By Ayodele Deborah
Many Nigerians often make these common errors when using the English language and sometimes without even noticing. The examples that back up this claim of mine are not meant to criticize the Nigerian English in any way, but simply to make readers aware of the standard that exists.
Here are four common errors discussed, starting with the famous “it is me” vs. “it is I.” Many Nigerian English speakers, even in formal contexts, mostly say ‘it is me’ instead of ‘it is I’. This happens because the rule of subject-verb feels unnatural to many, while in some cases, many are not even aware of such rules. Now, it is understandable that even some native speakers of the English language relax when it comes to such rules. However, the major error in this is Nigerians still using ‘it is me’ in formal writing or speeches where the rule still applies.
Another error detected is when Nigerians say I am coming, the statement ‘I am coming’ has been misunderstood several times, especially in context, where most Nigerians say I am coming in reference to: hold on, wait, or even give me a moment.
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For example, two friends are having a conversation, and one says: have you found the word I asked you to search for in the dictionary, the other replies: not yet, I am coming. whereas she meant, not yet, give me a moment or hold on. This statement ‘I am coming’ used in such a context is quite confusing or may portray as confusing to other users of English that follows the regular standard; as the statement ‘I am coming should mean that you are on your way, returning from a place or trying to get there.
The next is a very commonly used idiom, where lots of Nigerians say “stop adding salt to my injury.” In many cases, most Nigerians are known to say “stop adding salt to my injury” to mean do not worsen an already bad situation, when in fact, the real statement should be “don’t add insult to injury.” I also think this is because salt on wounds hurts and it may seem logical to say so, hence the reason a lot of Nigerians think it is the right thing to say and may not even know the correct idiom.
The last Error that I will have to mention is the continuous tense error. This is very common and used by a lot of Nigerians, when they say statements like; I am hearing you, I am seeing the house, I am smelling it. Particularly, when they say a statement like I am hearing you to mean that they understand or get what you are saying.
All these statements are grammatically wrong because in English, verbs of the senses (hear, see, smell, taste, feel) are not usually used in continuous tenses when they are used to describe a natural ability or current perception. The correct statement to be said in such a context of you understanding what has been said to you is “I hear you” if there is a need to be formal “I understand you.”
These errors stated amongst many others is not to criticize the Nigerian English or Nigerians themselves as stated earlier, but to state that language changes with every speaker and the goal of pointing out these errors is simply to say: there is a standard version out there, and knowing it gives you a choice, whether you use it or not is up to you.
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