1887
Volume 46, Issue 1
  • ISSN 0172-8865
  • E-ISSN: 1569-9730

Abstract

Abstract

This paper investigates spelling practices in Nigerian Pidgin (NigP) computer-mediated communication (CMC) as well as Nigerians’ perceptions of these. The first part is a corpus-based analysis. It shows that conventionalization of spelling variants is taking place in the absence of formal standardization. Furthermore, we observe the application of general CMC respelling strategies, e.g. vowel reduction. The second part is a survey study where participants were asked to judge the correctness of spelling variants. When the corpus results indicated the existence of a conventionalized spelling, the participants tended to either endorse this or, when shown an alternative, suggest it as the correct form; items that are more variable in the corpus yielded more mixed results. We apply and elaborate on the notion of “standardization from below” (Elspaß 2021) and we argue that the existence of conventionalized NigP spellings makes possible deviations from these in CMC-typical fashion just as in Standard English.

Available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/eww.24018.deu
2025-03-14
2025-04-25
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/eww.24018.deu.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.1075/eww.24018.deu&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Anthony, Laurence
    2018AntConc. 〈https://www.laurenceanthony.net/software/antconc/releases/〉. (accessedFebruary 22, 2024).
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Kassambara, Alboukadel, and Fabian Mundt
    2019factoextra: Extract and Visualize the Results of Multivariate Data Analyses. 〈https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=factoextra〉 (accessedMarch 11, 2021).
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Lê, Sébastien, Julie Josse, and François Husson
    2008 “FactoMineR: A Package for Multivariate Analysis”. Journal of Statistical Software251: 1–18. 10.18637/jss.v025.i01
    https://doi.org/10.18637/jss.v025.i01 [Google Scholar]
  4. Roche, Xavier
    2017 HTTrack. 〈https://www.httrack.com/〉. (accessedJune 5, 2024).
  5. Semushin, Sergey
    2019DSpellCheck. 〈https://github.com/Predelnik/DSpellCheck〉. (accessedJanuary 18, 2024).
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Androutsopoulos, Jannis
    2006 “Introduction: Sociolinguistics and Computer-mediated Communication”. Journal of Sociolinguistics101: 419–438. 10.1111/j.1467‑9841.2006.00286.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9841.2006.00286.x [Google Scholar]
  7. Deuber, Dagmar
    2005Nigerian Pidgin in Lagos Language Contact, Variation and Change in an African Urban Setting. London: Battlebridge.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Deuber, Dagmar, and Lars Hinrichs
    2007 “Dynamics of Orthographic Standardization in Jamaican Creole and Nigerian Pidgin”. World Englishes261: 22–47. 10.1111/j.1467‑971X.2007.00486.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971X.2007.00486.x [Google Scholar]
  9. Eisenstein, Jacob
    2015 “Systematic Patterning in Phonologically-motivated Orthographic Variation”. Journal of Sociolinguistics191: 161–188. 10.1111/josl.12119
    https://doi.org/10.1111/josl.12119 [Google Scholar]
  10. Elspaß, Stephan
    2021 “Language Standardization in a View ‘from Below’”. InWendy Ayres-Bennett and John Bellamy, eds.The Cambridge Handbook of Language Standardization (1st ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 93–114. 10.1017/9781108559249.004
    https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108559249.004 [Google Scholar]
  11. Elugbe, Ben
    2008 “Nigerian Pidgin English: Phonology”. InRajend Mesthrie, Bernd Kortmann and Edgar W. Schneider, eds.Varieties of English 4, Africa, South and Southeast Asia. Berlin: De Gruyter, 55–66.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Faraclas, Nicholas
    1996Nigerian Pidgin. London: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Heyd, Theresa
    2016 “Global Varieties of English gone Digital: Orthographic and Semantic Variation in Digital Nigerian Pidgin”. InLauren Squires, ed.English in Computer-Mediated Communication: Variation, Representation, and Change. Berlin: De Gruyter, 101–122. 10.1515/9783110490817‑006
    https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110490817-006 [Google Scholar]
  14. Hinrichs, Lars
    2004 “Emerging Orthographic Conventions in Written Creole: Computer-mediated Communication in Jamaica”. AAA: Arbeiten aus Anglistik und Amerikanistik: 81–109.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Hinrichs, Lars, and Jessica White-Sustaíta
    2011 “Global Englishes and the Sociolinguistics of Spelling: A Study of Jamaican Blog and Email Writing. English World-Wide321: 46–73. 10.1075/eww.32.1.03hin
    https://doi.org/10.1075/eww.32.1.03hin [Google Scholar]
  16. Holm, John A.
    1988Pidgins and Creoles Volume 1. Theory and Structure. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Mair, Christian
    2013 “The World System of Englishes: Accounting for the Transnational Importance of Mobile and Mediated Vernaculars”. English World-Wide341: 253–278. 10.1075/eww.34.3.01mai
    https://doi.org/10.1075/eww.34.3.01mai [Google Scholar]
  18. Milroy, James
    2002 “Language Ideologies and the Consequences of Standardization”. Journal of Sociolinguistics51: 530–555. 10.1111/1467‑9481.00163
    https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9481.00163 [Google Scholar]
  19. Moll, Andrea
    2015Jamaican Creole Goes Web: Sociolinguistic Styling and Authenticity in a Digital “Yaad”. Amsterdam: Benjamins. 10.1075/cll.49
    https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.49 [Google Scholar]
  20. Mühleisen, Susanne
    2022Genre in World Englishes: Case studies from the Caribbean. Amsterdam: Benjamins. 10.1075/veaw.g67
    https://doi.org/10.1075/veaw.g67 [Google Scholar]
  21. Oenbring, Raymond
    2013 “Bey or bouy: Orthographic Patterns in Bahamian Creole English on the Web”. English World-Wide341: 341–364. 10.1075/eww.34.3.04one
    https://doi.org/10.1075/eww.34.3.04one [Google Scholar]
  22. Ong, Kenneth Keng Wee
    2017 “Textese and Singlish in Multiparty Chats”. World Englishes361: 611–630. 10.1111/weng.12245
    https://doi.org/10.1111/weng.12245 [Google Scholar]
  23. Sharma, Bal Krishna
    2012 “Beyond Social Networking: Performing Global Englishes in Facebook by College Youth in Nepal”. Journal of Sociolinguistics161: 483–509. 10.1111/j.1467‑9841.2012.00544.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9841.2012.00544.x [Google Scholar]
  24. Shortis, Tim
    2007a “Gr8 Txtpectations: The Creativity of Text Spelling”. English Drama Media81: 21–26.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. 2007b “Revoicing Txt: Spelling, Vernacular Orthography and ‘unregimented writing.’ InPosteguillo Santiago, Esteve, María José, and M. Lluïsa Gea-Valor, eds.The Texture of Internet: Netlinguistics in Progress. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholar Press, 2–23.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Tagg, Caroline
    2011 “Wot did he say or could u not c him 4 dust?: Written and Spoken Creativity in Text Messaging”. InAnderson, C. M. L., Ho, K. T., and Leong, A. P., eds.Transforming Literacies and Language: Multimodality and Literacy in the New Media Age. London: Bloomsbury, 223–236.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/eww.24018.deu
Loading
/content/journals/10.1075/eww.24018.deu
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error