LANDMARK UNIVERSITY,

OMU-ARAN

GST III

COMMUNICATION IN
ENGLISH 1
2016/2017
 MODULE A:
ELEMENTS OF STUDY SKILLS

1. Preparing for academic success

2.Tools and facilities for effective

study

3.English in Nigeria today

Preparing for academic success

Successful study
Challenges to

effective study
Strategies for

effective study
Successful study
 Success is 99% perspiration
and 1% Inspiration. (Albert
Einstein)
If A = 1, B =2, C = 3 … Z= 26,
then....A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E =
1 + 20 +20 + 9 +20 + 21+ 4 +5, i.e.
100% !
Challenges to effective study

 Use of time
 Environment and location

for study
 Learning resources

 Making and keeping notes

 Linguistic challenges

 Psychological challenges
Strategies for successful
study
i. Time Management
ii. Using the CLR effectively
iii. Relating with teachers/mentors and colleagues
iv. Effective use of the four basic language skills
v. Taking /making notes effectively
vi. Team work
vii. Possibility mentality
viii. Personal motivation
ix. SQ3R
x. Memorizing
Note:

An effective Study is
enhanced by procuring
the relevant tools that
are needed once the
needed facilities are
available.
 Tools for effective study

 Textbooks
 Reference books
 Journals
 Stationery
 Files
 Personal pc
 Dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopaedia
etc.
 The library, etc.
 Facilities

 The center for learning

resources
 Lecture halls

 Laboratories and workshops

CLR
Lecture halls
 Landmark University is endowed with
adequate Lecture Halls such that a
good student should not have
difficulty in finding a place to study.
Laboratories and workshops
 There are many laboratories in
Landmark University for the various
programs run in the University and a
good Student should avail
him/herself of the opportunities
provided.
 WEEK 3

ENGLISH
IN NIGERIA
TODAY
3 POINTS:

3.1 Meaning and concept of

language

3.2 Functions of language

3.3 Use of english in nigeria

today
3.1Meaning and Concept of Language

 Quirk (1962: 42) describes language as

“human instrument of expression
through sound as released by the
vocal chords”.
 Osissanwo (1994: 4) also states that
“Language is human vocal noise or
the arbitrary graphic representation
of the noise, used systematically by
members of a speech community for
purpose of communication.”
Meaning and Concept of Language continued…


“Language is the human ability
to acquire and use complex
systems of communication and
a language is any specific
example of such a system.”

Wikipedia
 Meaning and Concept of Language
continued…

Strictly speaking, language is an

artificial and conscious use of
symbols or conventions to
produce meaning.
 Sounds produced by animals? Dogs?
Cats?
 Non verbal cues? Signs eg. Morse code,
shorthand?
 Thus, language can be said to be
uniquely human, distinguishing
human beings from other beings.
 Man alone is capable of controlling his
environment and himself by means of
language techniques and language
stands at the centre of all human affairs.
3.2 Functions of Language

Two major functions of



language:
A. the communicative and
B. non-communicative
functions.
A. Communicative function?

Communication is the primary function of

language. We use it to express our
ideas, pass information to others and
follow the trend of thought of other
people: to assert, describe, promise, ask
questions, make statements, express
surprises and commands etc. to haggle in
the market, gossip with friends, negotiate
contracts and discuss religious beliefs.
Continued…

 In addition, language is useful as a tool

of intellectual pursuit, the basis of all
creative thought, the medium of
instruction, for documentation in the
preservation and transmission of ideas
from generation to generation, an agent
of development and a means of
maintaining international relations.
B. Non-communicative function?

A great force of socialization between

individuals and groups, a potent symbol of
solidarity for those who speak the language
as it strengthens the bonds of cohesion. This
is particularly so in phatic communion where
we use it to share our reality with others.
Medium through which the manners, morals
and mythology of a society are passed from
one generation to another.
 English
is the fastest
spreading
language
in human
history !
ENGLISH(More than just the language
of England!)
 ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN
NIGERIA TODAY

 NATIONALISM ROLE
 NATIONISM ROLE
 LANGUAGE OF MASS MEDIA
 LANGUAGE OF EDUCATION
 LANGUAGE OF LITERATURE
 LAGUAGE OF INTERNATIONAL/EXTERNAL

COMMUNICATION
 LANGUAGE OF BUSINESS
3.3Use of English in Nigeria Today

 So much attention is being paid to the

language because of its role in Nigeria
today and in the world at large.
 According to Aje (1994:167), “English
Language is probably the world’s most
adventurous language – the most
colonized and the most colonizing.”
 The fact is that, although the language has
its native home in Britain, it has become
an international language (EIL).
 It has native status not only in Britain,
but in America, Australia, Canada and
New Zealand.
 It is a second language (ESL) in
Anglophone African countries like Kenya,
Uganda, Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria, as
well as in India, Singapore and Malaysia.
 It has the status of a foreign language
(EFL) in countries like Russia, China,
Spain, France and Germany.
 The History of English Language in
Nigeria can be traced back to the
colonization of Africa, and Nigeria in
particular by Britain. At first, contact
came as a result of the slave trade.
Later, the missionaries came to preach
the gospel in the English Language.
Ajayi Crowther

Writing on this, Bamigbose (1971:102)
states: “Of all the heritage left behind
in Nigeria by the British at the end of the
colonial administration, probably none is
more important than the English
Language.”
It occupies a unique position in the life
of Nigerians having taken firm roots in
the Nigerian speech community,
performing a multiplicity of functions.
Use of English
in Nigeria
Today
(a) ‘Nationism’ role
 English is the official language of
the country. This can be referred to
as its nationism role.
All official transactions are carried
out in English in government, office
work, judiciary and administration.
 English has this importance in the

nation as a means of political

integration. It has become super-
imposed on the existing local
 It is in view of these realities
that the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria
states that English will continue
to be the language of operation
until Nigerian languages are
developed to take its place.
(b) Nationalism role
 It is the language of unity in Nigeria.
It is used to keep the various ethnic
groups together as an entity. Although
the exact number of languages in
Nigeria is still subject to debate, many
scholars have opined that there are
more than 400 languages belonging to
different language families. This is the
nationalism function.
 It is the vehicle for communication
and common understanding
among the diverse tribes and
languages in the country enabling it
to remain a single entity.
 English performs this role of a

national language in Nigeria today.

This, as it were, non communicative
function of English the language
makes for a sense of solidarity in the
(c) Language of the mass
media
 Also, it is the language of the mass
media: national newspapers, radio
news, announcements, reports,
features talks, television films and
dramas are available mainly in
English.
(d) Language of education
 Not only this, it is the
educational lingua franca.
From third year of primary
school to university level, it is
the language of education as
the medium of instruction
and the language of
textbooks. This is stated in
 Thus, English will most likely preserve
the role it has as a medium of
instruction for long time to come in
Nigeria, at least in higher education,
where it also performs the role of the
language of science and
technology, giving access to
knowledge at large. One needs it for
access, to at least one half of the
world’s scientific literature.
 According to Adekunle (1976:2):
At the higher level of academic, technological and
professional activities..., especially in the
developing countries, the most practical and
realistic approach is to adopt a major world
language, either English, German French, Chinese
or Russian. This is necessitated by the need to get
in touch with the latest scientific and technological
developments … for international exchange
programs and technical cooperation.
 Thus, education in English is at present, a
’sine-qua-non’.
(e) Language of literature
Most Nigerian acclaimed literary
works are in English i.e. novels, short
stories, plays and poems .
(f) Language of international/external
communication

 English is used as the medium of external

communication in Nigeria today. This is because
as Babatunde (2013:5) states: “Contemporary
reality in the world thus shows that English is the
widest language of interaction.” As a language of
‘word wide currency’ (Adegbija 1994), it has been
regarded as the window of the world for
Nigeria. English Language makes it possible for
Nigeria to have a free exchange with the
international community. This is because English
Language is one of the languages most
widely used among the living languages in
the world today. it is the main language in
which international aids are negotiated.
 About sixty percent of the world’s radio
broadcast and seventy percent of the
world’s mails are in English. (Quirk et al
1972:53)
 It is the language of automation and
computer technology.
 It is used in aviation, sports, commerce
and many types of interactions or
cooperation, diplomacy and creativity at
the international level.
 Commenting on this status of English, Adegbija
(1994:220) maintains:
 The present international status of the English
Language is both self evident and incontrovertible.
Many other languages in the world such as Hausa,
Chinese, Russia, Spanish, German, French.
Portuguese, Swahili etc perform some international
roles, but none of these languages is comparable
to English in terms of international caliber, status
and prestige.
 Thus, English occupies a unique position as an
international language.
(g) Language of business

English is now the global language of business. More and more multinational
companies are mandating English as the common corporate language e.g Airbus, Nokia and Technicolor in order to facilitate communication and performance.
QUESTIONS