In the Linguistic Paradise: A Festschrift for E. Nolue Emenanjo

674 Pages·2019·5.966 MB·English

by  Ozo-mekuri Ndimele

In the Linguistic Paradise
Nigerian Festschrift Series No. 2
A Partial List of Books in Language & Linguistics Published by M & J
Grand Orbit Communications Ltd

1. Four Decades in the Study of Languages & Linguistics in Nigeria
2. In the Linguistic Paradise
3. Languages & Culture in Nigeria
4. Trends in the Study of Language & Linguistics in Nigeria
5. Convergence: English and Nigeria Languages
6. Language, Literature and Culture in Nigeria
7. Critical Issues in the Study of Linguistics, Languages & Literatures in Nigeria
8. Language Policy, Planning & Management in Nigeria
9. Language, Literature & Communication in a Dynamic World
10. Language, Literature & Culture in a Multilingual Society
11. Issues in Contemporary African Linguistics
12. Language Endangerment: Globalisation & the Fate of Minority Languages in
Nigeria
13. ICT, Globalization & the Study of Languages in Africa
14. Numeral Systems of Nigerian Languages
15. The Syntax of Igbo Causatives: A Minimalist Account
16. Eleme Phonology
17. Basic Linguistics for Nigerian Language Teachers
18. English Studies and National Development
19. Language, Literature & Literacy in a Developing Nation
20. Language & Economic Reforms in Nigeria
21. The Syntax & Semantics of Yorùbá Nominal Expressions
22. Functional Categories in Igbo
23. Affixation and Auxiliaries in Igbo
24. A Grammar of Contemporary Igbo
25. Empowering Small Nigerian Languages
26. Endangered Languages in Nigeria
27. A Concise Grammar & Lexicon of Echie
28. Bette Ethnography: Theory and Practice
29. Topical Issues in Sociolinguistics: The Nigerian Perspective
30. Studies in Nigerian Linguistics
In the Linguistic Paradise

A Festschrift for E. Nolue Emenanjo

Ozo-mekuri Ndimele [Ed.]

Department of Linguistics & Communication Studies,
University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

M & J Grand Orbit Communications Ltd.
Port Harcourt
M & J Educational Books
No. 10 Nchia Street, Delta Park
Box 237 Uniport P.O., University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
E-mail: [email protected] Phone: [phone]

(cid:2)(cid:2) 2019 Ozo-mekuri Ndimele

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be used or reproduced in any manner, by
print, photoprint, microfilm, or any other means, without written permission from the
Copyright owner except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and
reviews.

First Issued 2003

ISBN: 978-978-56440-1-2

Published by
M & J Grand Orbit Communications Ltd., Port Harcourt

Re-issued and Distributed Overseas by:

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Dedication

This Book is Dedicated to

ALL

Lovers of their Language
Preface

In the Linguistic Paradise is the second volume in the Nigerian Linguists Festschrift Series.
The motivating force behind the establishment of the Festschrift Series is to honour
outstanding scholars who have excelled in the study of languages and linguistics in Nigeria.
The first in the series was produced in honour of Professor Kay Williamson with the title:
Four Decades in the Study of Languages and Linguistics in Nigeria.

This volume is dedicated to Professor E. Nolue Emenanjo, a celebrated linguist and a
pioneer professor of Igbo Linguistics. Professor Emenanjo is among the big names in ‘Who
is Who in Nigerian Linguistics’. Today, he occupies a most elevated position as the first
Executive Director of the National Institute for Nigerian Languages, Aba. As the Executive
Director of the Institute, Professor Emenanjo is charged with the enormous task of
developing, documenting and archiving about 500 or more indigenous Nigerian languages
and their dialects. At this highest level, he has interacted with many linguists and other
scholars working on various aspects of Nigerian indigenous languages. Thus, Professor
Emenanjo has an idea of the state of development of a great number of Nigerian languages.
Indeed, he is presiding over a linguistic gold mine; hence, the title of this book: In the
Linguistic Paradise.

As Professor Emenanjo turns 60 on 21 April, 2003, some of us (his former students, friends
and professional colleagues) thought it would be worthwhile to hold a symposium in his
honour, and to present him a book on the occasion to celebrate not only scholarship in our
field, but also the impact of his contributions in the development of languages spoken in
Nigeria.

The book is organized in five sections, as follows:

§A. Language, History and Society
§B. Literature, Stylistics and Pragmatics
§C. Applied Linguistics
§D. Formal Linguistics
§E. Tributes

There are 15 papers in §A; the majority of them address the perennial problem of language
choice in Nigeria. §B contains 10 papers focusing on literature, stylistics and pragmatics.
§C contains 17 papers; a sizeable number of them focus on language teaching and learning;
2 are on lexicography, while others are on language engineering. §D contains 16 papers
focusing on the core areas of linguistics. In §E, Alamu presents the biographical profile
and an intimidating list of publications of Professor E. Nolue Emenanjo, while Nwadike
examines the contributions of Emenanjo in Igbo Studies.

In all, the papers contained here are representative of the current state of research in
vii

Nigerian languages and linguistics. And from the two volumes of the Festschrift Series so
far in print, we seem to have an idea of who is doing what and where in the study of
languages and linguistics in Nigeria.

Editing the Festschrift Series has been one of the greatest academic challenges I have come
to face in recent times. To accomplish the task of publishing this volume, I owe
immeasurable gratitude to a number of persons. It is with due respect that I acknowledge
the support I received from the academic staff of the Department of Linguistics and
Communication Studies, University of Port Harcourt, and the National Institute for
Nigerian Languages, Aba. I specially thank my senior colleagues, Professor Kay
Williamson, Dr. (Mrs.) Phil. E. Ejele and Dr. (Mrs.) Shirley Yul-Ifode, for reading some
of the papers. I also thank the members of my family, particularly my wife and our son, for
the unquantifiable neglect they had to put up with while I worked on this volume. Where
was the funding for this project to come from if the Emhai Press crew had not come to our
rescue? To the management of Emhai Press, we say a big thank you.

Finally, we thank God for this dream come true.

Table of Contents

Dedication v
Preface vi

1. Globalization, Multilingualism & the New Information & Communication
Technologies 1
-Appolonia U. Okwudishu

2. Terminological Research & Development in Nigerian Languages 7
-Emmanuel N. Kwofie

3. Language & the National Question 17
-A.U. Iwara

4. The National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN) & a
Comprehensive Language Census for Nigeria 39
-Eno-Abasi E. Urua

5. The Languages of Kaduna State: A Linguistic Survey 51
-A.H. Amfani

6. Developing & Promoting Multilingualism in the Nigerian Public & Social
Life for Modern Age 61
-Gregory Osas Simire

7. Stem-initial Obstruents in Proto Igboid-Yoruboid-Edoid (PIYE) 77
-Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche

8. A Socio-historical Account of the English Language in Nigeria 99
-Mitchell l. Musaka

9. A Socio-historical Survey of English in Igboland 105
-Herbert Igboanusi

10. On the Use of Indigenous Languages for National Development in
Nigeria: Problems & Prospects 117
-A.U. Iwara

11. On the Socio-cultural Dimension of Language Use: Evidence from Efik 125
-Eyo O. Mensah & Mercy I. Ugot