Lexical Borrowing in Bayo Adebowale's The Virgin and Lonely Days

Abstract

This paper investigates Bayo Adebowale’s deployment of lexical borrowing, the process by which a language or variety absorbs new linguistic items from another, in two of his literary texts- The Virgin and Lonely Days. The study examines the types of borrowing used by the writer and establishes the linguistic and social justifications for the borrowing phenomena. The findings reveal three types of borrowing: loan words (which is the dominant feature), blended compounds and loan translation. These features are employed to fill the lexeme gap created by the inadequacy of Standard English to express the thoughts, nuances and experiences of the people involved, and to construct, project and maintain their cultural and ethnic identity. Lexical borrowing as a creative device, therefore contributes to the process of 'Nigerianising' the English language, giving it a local flavour and national identity.