A popular Nigerian proverb says “Person wey dey go far, no suppose make enemies” (a traveller to distant places should make no enemies). This proverb can be related to Nigerians in Pearson Institute of Higher Education students. Miles away from home, the Nigerians here at PI have to adapt to the new environment.
This assignment discusses the discursive identity of Nigerians. It focuses, especially, on the most commonly used Pidgin English as well as the cultural identity of the people. Hymes’ ‘Ethnography of Communication’ is the methodology chosen to conduct the research. The report includes a description of participants, a brief introduction of the research methodology and interpretation of data obtained.
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY …show more content…
In answer to the question, what is your main language of communication? Participant A gave the answer “shouting and Pidgin English” to emphasise the above point on volume when speaking. As a part of the music culture, drums and singing are an extremely important method of communication amongst Nigerians. For example, there is a drum called the ‘Talking Drum’ used in the Yoruba culture to communicate different messages in different settings.
Nigerian movies are also a big part of the culture. The characters in the movies are portrayed to be extreme in their gestures and loud when speaking. According to participants, it is somewhat true that Nigerians are that way, however, in real life, they are not that extreme. Regarding communication, Nigerians are also known for tactile expressions. In other words, to emphasise a point, they need to touch whoever they are speaking …show more content…
For instance, regarding the subject of rape, one of the participants believes that whoever the rapist is has fault, unlike in South Africa where it is believed that rape is the woman’s fault. Greeting is also another example of shared beliefs. According to each participant, when they got to South Africa, it was surprising to see that it was normal to greet an older person saying ‘hi’. In the Nigerian culture, it is sometimes considered rude to greet an older person in English rather than in the native