The Lexico-Semantic Innovation in Nollywood Movies in Nigerian English

Abstract

Over time, Nigerian English has experienced notable lexico-semantic extensions, as words and expressions acquire new meanings shaped by sociocultural contexts. With the rise of new media, such extensions have increased, particularly through the Nigerian movie industry, which has enhanced the acceptance and usage of Nigerian English. This study examined the lexico-semantic features in selected Nollywood movies, adopting Labov’s Language Variation Theory. Data were generated from eleven movies produced between 2015 and 2023 and qualitatively analysed by identifying and classifying phrasal extensions, lexical extensions, loanwords, and coinages. Findings revealed extensive lexico-semantic innovations. Phrasal extensions included: “cashing out” (from withdrawing money to making money), “reduce your temperature” (from body temperature to calming down), “mother of the year” (from praise to sarcasm for a bad mother), “chewing gum” (from candy to persistently extorting someone), “entering my eyes” (from physical sight to attraction), and “sick upstairs” (from illness to emotional instability). Lexical extensions included: “jollof-rice” (from food to pleasant smell), “lockup” (from locking to keeping quiet), “ginger” (from spice to motivation), “chop my money” (from eating to enjoyment), “jungle” (from forest to lawless place), “protection” (from safeguarding to supernatural charm), and “recharge” (from energizing to inflicting harm). Loanwords such as egunje, aso-oke, and aso-ebi, and coinages like “Yoruba demon” and “afterglow” also emerged. The study concludes that Nollywood actively drives and sustains Nigeria’s evolving lexico-semantic features.