Common un-English Expressions in Nigerian Schools

 

By Yamilenu Bamgboye 

The uniqueness and arbitrariness of English language have continually brought to fore several daunting expressions, conspicuous misuse and sometimes, unsuspecting substitution of meanings.

Of course, most Nigerian teachers, parents, guardians, and students speak good English with conscious, meticulous observation and application of the numerous basic rules of grammar, however, certain elements still get it mixed up probably out of sheer neglect, overzealousness to create an impression or complete innocence. The most rankling and easily avoidable ones include the following:

I.  "Every" and plural nouns

"Every" is a determiner and a determiner in grammar determines the nature of the noun that comes after it. So, as a singular determiner, it is not used with plural nouns as in "every girls", "every cars", "every Sundays". An exception to this regardless is when other members of the same group connote something plural as in "every two weeks", "every three days".

2. "Have/Has" and past tense

I have heard countless school teachers and students use "have/has" together with simple past verbs as in "I have sang the song". Sometimes, when I get mischievous, I ask them about "I have went" and they say, "Oh no! That doesn't sound correct". The bitter truth is that none of these does. 

Primary auxiliary verbs and tense markers "have/has" are used with the past participle forms of verbs to express present perfect actions. So, "I have sang the song" becomes "I have sung the song", "He has drank" becomes "He has drunk". It's very simple and easy. 

3. "More" and "most" together with comparative and superlative adjectives

It amazes me when professionals are also caught in this web of beginner errors like someone will say. So when next you hear "most tallest", "more cleaner", just cringe!

There are only two degrees of comparison as regards adjectives: comparative and superlative. The comparative degree shows an increase in the amount of something while the superlative expresses the highest degree in the amount of something. "Taller" already shows an increase. Therefore, having it used together with another word that does the same thing as in "more taller" makes it all wrong.

4. Using "used to" for ongoing habitual actions

"Used to" is a fixed expression that reveals the continual occurrence or frequency of a past action. Simply put, it is not used to express an action that is still happening. So, it is wrong to say, "I used to wake up early to prepare for school" when it is still happening. But it is correct to use it in this sense if what you are referring to has stopped existing, that is you have stopped schooling or you don't wake up early anymore.

5. Using "talkative" and "mediocre" as nouns

It is, kind of, common to hear people use adjectives as nouns around here. Is it then sacrilegious? No! Adjectives can replace nouns in certain phrases however, "talkative" and "mediocre" aren't one. "Talkative" like other adjectives only describes the state of one's mood at a time as in "Shaggy is talkative " not "Shaggy is a talkative". However, if you choose to focus on the person of Shaggy, then say, "Shaggy is a talker". In the same vein, you can't say "Shaggy is a mediocre" when attention is on his person than his endeavour. 

I hope something stuck, right?