Advertising communication aims at attracting audiences’ attention. It also motivates interest, changes perceptions, stimulates desires and manipulates social values and attitudes. In achieving these objectives, the language medium needs to be carefully selected, especially in a multilingual setting like Nigeria, given that language is the driving force that determines the effectiveness of ad messages. This paper explores the (socio)linguistic devices that are exploited in ad discourse in Nigerian Pidgin (NP) as well as the pragmatic and creative potentials of lexical innovation, code-switching, proverbs, humour and other stylistic strategies that are employed in both print and electronic ads in NP. The paper discovers that advertising in NP commands enormous public appeal because of its spread, flexibility and the creative possibilities it allows. Advertising communication presents yet another platform to further deepen the social utility and functional relevance of NP in the public space in spite of the widespread and age-long misconceptions and prejudices against it.
There is a popular narrative that women are the weaker vessels and depend on men for confirmation of their thoughts and actions. This narrative is expressed linguistically through the pejorative and diminutive portrayal of women in Igbo proverbs. Proverbs are powerful and potent vehicle for culture dissemination from one generation to the other. The functionality and cultural essence therefore transcends generational sayings and performances. Proverbs are metaphorical statements and reflection of the people's cultures, indigenous knowledge, cosmology, value, spirituality and essence. They provide channels for intergenerational transfers from old to young members of the society. Among the Igbo of the south eastern Nigeria, it is said to be the oil with which words are eaten. Applying Lakoff's concept of Women language and Critical discourse Analytical theory, this paper examines the representation of women in Igbo proverb. The objective is to examine the nexus between language, gender and culture. It specifically analyses the traditions, views, perceptions and roles of women in traditional and contemporary Igbo society. Forty five Igbo proverbs about women were selected from both written and oral sources. These include Igbo proverbs that literarily mentioned women (old womenagadi nwaanyị, young woman/lady-nwaagbọghọ, wife-nwunye and the woman's body) and explored its portrayal without much attention to the contextualised meaning which may vary according to usage at different context, though being one of the fluidities of proverbs. Findings reveal that in spite of the changing role of women in Igbo society, the cultural interpretations/conations attached to these
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