Investigates the contexts in which "okay" is used in Nigerian English. Discusses how differences in usage of the term should be recognized, respected, and accepted and raises the question of whether or not current theories of learning are powerful enough to accommodate new norms of meanings that inevitably develop in language contact…

Describes aspects of lexico-semantic variation in Nigerian English. The causes and types of variation are discussed within the a sociolinguistic framework, and implications of such variations, with reference to international intelligibility and communication strategies, are examined. (20 references) (Author/OD)

Semantic noun classes in Emai, an Edoid language of Nigeria, are examined with respect to a process of Reference Point Marking (RPM) in order to explore the relationship between discourse and lexical semantics. Across pre- and post-verbal positions subcategorized by verbs like "rere" ("to be far"), these classes are shown to…