Ebere Wabara
“The party’s flag-bearer (standard-bearer) in the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti State….” (Classic FM 97.3, 11.15 a, m. News, Tuesday, July 10)
“But to put the matter in proper perspective (in proper perspectives or in a proper perspective, depending on contextualization)….”
“MFM GO commissions (inaugurates/auspicates/launches) medical centre, hands over to MTU”
“How local content can solve unemployment problem” (THE BUSINESS REPORT, April 16) ‘Unemployment’ is a problem. So, there is no value padding another ‘problem’!
From Politics & Power of April 16 come the next two infractions: “You may disagree with Obasanjo’s style but all the things he said, are there truths in any of it (them)?”
“Like (As) I said, if we dismiss what he said with a wave of the hand, Nigeria will be undoing itself….”
The next two improprieties are from News around the City of April 25: “2 bag 18 years (years’) imprisonment for pension fraud”
“National Theatre exacting DG, 4 directors charged for (with) taking bribe”
THISDAY Front Page of May 5 contained a self-inflicted grammatical challenge: “He said federal, not state authorities, are (were) holding…in custody….”
From a publication of Wednesday, April 18, comes this error: “…that would enable them (enable them to) appreciate history….” Like ‘able’, ‘enable’ attracts the preposition ‘to’. (Contributed by Dr. Stanley Nduagu, Aba, 08062925996)
Let me reiterate that the focus of this column is formal (modern) Standard British English usage—not traditional or regionalized English, which is usually dialectical with a dozen of applicative circumscription!
“Invitee” is a piece of Americanism that has invaded Nigeria by way of language imperialism. Persistent abuse of a word or phrase does not confer acceptability or correctness on it. Sticklers must cleanse themselves of the juvenile indoctrination that everything in the dictionary is correct. This columnist, without being immodest, has developed the capacity and competency to justifiably question literary status quo and conventions.
Furthermore, this columnist is not interested in colloquial and informal (non-standard) entries, which may exist in ‘Abrahamic’ (ancient) registers, dictionaries and thesauruses! Personally, language currency is the sustainable path to toe—not faddishness, lexical conservatism, conventional wisdom and normative reliance. I have dictionaries, thesauri, English language textbooks and other general interest books which contain grammatical and factual blunders!
For me, these publications are guides which are not inviolable. Even the Bible, thesaurus and Shakespearean materials, as authoritative as they are, still contain lexical, structural and informational contradictions, if not fallacies. The edition of references is also critical because what is right today may be wrong tomorrow, depending on human strides, dynamism and universal language development.
Our familiarisation with dated words or expressions in vogue in our locales should not mislead us into believing that they are sacrosanct and immutable. I welcome more constructive reactions to this and other issues raised here. My position on “invitee” still stands. According to D. W. Williams, past experience should be a guide post, not a hitching post.
Back to our usual business: “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is currently in a dilemma over the inability of five of the eight banks that failed the stress test in the industry in 2009 to get suitable partners.” (NIGERIAN Tribune Front Page, 2 May) By every shred, “is” indicates currency. So, I do not understand this ubiquity in Nigerian newspapers: “is currently”. A rewrite: The CBN is in a dilemma….
“My most embarrasing day” (SUNDAY PUNCH Beauty Corner Headline, May 6) Spellcheck: embarrassing, but harassing
“Exploitation of the underaged” (Sunday Tribune, May 6) Get it right: underage.
“First Bank Nigeria PLC’s result for the period is an attestation of the trend” (Source: as above) Money: attestation to (not of) the trend.
“…there is no doubt that she will be able to steer the ship of the bank without any doubt….” (THISDAY SUNDAY BUSINESS PEOPLE, May 6) Why the overkill of ‘doubt’?
“Let sleeping dog lie!” (Vanguard Headline, April 29) Sweet and Sour: Let sleeping dogs lie.
“This way: More power (not grease) to your elbow. What future for the English language?
“I believe that our politicians ought to have become more mature, and that the maturity would manifest in their conducts (conduct).”
“My mission was to present a review of the book at the occasion.” (THE GUARDIAN, May 4) Return to the source: on the occasion.
The next three blunders are from the Nigerian Tribune of May 4: “They are taken through a two-week orientation seminar on American culture and press at the onset (outset) of the fellowship programme in June.”
“It is sad, very sad that the Nigerian police has never been known to use rubber bullets.” Checking the excesses of security operatives: Nigerian police have (not has).
“The assistance of government is urgently needed in this matter as lack of co-operation by many residents is hampering the activities of vigilante (vigilance) bodies.”
“Similarly, at the advent of any coup in Nigeria, we discover that power in all ramification (ramifications) is taken over by the military.”
“An average number of the Southerners are readily willing even at short notice (a comma) to stab their own brother on (in) the back, if only to have a piece of the national cake.”
“Furthermore, the South seem (seems) to have taken the north for granted for too long.”
THE GUARDIAN of May 3 powered two mistakes: “We must entrench into (in) the statute books provisions for the recovery of stolen loot from outgoing governors, ministers and their proximate beneficiaries….” Is there any loot that is not stolen?
“Apapa gridlock: Nigerian Shippers (Shippers’) Council slams NPA for nightmare”
“Aregbesola tasks civil service on people-oriented society” (South West News, June 25) Would it have been ‘fish-oriented’ society?
“Your unmatched doggedness in galvanising and mobilising stakeholders towards positive causes is a rare asset that will propel our great party to greater heights as we approach the general elections (election) in 2019.” (Full-page congratulatory advertorial signed by Mr. Godwin Obaseki, Governor, Edo State, June 27).