OHU AND AMADI COMMUNAL COMPLEX IN NKANULAND- IMPLICATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN EVANGELISM
- Project Research
- 1-5 Chapters
- Abstract : Available
- Table of Content: Available
- Reference Style: APA
- Recommended for : Student Researchers
- NGN 3000
Introduction
The interest of linguists in analysing conversational texts has gradually shifted from the traditional focus on the linguistic structure to investigating language use as a social phenomenon. The functional approach to language studies goes beyond the study of sentences in abstraction to describing the use of language in concrete situations. In other words, a study about a language is not just about the linguistic or formal studies of language but what language is used to achieve in real situations. Speakers formulate their utterances in order to achieve their intentions and goals of communication. In order to achieve this goal, one needs not just the basic linguistic competence, that is, competence in phonology, morphology, semantic and syntactic competence but, also, competence in the pragmatic use of language. Thomas Holtgrave citing Hymes holds that ‘to use language to communicate successfully requires much more than linguistic competence’ (‘Speaking’ 207). He goes further to say that one must be able to translate intentions into words and do so in such a way that these intentions will be recognized by the recipient (‘Speaking’ 207). According to him, all interactants must be able to do this in such a way so as to avoid offending each other. This according to him is referred to as pragmatic competence (‘Speaking’ 207). This shows that apart from trying to understand the structure of language, language users should also know how to use language in order to achieve the desired goal. Niroomand Masoumeh citing Scollon and Scollon holds that the violation of pragmatic rules is bound to lead to communication breakdown (2). Obviously, this suggests that 1 2 competence, whether linguistic or pragmatic competence should be learned and developed systematically. Language is the principal means of communication amongst human beings. Invariably, the possession of it makes us human. Victoria Fromkin, Robert Rodman & Nina Hyams put it succinctly in these words: The possession of language, perhaps more than any other attribute, distinguishes humans from other animals. To understand our humanity, one must understand the nature of language that makes us human. According to the philosophy expressed in the myths and religions of many peoples, language is the source of human life and power. (284) It is deduced that language is the exclusive preserve of humans. Without language, it will be difficult for humans to live and interact in society. Humans use language to convey and receive information in society. It is an important means of communication. Given the importance of language, different scholars have tried to define language in varied ways. John Lyons quoting Edward Sapir writes that ‘language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols’(3). From the foregoing, it is only humans that have the innate ability to use language effectively using symbols which are consciously produced. Moreover, there are some basic properties which every language is expected to possess. One of such properties is arbitrariness. Marianne Jorgensen and Phillips Louise remark that the meaning we attach to words is not inherent in them but a result of social conventions whereby we connect certain meanings with certain sounds (10). This simply means that there is no relationship between speech sounds and the meanings they represent. In other words, there is no 3 link between form and meaning or between the signal and the message. This further explains why different languages have different names for the same object. Conversely, there are sporadic situations in all languages of onomatopoeia, that is a situation where form is directly related to meaning as in kokorookoo meaning roaster, gbam-gbam meaning zinc, kom-kom meaning an empty tin, kpom-kpom, meaning a knock at door as noticed in the Igbo language. From this, it is possible to predict the meaning of a word and once the meaning is predicted, it is then, possible to predict the form. However, most of the words in all languages are nononomatopoeic. On the other hand, the obvious case of arbitrariness in language makes it such that the users have to associate a particular form to a particular meaning which must be learnt independently. Lyons makes it explicit in these words: The fact that the link between form and meaning at the level of the vocabulary-units of language-systems is, in general, arbitrary has the effect that a considerable burden is placed upon memory in the language acquisition process. The association of a particular form with a particular meaning must be learned for each vocabulary-unit independently. (19) From this, it could be seen that the arbitrariness of language has advantages and disadvantages. However, it can be argued that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages since it makes the system ‘more flexible and adaptable’ but ‘more difficult and laborious to learn’ (Lyons 19). The property of arbitrariness is peculiar to human language. In animal communication, there seems to be a relationship between the conveyed message and what it signifies. The set of signal used in animal communication is limited and predictable. For example, in animal communication, each form coincides with a definite signal. George Yule has it that ‘each variety of animal communication consists of a fixed and limited set of (vocal or gestural) forms. Many of these 4 forms are used only in specific situations (e.g. establishing territory) and at particular times (e.g. during the mating season)’ (22). Another property of language is duality. Duality in language simply means that every language has two levels of structure: the primary level and the secondary level. At the primary level the individual sounds do not convey any meaning. In other words, they are semantically empty. At the secondary level, the sounds are combined with one another to produce meaning. All human language systems have both levels of structure. This quality is extremely rare in other communication systems including animal communication systems. Yet, another property of human language is organization. It is only human language that can be organized to produce meanings. The organization is carried on from very simple to most complex structures. The individual units are combined with one another in order to form phrases; phrases are further combined to form clauses, and these clauses are in turn, combined to form the sentences. Besides, productivity is another feature of the human language. The human language continues to grow because novel utterances are continuously created in languages. This feature is also noticed among children who, most times, produce sentences which they have never heard before. On the part of adults, situations often arise that they manipulate words in order to describe such situations, thereby producing new sentences and expressions. The property of productivity makes human language creative in nature. It also explains why it is possible to have infinite number of expressions in a particular language
Related Project Materials
A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND REGULATIONS IN NIGERIA ECONOMY
ABSTRACT
The study is an investigation into the development of environmental accounting and disclosure practices of manu...
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF COLONIAL RESISTANCE IN SEMBÈNE OUSMANE’S GOD’S BITS OF WOOD AND NGUGI WA THIONG’O’S WEEP NOT, CHILD
ABSTRACT
This research is designed to afford the understanding of the common cultural heritage between francophone and Anglophone postcol...
INDECENT DRESSING AMONG UNDERGRADUATES: A CASE STUDY OF THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, EKIADOLOR, EDO STATE
ABSTRACT
Indecent dressing like other social vices has eaten deep into the lives of the youths, especia...
THE IMPACT OF ACCOUNTING FINANCIAL INFORMATION SYSTEM ON THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIAL BANK IN NIGERIA (A CASE OF FIRST BANK)
Abstract
An organization comprises of a combination of various information systems. These various information syst...
FAMILY AND SOCIETY: A CASE STUDY OF THINGS FALL APART AND PURPLE HIBISCUS IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE
-
-
Background of the study
-
Many societies ha...
THE IMPLICATION AND BENEFIT OF THE USE OF SOFTWARES IN BUILDING PROJECT CONSTRUCTION (CASE STUDY OF SELECTED CONSTRUCTION FIRMS AND PROJECT MANAGING FIRMS)
Abstract
Software is any set of machine-readable instruction that directs a computer processor to perform specific opera...
AN ASSESSMENT OF TALAQ AND ITS CONSEQUENCES IN ISLAMIC LAW
ABSTRACT
The right of divorce (talaq) is vested in the husband by Islamic law to terminate a marriage that fails to achieve its objective...
BEYOND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: CREATED SHARED VALUE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
ABSTRACT
This study examines the paradigm shift in business sustainability strategy from corporate soci...
AN APPRAISAL OF CONTRIBUTORY PENSION SCHEME AND RETIREES’ WELFARE IN NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
This study was undertaken to appraise the contributory pension scheme and retirees. The study opened with chapt...
CULT VIOLENCE IN BAYELSA AND RIVERS STATE FROM 2010-2020
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Criminal activities occasioned by cultism are not limited to Bayelsa and Bayels...
