A SOCIO – LINQUISTIC STUDY OF MOTORPARK WORKER AND ITS EFFECTS ON CHILDREN LIVING IN THE ENVIRONMENT ( CASE STUDY OF MILE 2 MOTOR PARK)

Abstract

This study examines the sociolinguistic study of motor park and it effects on children living in the environment. Cross-linguistic perspective on the interrelations existing among the concepts of discourse, (group) ideology, and social identity as key interfaces of language practices. The aim is to isolate some of the ideological patterns underlying social-linguistic construction and discourse practices on the other, among participants in the studied speech community, and then to identify how such constructionism and communication engender both speech-and-social identity.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

Research in diverse field of the social sciences and humanities continue to impact significantly on linguistic research and communication studies. Featuring prominently among these are the sub-fields of anthropology, social psychology, ethnography, literary criticism, semiotics and cultural studies to mention few. The resultant corpus of knowledge that emerges comes laden with a conglomeration of concepts which cut intricately through the multidisciplinary fields, to include discourse, ideology, race, identity, culture, class, hegemony, among others. Scholars have developed theories of identity which associate the concepts of language and nationality, as language (the tongues we speak) remains one of the major parameters known for relating the differences among cultures, and thus for discriminating the identity of the one from the other kind of people. But the list of parameters for identifying individuals (as distinct from the culture bound groupings known as Peoples) remains long and extensive, as extensive as the scope of individual activity and engagement within society itself, from membership of the family unit to membership of a voluntary group: thus, the categorization of Social Identity(see Ochs, 1993) Certainly, even the concept of a „Park‟ (in the Nigerian and West African context, without the modifying adjective „motor‟) would also yield itself to the process of social constructionism, among the designated discourse practitioners.

Most motor parks across Nigeria do not only serve the purpose of loading and offloading passengers. They also serve several purposes which people do not know. Research has shown that major parks in Nigeria turn to mini international markets at night with different kinds of traders all struggling to sell and also, a conducive atmosphere for smokers to enjoy themselves as they feel very comfortable doing their thing at odd hours. Another report (Bivan, Edozie&Nurudeen, 2013) captures the relevance of the concept to the African reality in the following words: The motor park in today’s modern society is arguably the most common „first contact‟ for people travelling from one destination to another within Nigeria. For [its] African neighbors such as Benin Republic, Ghana, Niger and other bordering countries coming into Nigeria, the motor park too probably is the first contact and thus gives the first impression. The resultant world of the motor park in these regions thus encapsulates a whole new string of socially constructed phenomena whose realities do not merely corroborate contemporary theoretical positions in social science, linguistic and anthropological research but throw up new perspectives for viewing and understanding what we already know about language and thought on the one hand, and language and society on the other, including all other relevant modalities.

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The usage of the word car park or motor park in the western world is absolutely different in meaning and perception in West Africa especially Nigeria. Motor Park in this context means a place where passengers get on and off a taxi or bus. This parks gradually evolved into a commercial hub at day and night with different types of traders struggling for space to sell their goods and services across to people of different part of the world. This motor parks workers  develop their own languages which is different from the normal English language, thereby influencing the children who reside in that locality negatively in their mode of communication.

• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to assess the sociolinguistic study of motor park work and its effects on children living in the environment. However, for the successful completion of the study, the researcher therefore set out the following sub objectives:

1. To ascertain the importance of motor park in an environment
2. To evaluate the relationship between sociolinguistic study and motor park workers

• To ascertain the effect of motor park work on the communication pattern of the populace of the environ.

1. To ascertain ways of curbing the negative influence on children of the environ if any
   • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For the successful completion of the study, the following hypothesis where formulated:

H₀: There is no significant importance of motorpark in the environment.

H₁: there is a significant importance of motor park in the environment

H₀₂: There is no significant relationship between sociolinguistic study and motor park workers

H₂: There is a significant relationship between sociolinguistic study and motor park workers

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is conceived that at the completion of the study will be useful to the ministry of transport and the commissioner of transport in educating the employee of his ministry, the study will also be useful to the staff of the national union of road transport worker (NURTW) to curtail the excesses of it personnel,

The study will also be useful to all motorist, drivers road safety personnel in carrying out awareness program to the motor park worker on the benefit of behaving and speaking right. Finally the study will be useful to teachers, students, academia’s researcher and the general public.

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers sociolinguistic study of motor park work and its effect on children living in the environment with emphasis on mile 2 International Park Lagos state. However, the researcher has some constrained which limited the scope of the study to mile 2 park only. Some of the constrain are:

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
3. c) FINANCE: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the researcher has other academic bills to cover.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Sociolinguistic

Sociolinguistics is the descriptive study of the effect of any and all aspects of society, including cultural norms, expectations, and context, on the way language is used, and the effects of language use on society. Sociolinguistics differs from sociology of language in that the focus of sociology of language is the effect of language on the society, while sociolinguistics focuses on the society’s effect on language. Sociolinguistics overlaps to a considerable degree with pragmatics. It is historically closely related to linguistic anthropology and the distinction between the two fields has even been questioned.^[1]

It also studies how language varieties differ between groups separated by certain social variables (e.g., ethnicity, religion, status, gender, level of education, age, etc.) and how creation and adherence to these rules is used to categorize individuals in social or socioeconomic classes. As the usage of a language varies from place to place, language usage also varies among social classes, and it is these sociolects that sociolinguistics studies.

Car Park

A car park, also known as a parking lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface. In most countries where cars are the dominant mode of transportation, parking lots are a feature of every city and suburban area. Shopping malls, sports stadiums, mega churches and similar venues often feature parking lots of immense area

Motor Park

Motor park is define as a station for passengers to get on or off buses or taxis”, with an appended practical illustration of usage in the sentence Passengers are set down at Motor Park. Mile 2 Park coincidently constitutes one of the major Parks in the country.

• ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study its based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

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