Empirical Analysis of How Pidgin and Code-Switching Function Literarily in Selected Nigerian Novels

The literary use of Nigerian Pidgin English and code-switching between Pidgin, Standard English, and indigenous Nigerian languages in prose fiction represents a distinctive feature of Nigerian novelistic practice that has not been systematically analysed across a corpus of contemporary texts. This study empirically analysed the literary functions of Pidgin and code-switching in twelve contemporary Nigerian novels from the South West, South East, and South South geopolitical zones, published between 2010 and 2023. A corpus-assisted literary linguistics methodology was applied, combining close reading of selected passages with statistical analysis of language switching frequency, context, and character assignment. Results showed that code-switching functions primarily as a marker of class and educational register in 68.4 percent of instances, as a marker of emotional intimacy in 18.7 percent, and as a performative identity assertion in 12.9 percent. Pidgin is almost universally assigned to working-class, market, and street-level characters rather than professional or elite characters, suggesting a persistent class-coding in Nigerian novelistic language. Significant differences in Pidgin usage patterns were identified between Lagos-set, Port Harcourt-set, and Onitsha-set novels. The study provides empirical evidence that Pidgin code-switching in Nigerian fiction is not merely realistic representation but a carefully managed narrative device carrying specific characterological and ideological functions. The findings are recommended for integration into Nigerian linguistics and comparative literature courses at universities in the South South and South West zones.

Keywords: Nigerian Pidgin, code-switching, literary linguistics, corpus analysis, Nigerian novels