‘INTAGRAM’: JENIFA’S ENGLISH AND DELETION
by Oriloye Saheedah
For a comprehensive study of what this series is about, kindly read OUT AT LAST: LINGUISTICS ANALYSIS OF JENIFA’S ENGLISH and to understand this present discussion, read JENIFA’S ENGLISH UNDER PHONOLOGICAL SCRUTINY
Now, let’s discuss deletion as a phonological process and how Jenifa rocked it. Just like you delete Whatsapp messages, unwanted contacts and all, you can also delete segments, that is, sounds in words, while speaking. When the deleted sound is a consonant, it is called deletion but the deletion of vowels is technically elision. This phenomenon is evident in a language like Yoruba as evident in:
Gbẹ́gi for gbé igi (carry wood)
Biodun for Abiodun (name)
Jọkẹ for Ajọkẹ (name)
Gbálẹ̀ for gbá ilẹ̀ (sweep floor)
Jẹ̀bà for jẹ ẹ̀bà (eat ẹ̀bà)
The same phenomenon of course, occurs in English, but it isn’t as common as in Yoruba language.
Speakers of English, for example, say [pli:s] instead of [pəli:s] while pronouncing the word ‘police’.
Sisi Jenifa will not stop deploying this phonological process as she always ask people to ‘resket’ (instead of rispekt) diasef, preach about ‘abstines’ (instead of ‘abstinence) and while the world prefers instagram, Jeni treasures intagram! Kindly read the past series: ‘BAD SHAID’: JENIFA’S ENGLISH AND DE-AFFRICATION
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