indicates that such contact may lead to innovative word-formation processes as speakers negotiate meaning in bilingual contexts (Adeyemi, 2023). In Lagos, the interplay of Yoruba’s agglutinative features and English’s analytic structure has given rise to hybrid morphological forms. These changes are observable in the alteration of affixation patterns and compound formation, as speakers adopt elements that enhance communicative efficiency in a bilingual society (Ogunleye, 2024). Social factors such as education, urban mobility, and media exposure further shape these morphological adjustments. Moreover, the competitive language contact environment fosters rapid linguistic innovation while simultaneously challenging traditional norms (Babatunde, 2025). The study adopts a sociolinguistic perspective to investigate how daily language practices in Lagos facilitate morphological change, thereby contributing to both language maintenance and evolution. By documenting emerging patterns, this research aims to shed light on the dynamics of language contact and its impact on the structure of Nigerian languages.
Statement of the problem
Despite anecdotal observations of morphological hybridization among Yoruba and English speakers in Lagos, systematic empirical studies are scarce. The dynamic interaction between these language groups appears to influence word-formation processes, yet the precise nature and extent of these changes remain unclear (Adeyemi, 2023). Traditional morphological boundaries in Yoruba are being reconfigured under the pressure of English influence, leading to inconsistencies and potential loss of established morphological rules. This gap in research creates challenges for language planners and educators who seek to balance linguistic innovation with heritage preservation (Ogunleye, 2024). Moreover, the variability in language use among different social groups in Lagos further complicates the understanding of morphological change. A focused investigation is therefore needed to document these morphological phenomena and to propose strategies that ensure the sustainable evolution of both languages in a contact situation (Babatunde, 2025).
Objectives of the study:
To document the morphological changes emerging from language contact between Yoruba and English.
To analyze how bilingual interaction alters affixation and compounding processes.
To assess the social factors influencing these morphological adaptations.
Research questions:
What morphological changes can be observed as a result of language contact in Lagos?
How are traditional affixation and compounding processes modified in bilingual interactions?
Which social factors most significantly influence morphological hybridization?
Research Hypotheses:
Language contact significantly modifies the morphological structures of Yoruba and English in Lagos.
Bilingual speakers exhibit innovative word-formation processes compared to monolingual speakers.
Social variables such as education and media exposure mediate morphological adaptations.
Significance of the study:
This study is significant as it provides empirical evidence on how language contact influences morphological structures in a multilingual urban setting. The findings will aid linguists, educators, and policymakers in developing language planning strategies that support both linguistic innovation and the preservation of traditional morphological systems (Adeyemi, 2023; Babatunde, 2025).
Scope and limitations of the study:
The study is limited to examining morphological changes arising from language contact between Yoruba and English in Lagos. It focuses solely on morphological structures without extending to phonological or syntactic aspects.
Definitions of terms:
Language Contact: The interaction between speakers of different languages leading to linguistic change.
Morphological Structures: The patterns and processes of word formation in a language.
Hybridization: The process of merging features from different languages to form new linguistic elements.
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