Language Use in Yoruba Christian Worship Songs: A Discourse Analysis

Christian worship songs in Nigeria constitute a significant domain of contemporary Yoruba language use, blending indigenous linguistic resources with Pentecostal and mainline Christian theological frameworks. This study conducts a discourse analysis of language use in Yoruba Christian worship songs, drawing on a corpus of 100 songs collected from selected churches in Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria. The study applies critical discourse analysis and systemic functional linguistics to examine how theological meaning, communal identity, and emotional register are constructed through the linguistic choices of songwriters and worship leaders. Data were sourced from published hymnals, official church song compilations, and recorded worship services in Anglican, Baptist, and Pentecostal congregations. Existing literature on religious language in Yoruba has focused primarily on sermons and prayers, with worship songs as a discrete discourse genre remaining underrepresented. This study addresses that gap by treating Yoruba worship songs as a rich linguistic corpus worthy of systematic analysis. The research investigates whether Yoruba Christian worship songs preserve traditional Yoruba linguistic features such as proverbs and tonal poetry, or whether they represent a hybridised genre shaped by translation and English-language Christian influences. Findings are expected to reveal significant variation in linguistic conservatism across denominations, with mainline Protestant churches preserving more traditional Yoruba features than Pentecostal congregations. Recommendations will address the use of worship songs in Yoruba language education and cultural preservation programmes. Keywords: Yoruba worship songs, discourse analysis, Christian music, language use, Ibadan.