Standardising NaijÁ phonology: A Preference Grammar (PG) technique

Abstract

Nigerian Pidgin is a commonly used English-based creole, which has many social and regional varieties. These varieties make it difficult to develop a standard sound system, especially for spelling and literacy. This study examines the sound patterns of Nigerian Pidgin using Preference Grammar (PG). The aim is to show how PG can help identify and select the most appropriate sound forms from different varieties influenced by Nigerian indigenous languages. The study uses a qualitative method and draws samples from spoken data in the Naija Corpus. Selected speech patterns are analysed and presented in tableaux to show how preference procedures apply. The findings indicate that Nigerian Pidgin has many variations that make standardization challenging. This study submits that Preference Grammar (PG) provides a clear method of choosing consistent sound forms and developing a more stable phonological system for Nigerian Pidgin. These findings are useful for improving pronunciation and spelling systems and supporting computational applications of the language.