Verbal past inflection in Nigerian English
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Axel Bohmann
Abstract
We analyze variation in Nigerian English verbal past inflection on the basis of 2,989 verbs with past-time reference. Observations were extracted from the spontaneous conversations category of the International Corpus of English Nigeria and from two sets of sociolinguistic interviews. In contrast to the previous literature, our analysis shows rich systematicity in the constraints governing verbal past inflection, but also significant differences between the data sets. The latter concern both the overall frequency of past inflection and the number and strength of linguistic conditioning variables. At the level of method, we argue for ‘sociolinguistic compound vision,’ i.e. an active effort to include diverse data sets in order to avoid homogenizing accounts of New Englishes.
Abstract
We analyze variation in Nigerian English verbal past inflection on the basis of 2,989 verbs with past-time reference. Observations were extracted from the spontaneous conversations category of the International Corpus of English Nigeria and from two sets of sociolinguistic interviews. In contrast to the previous literature, our analysis shows rich systematicity in the constraints governing verbal past inflection, but also significant differences between the data sets. The latter concern both the overall frequency of past inflection and the number and strength of linguistic conditioning variables. At the level of method, we argue for ‘sociolinguistic compound vision,’ i.e. an active effort to include diverse data sets in order to avoid homogenizing accounts of New Englishes.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- New Englishes new methods 1
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Part I. Corpora
- Verbal past inflection in Nigerian English 16
- Functions of code-switching in online registers of Pakistani English 42
- New Englishes and Conversation Analysis 65
- Creole and power 84
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Part II. Phonetics and phonology
- Question intonation patterns in Nigerian English 108
- Analysing the speech rhythm of New Englishes 132
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Part III. Language attitudes
- Acceptability Judgement Tasks in New Englishes research 158
- Mixed methods in the mapping of accent perceptions in Indian varieties of English 178
- Mapping perceptions in New Englishes 201
-
Part IV. Ethnography
- Understanding, collecting, and presenting data in New Englishes research 222
- Complicating the field 243
- Conclusion 263
- Index 275
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- New Englishes new methods 1
-
Part I. Corpora
- Verbal past inflection in Nigerian English 16
- Functions of code-switching in online registers of Pakistani English 42
- New Englishes and Conversation Analysis 65
- Creole and power 84
-
Part II. Phonetics and phonology
- Question intonation patterns in Nigerian English 108
- Analysing the speech rhythm of New Englishes 132
-
Part III. Language attitudes
- Acceptability Judgement Tasks in New Englishes research 158
- Mixed methods in the mapping of accent perceptions in Indian varieties of English 178
- Mapping perceptions in New Englishes 201
-
Part IV. Ethnography
- Understanding, collecting, and presenting data in New Englishes research 222
- Complicating the field 243
- Conclusion 263
- Index 275
