Department of Languages and General Studies

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 44
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    Global Education and Language: Proposing a Universal Variety of English as Medium of Instruction
    (Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition Vol. 5, No. 2, 2015) Chimuanya; Eyisi, Joy; Idaraobong, Joshua; Omunagbe, Dorcas; Ojo, Kanyisola; Demurin, Deborah
    Global Education begins with raising an awareness of global challenges, creating an in-depth understanding of what the challenges entail with the goal of changing people’s thoughts and attitudes, encouraging them to live out their lives to the fullest and play their special parts effectively. To this end, in order to enhance these goals, communication is crucial especially being that it entails making use of an acceptable and intelligible language variety. How can Global Education attain its goals if it does not begin to prescribe and describe for itself, a Global variety of the English language developed just for instructional purpose in the delivery of Global Education? This paper therefore proposes a move towards the prescription and description of a mutually intelligible variety of the English language, to be used just for Global Education. This proposal is born out of our experience during our first collaboration with three other Universities in taking the course ‘Global English Varieties’. One of the major challenges that impeded our flow was the variety barrier. This paper will also ascertain the percentage of Covenant University students confronted with this same challenge by the use of questionnaire. A hundred questionnaires was distributed and analyzed.
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    Going superstitious and blaming the invisible “other”: a linguistic appraisal of social media posts on “village people”
    (Languages and Cultures, Vol. 58, 2024) Igwebuike, Ebuka Elias; Chimuanya, Lily; Egwu, Anya Ude
    In this study, we explore how superstitions and blame are weaved in the linguistic con structions and representations of “village people”, the infamous mystic villains. Using Cultural Discourse Analysis (CuDA), we examine selected social media tweets and posts in which netizens deployed a mix of linguistic humour, the traditional African belief sys tem, and quasi-religious sensibilities to project the irrational belief in supernatural infl u ences of village people. We show how discursive conceptualisations such as evilifi ca tion, enemifi cation, remote controlling and monitoring are used superstitiously to blame the imaginary “village people” for individual and personal adversities of the unfortunates. This article underscores how peculiar Nigerian socio-religiosity and shared socio-cultural background shape the instantiations of fear and the institution of potency of vicious su pernatural powers.
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    Communicating Religious Extremism in West Africa
    (2020) Chiluwa, Innocent; Chimuanya, Lily; Ajiboye, Esther
    Whereas modern communication strategies have been celebrated for promoting ease of interaction, this chapter highlights that they have been deployed by some terrorist groups in Africa to threaten human security. It defines religious extremism in terms of the expression of extreme or violent actions or jihad on the basis of particular interpretations or understanding of religious teaching or scripture, especially the Quran. The chapter examines the (online) communication behaviours of extremists/terrorist groups in West Africa and Somalia that are often associated with Islam. It also examines religious extremism and its relation to violent conflict and describes the extremist violent activities of some identified African terrorist groups, and how contemporary media and the Internet have provided dynamic platforms for disseminating their message and ideology. Liebman views religious extremism as the desire to expand the scope, details and strictness of religious law, social isolation and the rejection of the surrounding culture.
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    PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE USE OF ENGLISH IN NIGERIA
    (Proceedings of EDULEARN20 Conference, 2020) Chimuanya, Lily; Awonuga, Christopher
    The acquisition and use of the English language have become a key factor in national development and individual intelligibility. Furthermore, English as a second language has long been institutionalised in Nigeria as one of the aftermaths of British colonial administration. Both realities call for reassessing how the language is taught and learned in the classroom. By contact, three varieties of English – British, American and Nigerian Englishes - are operational in Nigeria with their differences most noticeable at the phonological and lexical levels of linguistic description. This linguist situation comes with the pedagogical implications of which variety to teach in our educational system. Or is it a combination of the three? In the past we used to insist on British English but this position is no longer realistic in view of the fact that educated Nigerians make use of varieties freely without knowing which variety they are using. Thus, the situation we have now is that of a pedagogical nightmare, as teachers and examination bodies are confused as to what to accept as correct and acceptable usage. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to review existing English language texts and describe an eclectic task-based second language learning methodology that would incorporate online corpora; online CPD (Continuous Professional Development) and the global staffroom as well as critical thinking skills in learning the three existing varieties of English at the secondary level of education. This involves examining three major English language textbooks, each for Basic 7 and Basic 10; the beginners’ levels for both junior and senior secondary school and show how the vocabulary and phonology sections can integrate the three existing varieties. Our proposed method shows that for a heterogeneous environment like Nigeria where linguists are still grappling with establishing a standard Nigerian English variety, and with the need to have a global perspective in mind while responding to learners’ needs, it is imperative to concurrently expose students to all three varieties. This approach also guides examination bodies on prevalent acceptable usage and allow learners understand the distinctions across varieties.
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    Hashtag activism: Analysing linking discourse markers in #ArewaMeToo conversations on X platform
    (Masyarakat, Kebudayaan dan Politik, 2025) Chimuanya, Lily; Uduak-Abasi, Uyah
    Hashtag activism has emerged as a powerful tool for online advocacy, enabling marginalized individuals to gain visibility and foster collective action. In the absence of physical cues, users rely on linguistic elements to express engagement and support through linking discourse markers. Therefore, the subject of this study focuses on how connecting discourse markers are used in the #ArewaMeToo online conversation to express stance and inclusivity, on sexual violence. The study also explores how discourse markers function as substitutes for physical conversational cues in online activism. The study was conducted in 2024 using a qualitative method. Data were purposively selected from #ArewaMeToo conversations on X platform in Nigeria and grouped through discourse analysis. The database was collected from 300 tweets, with 63 tweets selected for analysis and reproduced in this study as representative examples. The findings of the study revealed that the discourse markers employed in the #ArewaMeToo movement such as cohesive devices, punctuation and capitalization have emerged as crucial tools for conveying engagement, support, emotional intensity and reinforcing advocacy. The study concludes that linking discourse markers substitute for vocal differences and serve as linguistic resources that signal solidarity, emotion, and resistance in the fight against sexual violence
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    Indirect Speech Act Strategies in Nigerian Online Marketing Discourse on Beauty Products
    (Journal of English Scholars’ Association of Nigeria, 2025) Chimuanya, Lily; Oladapo, Toyosi Tosin; Owoeye, Samuel T.; Tagbo, Chika
    Marketing communication is shaped in part by the perception of what consumers need and value as well as by their interests, preferences, and demographic data. Marketers generally attempt to segment their target market when choosing an audience so that they could modify the message's content and the distribution method to reach a specific audience. This study examines the discourse strategies employed by beauty product marketers on social media, with particular emphasis on the Indirect Speech Acts (ISAs). A total of 200 data set comprising 100 from Facebook and 100 from Instagram are analysed drawing on insights from John Searle’s (1979) taxonomy. The findings show the recurrent use of representative, directive, commissive, expressive, inquire, and integrative acts, with declarative, imperative, and interrogative having the highest frequency. However, Integrative speech acts exhibit the highest frequency across all brands, as they frequently engage followers by referring to them as if they were part of a family unit, indirectly urging them to take specific actions. Furthermore, many of the speech acts display similar sentence structures but have different intentions or functions, primarily serving as indirect speech acts. The study concludes that the indirect speech acts are persuasive in nature, aimed to compel potential clients and boost sales.
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    Between Tradition and Modernity: Patriarchy and Power Dynamics in #ArewaMeToo Discussions on X Platform
    (Ianna Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Volume 7, Number 2,, 2025) Chimuanya, Lily; Uduak-Abasi, Uyah
    Background: Language is crucial to the production of discourses that legitimize sexual violence and rape since language is a symbolic system of power. It is through such power of discourse, that sexual violence and rape victims form linguistic narratives that enable them to share their experiences. Objective: This research examines the patriarchal, religious, and cultural practices that legitimise sexual violence in Nigeria on the X platform. Methodology: This study employed a qualitative design using Fairclough’s model of Critical Discourse Analysis. Data were purposively gathered and thematically coded. The sampled tweets comprise 100, manually gathered from #ArewaMeToo on X, produced by Nigerians. These tweets were numbered randomly from T1 to T100 based on how the data was gathered. (‘T’ represents tweets). Results: Results indicate that strong religious and cultural explanations underpin the prevalence of rape and sexual violence practices in Northern Nigeria. It also provides evidence that patriarchal power structures enhance these practices. This accounts for the prevalence of certain ideologies that accompany such events, such as the ideology of silence and fear, shame, and stigma. Unique Contribution: This study has revealed how X serves as a platform for users to express opinions on posts made by survivors and victims’ experiences of rape and sexual violence. Conclusion: This study concludes that the conversations on the Nigerian X platform reflect some ideological perspectives and contentions underlying rape and sexual violence as well as reactions showing disapproval for such ideologies. Recommendation: Further studies may embark on a critical discourse analysis of other hashtags that address rape and sexual violence and a critical discourse analysis of gender inequality using other social media platforms
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    Tracking Mental Health: A Social Semiotic Analysis of Instagram Discourse
    (Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences 22(2), 2024) Anake, Scholastica Andokie; Chimuanya, Lily; Nnorom, Paulinus N.; Ogbulogo, Charles U.
    Mental health issues are increasingly common, affecting millions of people worldwide. This health challenge has both social and economic implications for individuals and society. By examining how language is used in mental health discourse on social media, people can better understand how it shapes perceptions, experiences, and interactions, ultimately informing more effective and supportive communication practices. This study investigates how mental health discourse is represented on two selected Instagram platforms, Sanemind and the NEEM Sanctuary, using a purposive sampling technique to select cases that are intentionally chosen for their relevance to mental health discourse. By combining social semiotics, linguistics, and mental health research, the study bridges the gap between these fields and offers insights into mental health concerns on social media. Using Kress and van Leeuwen's (1996) social semiotics framework, this study examines how language and other semiotic resources facilitate or hinder empathetic understanding, diagnosis, and treatment. Our analysis reveals specific strategies used by users to advocate for mental health awareness and support, such as representation, pigmentation, and framing used to highlight contemporary mental health complexities. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of mental health discourse on social media, informing strategies for promoting awareness, support, and resources. Our findings have implications for mental health promotion, social media platform design, and online support community development.
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    An Investigation of The Dominant Themes In Online Political Leadership Campaigns: A Case Study Of The OBIdient Campaign Discourse on X
    (Ianna Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Volume 7, Number 2, 2025) Chimuanya, Lily; Tagbo, Chika; Owoeye, Samuel T.
    Background: The persuasive function of language is perhaps most evident in political campaigns.The Nigerian political context is expected to reflect a robust adaptation of persuasion. Therefore,the OBIdient movement, a new phenomenon in the Nigerian political space, would offer anengaging framework for evaluating the persuasive dynamics of political communication inNigeria. Objective: This study investigates the dominant themes in the OBIdient campaign discourse on X(formerly Twitter). Methodology: This research used a descriptive qualitative research design. The data for this workwere drawn from tweets from members of the OBIdient campaign movement. Dell Hymes' (1964)ethnography of communication (SPEAKING) was used to analyse the tweets from members ofthe OBIdient campaign movement. The ethnographic dimensions of the campaign necessitated thechoice of this model. Results: The findings of this study revealed the following dominant themes: persuasion,admiration, gratitude, religion/focus, transparency/good governance, hate politics, and politicalkilling. Unique Contribution: This work adds to the sparse literature available in this area and the use ofDell Hyme’s Ethnography of Communication - SPEAKING model in doing a case study analysisof political discourse. Conclusion: Social media platforms have changed the dynamics of political discourse globallyand Nigeria is no exception. Recommendation: Further studies may consider a comparison between data obtained from othersocial media platforms using a different theoretical framework. The researchers believe thatsuggested further studies would most likely widen the horizon of the impact of the #Obidientpresidential campaign of 2023
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    A Linguistic Investigation of Mental Health Discourse on Instagram: A Transitivity Approach
    (Forum for Linguistic Studies Volume 07 | Issue 06, 2025-06) Anake, Scholastica Andokie; Chimuanya, Lily; Evaristus, Adesina; Kayode, Oluwagbenga A.; Ogbulogo, Charles U.
    Online discourse has contributed to the widespread dissemination of mental health awareness (MHA) worldwide. These mental health advocacies are mediated using discourse, also known as language in use. However, studies on online MHA, especially from the perspective of applied linguistics in Nigeria, appear to be few. Therefore, this study examined MHA discourse in two purposively selected Instagram platforms: Sanemind and the NEEM Sanctuary. The study’s objective is to identify the discursive contents in the selected platforms and the lexical resources in the selected MHA texts using a mixed method of data analysis. The data were analysed using the transitivity strand of the systemic functional analysis. The data analysis and discussion of findings identified three main themes of diagnosis, treatment, and recovery communicated through the transitivity processes: material, mental, verbal, relational, behavioural, and existential processes. This study concludes that the material process of ‘doing’ and ‘happening’ are the most used verbs for communicating MHA, followed by the verbal process of ‘saying’ and the relational process of ‘being’, which indicates that mental health concerns are more prone to what people do, say and their relationship with self and others. The study recommends that online content creators must ensure the lexical resources employed in mental health awareness communications are accurate, concise, and clear to avoid misrepresentation and misunderstanding of their intended messages. Thus, they may require the services of language and linguistics experts to review their online content