Pentecostalism and Nigeria’s English Usage: A Pragmatic Analysis of Select Expressions

Abstract

The paper attempts to investigate the pragmatic choices interactants make in the use of the selected expressions: it is well, (we) thank God, glory be to God, it is not my portion, by the grace of God, I am rich, I am strong, my case is different, may God go (be) with you and the devil is a liar spoken by Nigerian English users, especially among the Pentecostal adherents in their daily communicative activities. Specifically, the study aims to analyze the semantico-pragmatic peculiarities in terms of the contextual usage of the constructions in Nigerian English. The theories considered relevant to the study are van Dijk’s Context Models and Mey’s theory of Pragmatic Acts. The theories are relevant because they account for the situational appropriateness of language use which meaning is contextually-determined by participants with shared linguistic and sociocultural background. Data for the study were generated by means of participant observation by the researcher who is also Pentecostal Christian and speaker of Nigerian English in informal and formal domains. The findings indicate that the creations are aspects of contextual (mis)appropriation of biblical incidences into Nigerian English usage in specific interactive situations to pragmatically function as: interruptive marker, expression of empathy and religiosity, pragmatic presupposition, advance rejection of tragedy, exercise of faith and escapist stance, among others. Although the contextual meanings are mutually intelligible in the Nigerian sociolinguistic milieu, but the analysis is believed to enhance the desired comprehension during interactions involving Nigerian English users of different religious affiliations, and foreign speakers of English.

Key Words: Pentecostalism, Nigerian English, Pragmatic analysis, Selected expressions, Contextual uses.