Abstract
Slangy expressions are creative linguistic practices which have increasingly become unconscious impositions in the lexicon of different languages of the world. This may not be a surprise; on the one hand, what ultimately constitutes the lexicon of any language at diachronic and synchronic spaces must have had its etymology from somewhere or something. On the other hand, language is not a fixed entity; its lexicons broaden by the day and semantics change in order to accommodate the changing communicative needs of users. These features of inclusion and change in Yorùbá lexicology are most noticeable in Yorùbá home videos. In fact, slangy expressions have become a ‘universal phenomenon and aspect of social language that cannot be underestimated in every sense of functional human society where language and culture are seen as natural, divine and systemic in the 21st century’. In this study therefore, we examine the instances of slang in selected popular Yorùbá home videos with the intent of analysing their morphology and exploring their contexts of usage. The study also examines the implications of slang on the interpersonal relationship of users (mostly youth), and the sociocultural beliefs and attitudes of Yorùbá people. Two award-winning popular Yorùbá home videos, ‘Jẹ́nífà’ and the ‘Return of Jẹ́nífà’ written by Funke Akindele and directed by Muyideen, S. Ayinde in 2008 and 2011 respectively, and two other home videos, ‘Sunday Dagboru’ written and directed by Odunlade Adekola in 2010 and ‘Dagbere’ directed by Afolayan, O. in 2015 were selected for this study. The study is situated within a sociolinguistic frame of language study and it adopts Yule (The study of language. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2006) Word Formation Processes and Giles and Ogay (Communication accommodation theory. In: Bryan W, Samter W (eds) Explaining communication. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc, Mahwah, 2007) Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Aboh, R. (2015). Slang and multiple methods of interpreting sex and sexual identity in the Nigerian novel. The African Symposium, 15(1), 91–97.
Adams, M. (2009). Slang: The people’s poetry. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Adekola, O. (Director). (2010). Sunday Dagboru. Odunlade Adekola Films. (Film).
Afolayan, O. (Director). (2015). Dagbere 1. A Corporate Pictures and Oluwole Film Production. (Film).
Arua, E., & Alimi, M. M. (2009). The creation of slang expression in the University of Botswana. Linguistic Online, 40(2), 15–28.
Ayinde, M. (Director). (2008). Jẹ́nífà. Scene One Productions. (Film).
Ayinde, M. (Director). (2011). Return of Jẹ́nífà. Scene One Productions. (Film).
Bàbàtunde, S., & Folorunsho, A. (2010). Students’ slang in the University of Ilorin. In A. S. Bàbàtunde, A. Adetunji, A. Odebunmi, & M. Adedimeji (Eds.), Studies in slang and slogans. Munich: Lincom.
Crystal, D. (1988). The English language. London: Penguin Books.
Crystal, D. (1997). A dictionary of linguistics and phonetics. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
Dewi, A. R. (2012). A descriptive analysis of slang terms used in ‘Hancock’ movie. An unpublished graduating paper, STAIN, Salatiga.
Dozie, C. P., & Madu, L. I. (2012). Language of communication among university students in Nigeria: A study on slangy expressions in Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria. The Journal of Communication, 3(2), 99–103.
Giles, H., & Ogay, T. (2007). Communication accommodation theory. In B. Whaley & W. Samter (Eds.), Explaining communication (pp. 325–344). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.
Harris, M. (1994). Reference guide to grammar and usage. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
Johnson, S., & Shirley, J. (2005). What is slang?. A seminar paper presented to the University of North Carolina, Pembroke.
Minnow, N. M., & LayMay, C. L. (1995). Abandoned in the wasteland: Children, television, and the first amendment. New York: Hill and Wang.
Ningrum, N. A. R. (2009). Analysis of slang expressions translation in ‘mean girls’ movie. An unpublished thesis, Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta.
Nkamigbo, L. C., & Eme, C. A. (2011). Igbo slang in Otu-Onitsha: Towards enriching the Igbo language. An International Multidisciplinary Journal, Ethiopia, 5(6), 83–94.
Terna-Àbàh, M. N. (2010). The prevalence of slang use among the students of SBRS/ABU Funtua and its effects on the teaching of English as a second language. Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association (JNESA), 13(2), 73–83.
Winkler, E. G. (2007). Understanding language. London: Continuum.
Yule, G. (2006). The study of language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Zotevska, E. (2013). Representation of British teenage slang in the TV-series misfits: A communicative approach to teenage slang. An unpublished B.A thesis, Sweeden: Goteborgs Universitet.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Asiru, H.T., Ogutu, E.A. (2018). Slang in Yorùbá Home Videos: A Morpho-pragmatic Analysis. In: Hurst-Harosh, E., Kanana Erastus, F. (eds) African Youth Languages . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64562-9_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64562-9_11
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-64561-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-64562-9
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)