The Influence of Intonation in Conveying Meanings in Conversation: A Study of Some Nigerian English Speakers

Beyond contextual factors, intonation significantly influences meaning in conversation. Many a times, identical utterances yield different interpretations based on their intonational patterns. This study investigates intonation patterns in marking meanings and attitudes in Nigerian English, while also examining the persistent neglect of intonation instruction in school curricula despite its crucial role in conveying speaker attitudes and meanings. The study involved forty respondents (twenty each from Federal University Gusau and Zamfara State University Talata Mafara) enrolled in 200-, 300-, and 400-level English programs who had received basic intonation training. Participants were made to read twelve utterance items designed to assess their intonational competence. Employing O'Connor and Arnold's (1973) framework with quantitative analysis and stratified sampling, findings reveal that while respondents demonstrated fair intonational knowledge, many struggled to appropriately apply intonation patterns to convey varying meanings and attitudes in Nigerian English. The results support Banjo's (1976) and Cruz-Ferreira's (1989) assertions regarding Nigerian English speakers' limited use of complex English intonation tunes, particularly those expressing speaker attitudes during conversation.