A SOCIOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF LANGUAGE VARIATION AMONG THE ACADEMIC AND NON ACADEMIC STAFF OF AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
A SOCIOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF LANGUAGE VARIATION AMONG THE ACADEMIC AND NON ACADEMIC STAFF OF AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
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Date
2016
Authors
ABDULWAHAB, SUBERU
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Abstract
This study “ASociolinguistic Analysis of Language Variation among the Academic and Non Academic Staff of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria”is preoccupied with the intrinsic relationship between language variation, sociolinguistics, social context and culture of individual as well as diverse groups in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. It established language variation as an inseparable part of human society, human civilization and cultural integration. The study sourced its data from questionnaires and random sampling method, with face to face direct procedure applied in the data elicitation process. A brief pilot survey was undertaken to test the instruments. The study adopts the community of practice theory in order to overcome the limitations presented by earlier linguistic theories such as the speech community model and social network theory. The theory was also adopted in this study because it permits us to draw on the linguistic and social information necessary to understand variation amongst staff of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Our findings shows that language variation cuts across both the academic staff and the non academic staff including the university professor as staff tends to switch from formal to informal according to the situation they find themselves. Also, that the predominant native language (Hausa) and Pidgin English have a great impact on the language use of individuals who serve as staffers of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The findings also implied that the length of time an individual spends in a given location could have a significant impression on his or her competence in the language of that environment. Also, that there are both inter-speaker variation, that is variation between individual speakers, and intra-speaker variation, that is variation within individual speaker. Establishment of the fact that language is a vehicle for socialization and cultural integration is made possible by analyzing individuals of diverse culture. The tendency to show solidarity and identity with ones interlocutors is a major drive that gives birth to language variation.
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A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND LITERARY STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Keywords
SOCIOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS,, LANGUAGE VARIATION,, ACADEMIC,, NON ACADEMIC STAFF,, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,, ZARIA