There are various varieties of English spoken as an international language in different countries around the world. However, only a few of them are widely recognized. Nigerian English, sometimes referred to as a variety influenced by mother tongue interference, a mixture of American and British English, among other factors, has been popularized and promoted in media, institutions, books, and other platforms. Despite its popularity in the multilingual society with over 520 languages, both as a lingua franca and an official language, it lacks global acceptability. To effectively communicate with native speakers or mixed audiences of Nigerians and international speakers, an in-depth understanding of standard expressions is necessary.
Idiomatic expressions have fixed meanings and cannot be interpreted literally. For example, “a cog in the wheel,” also known as “a cog in the machine,” means “a minor but essential part of a larger system or organization.” The literal interpretation of this idiom is not appropriate for general conversation. In Nigerian English, it means “an obstacle or hindrance to a cause,” as in: “The members of the committee on tertiary education are cogs in the wheel of establishing a public university in our community.” Admittedly, the origin of the substandard version mentioned in our geographical and demographic context still remains a mystery.
Here are some commonly used idioms in everyday communication, both spoken and non-verbal, along with their corrected versions sourced from external references:
A problem shared is a problem solved.
This is a Nigerian expression that should actually be “A problem shared is a problem halved.” This means that discussing one’s challenge with others makes it easier to solve. Despite consulting several authoritative dictionaries, none of them suggest that ‘solved’ is the correct word. This altered version is commonly used among Nigerian authors and content creators on social media platforms, as well as other African citizens.
Below are example sentences cited from The Free Dictionary:
Just tell me what’s bothering you, honey. You know what they say—a problem shared is problem halved.
Susan saw how stressed I was and helped me to come up with a plan to salvage my report.
A problem shared really is a problem halved!
You’re not burdening me — I want to help! And, as the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved.
On a platter of gold
The substitution of ‘silver’ for ‘gold’ in the idiom ‘on a silver platter’ in Nigerian English is unacceptable and strange to Standard English. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “give/hand something to someone on a (silver) platter” means “to allow someone to get something very easily, without having to work for it,” as in “If you sell your share in the company now, you are handing the ownership to him on a silver platter.”
Consider the following sentences:
(i) The commissioner’s daughter got into the Civil Service Commission on a silver platter.
(ii) Academic fraud is not tolerated in universities; no lecturer becomes a professor on a silver platter.
(iii) The children thought their father would help them pass their examination on a silver platter.
3. Green snake under the green grass
The use of the word “green” in the expression above may sound unusual to native speakers. One may wonder how this variation has gained popularity despite its flaws. For instance, the correct form is “snake in the grass.” In fact, using “under” instead of “in” would make it incorrect.
According to Collins Dictionary, “snake in the grass” means “a deceitful or treacherous person,” as in “He is just a snake in the grass and a guy you can’t trust” (British English). Similarly, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as “a friend that secretly lacks faithfulness.”
Review the following sentences:
(i) The chairman was very wary of his appointees because the majority of them were perceived as snakes in the grass.
(ii) Mrs Akorede threatened to fire all her aides because six of them were snakes in the grass due to their alliance with the opposition.
(iii) Uche’s father advised his son not to be a snake in the grass in his relationship with his girlfriend.
(iv) Has the board of directors identified the snake in the grass in the company?
In conclusion, the main point of this detailed explanation is not to harshly criticize our use of English as Nigerians, but to familiarize us with the correct expressions used globally. English is a universal tool for communication around the world, and it is important to strive for accuracy and clarity in our use of the language.
______________________ Samuel Tolulope Alimi is the founder and lead scholar at English TV, an online platform dedicated to teaching the English language on various social media platforms. He earned a BA (Ed) from the prestigious Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, where he majored in English and Education. As a Grammar Columnist at Peoples Daily newspaper, one of the foremost and trusted national newspapers, he writes about Nigerian English on Page 23 of every Saturday's publication, with his column titled "Common Errors in English with Samuel Alimi." His writings have attracted considerable readership across several states, with over 30 detailed articles published. Samuel is a goal-oriented ambassador of Scholarship IQ, promoting its mission to build the world's largest African student directory in two local governments in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. He has also gained hands-on experience in ghostwriting autobiographies, community service, and research through his internship at SO41 Educational Consultancy, Ogun State. LinkedIn: Samuel Tolulope Alimi samueltolulopealimi@gmail.com
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