Lexical trends in Facebook and Twitter texts of selected Nigerian Pentecostal churches: A stylistic inquiry
No Thumbnail Available
Date
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Description
The influx of religious activities and religious discourse on the Internet
has made it pertinent to examine the fundamental roles of language in the
expression, presentation, understanding, and advancement of any set of religious
beliefs and practices. One main aspect of online religious activities that
continues to arrest the attention of scholars is the uniqueness of language used
by religious practitioners. For instance, new linguistic strategies and devices
have emerged as a result of bending language to suit trends on a new medium.
The emergence of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the
twenty-first century has also resulted in the manifestation of computer-mediated
communication, with its attendant pervasive new forms of language and practices.
Nigerian Pentecostal churches have used the Internet, especially the social
media such as Facebook and Twitter, in propagating their doctrines. This study
identifies emerging lexical trends in the way six Nigerian Pentecostal churches
use language in extending their practices on the new media and submits that
such innovations are leading up to the birth of a new cyber-variety of Nigerian
English.
Keywords
PE English