Multiplicity of Cultures in Anglicised Yoruba Personal Names and Yoruba Business Names

Abstract

Although some studies on Anglicism in German and some European languages have been carried out, there has not been much focus on Anglicism in African languages, especially, Yoruba personal names (YPNs) and Yoruba business names (YBNs). This study investigated Anglicism in Yoruba business and personal names, two of the mostly affected onomastic genres among Yoruba-English bilinguals (YEBs). Labov's Variability Concept, which stresses language contacts resulting into changes and modifications was adopted as the theoretical framework. Participatory observation, questionnaire, and interview were the sources of the data. The major findings included the following: YEBs' Anglicised YPNs and YBNs encouraged a wider range of intercultural exchanges; Anglicised YPNs and YBNs are couched in multiplicity of tongues which posed identification and semantic problems; and Anglicised YPNs and YBNs served as a new constructed genre of work. The conclusion was that Anglicised YPNs and YBNs were hybrids from multiple cultures which enriched our language repertoire revealing English's trendiness.