Someone listened to my speech one day and got to know how I was doing to the best of my ability in cultivating the habit of speaking good oral English. The gentleman who is older and more experienced than me, sent his elderly piece of advice to me that I should speak English language as a Nigerian not like a native speaker. He said it was not encouraging for an African to throw away the accent of his motherland for adoption of the Occidental accent.
From the chitchats of friends, one often hears how the few among them are mocked and mimicked for trying to work on their pronunciation; they are regarded as masters of show off who journey far in advertising their empty intelligence, telling lies to the world that they are children of Queen Elizabeth. Many of such things could be heard here and there by a student who struggles to learn and master oral English.
Students who speak English by obeying oral rules in the class face daunting challenge because their intent is sadly miscontrued as pushing themselves to outshine everyone including the teachers/lecturers, especially if the latter do not mind speaking oral English. On the other hand, some of them who are sound in it are very much impressed when their students speak it; they even encourage it. The students then get chance to freely express themselves when they meet such encouraging teachers/lecturers.
As a young man, an undergraduate, I do watch and listen to orators who are not native English speakers but are celebrated worldwide; some are dead while many others alive. Virtually all of them worked very well on pronunciation. In fact, their accent is more or less Occidental. This made their speeches catchy, popular, very much respected and admired. If they speak, the melody of the voice which is accompanied by oracy takes the audience to the planet of utter appreciation and admiration.
Nigeria presents an ironic situation with regard to the fact in issue. When great, popular and influential people speak it, they are applauded, celebrated and given all sort of accolades. However, when students or an average man in the community speaks it, they are mocked and mimicked. This tells of a hidden motive that does not speak well of itself. English language has been imposed on us as one of the mechanisms used in the colonial conquest of Nigeria. No doubt! But the language has so much got into us that throwing it away means something else. We speak and write it, do almost everything with it; in fact, we are forced to learn it as a second and official language in this nation of nations. Therefore, ANYTHING WORTH DOING IS WORTH DOING WELL.
Finally, secondary schools who seem to disregard the teaching of Oral English should do the needful. Those people who disregard it should not discourage others from learning and speaking it. Students should not be afraid of mockery; learning any language goes by continues practice. Those great orators whom the world celebrates began the journey on a thorny path but gladly ended up on a smooth destination. It is advised that students should listen to radio and watch television broadcasts with sound oral English, speeches of orators, read textbooks of speech sounds, check transcription of words when checking for their meanings and online tutorials about Oral English.
Abdul Mutallib Muktar
abdulmutallib.muktar@gmail.com
5th Dec., 2019.
From the chitchats of friends, one often hears how the few among them are mocked and mimicked for trying to work on their pronunciation; they are regarded as masters of show off who journey far in advertising their empty intelligence, telling lies to the world that they are children of Queen Elizabeth. Many of such things could be heard here and there by a student who struggles to learn and master oral English.
Students who speak English by obeying oral rules in the class face daunting challenge because their intent is sadly miscontrued as pushing themselves to outshine everyone including the teachers/lecturers, especially if the latter do not mind speaking oral English. On the other hand, some of them who are sound in it are very much impressed when their students speak it; they even encourage it. The students then get chance to freely express themselves when they meet such encouraging teachers/lecturers.
As a young man, an undergraduate, I do watch and listen to orators who are not native English speakers but are celebrated worldwide; some are dead while many others alive. Virtually all of them worked very well on pronunciation. In fact, their accent is more or less Occidental. This made their speeches catchy, popular, very much respected and admired. If they speak, the melody of the voice which is accompanied by oracy takes the audience to the planet of utter appreciation and admiration.
Nigeria presents an ironic situation with regard to the fact in issue. When great, popular and influential people speak it, they are applauded, celebrated and given all sort of accolades. However, when students or an average man in the community speaks it, they are mocked and mimicked. This tells of a hidden motive that does not speak well of itself. English language has been imposed on us as one of the mechanisms used in the colonial conquest of Nigeria. No doubt! But the language has so much got into us that throwing it away means something else. We speak and write it, do almost everything with it; in fact, we are forced to learn it as a second and official language in this nation of nations. Therefore, ANYTHING WORTH DOING IS WORTH DOING WELL.
Finally, secondary schools who seem to disregard the teaching of Oral English should do the needful. Those people who disregard it should not discourage others from learning and speaking it. Students should not be afraid of mockery; learning any language goes by continues practice. Those great orators whom the world celebrates began the journey on a thorny path but gladly ended up on a smooth destination. It is advised that students should listen to radio and watch television broadcasts with sound oral English, speeches of orators, read textbooks of speech sounds, check transcription of words when checking for their meanings and online tutorials about Oral English.
Abdul Mutallib Muktar
abdulmutallib.muktar@gmail.com
5th Dec., 2019.
Nice piece, keep going
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