God is Life: A Sociolinguistic and Ethnopragmatic Conceptualization of Chi in Igbo Naming Practices

Abstract

Personal naming culture among the Igbos in South-eastern Nigeria is ethnopragmatically conceived to contextualize their collective worldview which communicates their religious and sociocultural connections. This paper explores an aspect of Igbo naming practices which shows the diverse conceptualization of Chi (God) from an ethnopragmatic perspective that situate names and meanings within the language and religious interpretations. Data for the study were generated through participant observation, semi-structured interviews and informal interactions with 40 recruited participants as representative sample of the name-givers, bearers and users among Mbaise and Ngwa people in Aboh Mbaise and Aba North Local Government Areas in Imo and Abia States of Nigeria. Findings show that the personal names contextualize Igbo Christians’ conceptualization of Chi as supreme, virtuous, extolling and trustworthy, giver of wealth and a faithful promise keeper. We conclude that Chi has a deepened value in the Igbo sociocultural and religious beliefs nuanced in their naming practices that construct particular circumstance(s) of the name bearer, parents and community. The emerging orientations expand the ethnopragmatic functions of the personal names beyond linguistic and sociocultural identities to situate Igbo as a society with supreme attachment to Christian religion, reverence to, and propagation of the virtues and nature of God.

Language use in the construction of memory: A study of T-shirts inscriptions of graduating students

“…I am very grateful, my people laboured and toiled for me to have a university degree, I sincerely thank them all." The student's account in this context, according to Uwen and Ekpang [52] , Uwen and Ukaegbu [53] , demonstrates his supreme attachment to Christian religion, reverence to, and propagation of the virtues and nature of God that resonates the tenets of Christianity arising from colonialism influence on Nigerians, particularly on its religious and linguistic legacies. From the theories used in this study, memory is constructed through the multimodal resources conveyed in the inscriptions within the time and space provided by the duration of the students' university education.…”

Emotive language as construction of situational aggression among drivers at gridlock scenes in Nigeria

“…The speaker's prediction of God's wrath to be meted on this category of leaders suggests the participants' religious beliefs that succinctly recalls Nigerians usual expression of religious consciousness on the supernatural power of God to punish sinners. This religious language, according Uwen and Ukaegbu [31] , is used to domesticate the people's conceptualisation of the religion and benefits derived from worshipping the God that Christians serve. Again, speaker D1's comment instantiates the insensitive attitude of the leaders who do not bother about citizens' suffering, as they fly private jets and probably do not know how the roads look like.…”