CODE-SWITCHING IN NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN SONGS

ADAMU PAUL, HAYAB FORTUNE JOSIAH

Abstract

This paper investigates the phenomenon of code-switching and also the types of code-switching that occur in gospel songs. Therefore, using purposive random sampling and Poplack’s (1980) model, the excerpts of from ten gospel songs are collected and analysed. Findings reveal that the most dominant type of codeswitching that occurs in Christian music is inter-sentential code switching while others like intra-switching and tag switching occur rather sparingly. Also, the English language and Pidgin, according to the findings, remain the most dominant language being code switched with indigenous languages. To this end, it can be asserted that code-switching is not only a recurring decimal in Christian songs but also a manifestation of a brand of music that can be labelled Nigerian gospel music.             

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