ABSTRACT
This work has dealt with the comparative study on some aspects of sociolinguistics in the novels: Things Fall Apart and Half of a Yellow Sun by
Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Adichierespectively. The two authors
applied their linguistic, and social backgrounds for creative effects in
their literary works. This creative ingenuity involves the English
language, which has overwhelmed many languages because of its unifying
function in nations with multilingual communities like Nigeria. The
creative abilities of the authors have enabled them to manipulate the
language to reflect their sociolinguistic environment. The research
compared the two works by exploring the extent and the effectiveness in
the use of direct translation, semantic extension, code-switching,
proverbs, culturally dependent speech style, loan words, coinages, and
hybridization. To do justice to this work, Labov’s Variability Theory
and Systemic Functional Linguistics Theory by Michael Alexander Kirkwood
Halliday were used because they are functional and contextually-based.
In order to do this effectively, the researcher also adopted a
descriptive research design to explore the sociolinguistic phenomenon in
the two works. It was found that the two works followed the same
nativization process in their pattern of exposition and description of
their themes and subjects to reflect the Africanization of the English
language. Whereas Achebe plunged deeper into the use of these
sociolinguistic elements, especially proverbs, Adichie was more
encompassing in her exploitation of other language codes apart from the
Igbo language. Based on the findings, the researcher suggests more
studies into the pragmatic, strategic and discourse analysis in literary
works with African backgrounds.
CHAPTER ONE
INTROUDUCTION
1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Language and society are not independent of each other. They always go
together in the development of a people. In other words, language
cannot exist and develop outside the human society. People’s habit of
thought regulates and determines their language use because man is,
essentially, a linguistic animal. This notion is reflected in language
use in literary works. For Femi Akindele and Wale Adegbite, ‘Language is
the only creative property unique to human beings’ (92). It is also a
means through which human beings socialise among themselves. Besides, it
is the greatest asset to man through which he sustains himself.
In this way, an enduring relationship exists between language and
society. Tarni Prasad (247) affirms that man ‘learns the language in
society but ‘the language structure always follows the social structure
and culture.’ He adds that ‘language expresses not only the thought and
feelings of the speaker but also the social culture and tradition.’
Still on the interplay of language and society, Akindele and Adegbite
remind us that ‘Language does not exist in a vacuum, but it is always
contextualized. That is, it is situated within a socio-cultural setting
of community’ (3).
It is a known linguistic fact that in language contact situation, a
second language (L2) is bound to be influenced by its linguistic
environment.