English and the Computer Culture: The Nigerian Situation

Abstract

Common sense alone would suggest that no technology is wholly or exclusively beneficial; thus, in view of the prevailing computer culture, the English Language in this Digital Age faces many obstacles and present many challenges. The purpose of this article therefore, is to highlight the obstacles and challenges of this new technology-driven globalised environment for English Language, particularly, in the Nigerian society, in order to point out the consequences of getting engaged in the computer business as usual, and to suggest ways of adapting to this new environment. This is because; the study and use of English Language have been dramatically affected by factors of computer technological globalisation and digitisation. The article adopts the rhetorical-analytical approach to the discussion. References to English Language studies will cover syntactic, semantic and different aspects of English Language in the areas of pre-planning, post-writing editing, proofreading, formatting and general English Language Communication. Central to the paper is the review of the critical writing of Christina Haas, titled: Writing Technology: Studies on the Materiality of Literacy and the three studies conducted by this paper to determine the influence of computer culture on the acquisition and utilization of the English Language.