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Publication details [#53912]

Ibrahim, Binta Fatima. 2010. The appropriation of linguistic forms for better cognitive comprehension of the Nigerian pragmatic literature. Babel 56 (2) : 119–128.
Publication type
Article in journal
Publication language
English
Language as a subject
Place, Publisher
John Benjamins
Journal DOI
10.1075/babel

Annotation

The propensity of the English language to absorb native nuances by the African writers should be seen as a worthwhile stylistic device, despite the position of English language. Its adaptability to natural flavours should therefore be aimed at the writers' intention to reach a wider audience. This also means that the attempt by writers to decolorize through literature the polluted African culture goes through the use of appropriate notions and local nuances. The technique has, however, been to put on record traditional ways of life, the peoples' customs, communal activities such as festivals, ceremonies, rituals, myths, folktales, proverbs, music, dance, songs, etc. in order to remind the African reader about the importance of these crucial aspects of the tradition in addition to the appropriation of language use. Hence most African writings can be said to have their foundations in the cultural heritage of their various groups through the use of what one may call technically implanted African English, African coinages, direct translations, proverbs, local idioms, transfers of mother tongues, local insertions, etc. Hence it is not enough to use the sociological and residual approaches to literature. The formalist and pragmatic approaches should also be considered paramount in the writing of African literature. For the choice of diction, narrative technique and the entire pragma-aesthetic implications the African man's speech is important to the reader of African literature, if he is to understand the theme