A LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF BEER PARLOUR SPEECH EVENTS IN OWERRI MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

Abstract

Speech communities can coin new words or extend the meaning of existing words to suit them.This study, “A linguistic analysis of beer parlour speech events in Owerri municipal council”, is an analysis aimed at finding out what factors motivate speech events and the roles language plays in speech events. To achieve this, data were collected through recorded conversations and interviews conducted with members (customers and attendants) in the beer parlours within the study area. The data collected were analysed using the framework provided by Newman (1940) and Fishman (1970). The analysis revealed that the interlocutors in a beer parlour communicate without hindrance; code switch and code mix from Igbo to English and vice versa; and in the process of code switching and code mixing they introduce new ideas and new words/lexical items. The study recommended that the new lexical items from beer parlour conversations and extension of meanings of existing words be included in the Igbo lexicon.