Metaphorical conceptualisations of language proficiency, usage, and attitude towards Nigerian English

This paper examines the conceptual metaphors underlying the perception of English language proficiency, usage, and attitudes in Nigeria, and provides their pedagogical implications. The data comprise transcripts of focus group discussions involving selected Nigerian students on attitudes towards varieties of Nigerian English. The conceptual metaphors in the data were identified and analysed by maximising the merits of conceptual metaphor theory. The analysis indicates that diverse aspects of Nigerian English are conceptualised using six conceptual metaphors, namely: USAGE OF NIGERIAN ENGLISH AS A MASK/DECORATION, FLUENT COMMUNICATION IN NIGERIAN ENGLISH AS LIQUID, PROFICIENCY IN NIGERIAN ENGLISH AS AN INHERITANCE, PROFICIENCY IN NIGERIAN ENGLISH AS BUILDING, PROFICIENCY IN NIGERIAN ENGLISH AS MORALITY, and PROFICIENCY IN NIGERIAN ENGLISH AS EATING/FOOD. While these conceptualisations reflect the participants’ positive attitude towards Nigerian English, on the one hand, and their negative attitude towards Nigeria's indigenous languages, the MASK metaphor highlights a subtle negative perception that English is used to obscure one's true social-economic identity. This study concludes that evaluations of Nigerian English and its speakers are shaped by sociocultural factors reflected metaphorically. By bridging metaphor studies and language attitude research, this work offers a new interdisciplinary perspective that highlights critical implications for English language pedagogy in Nigeria.