ABSTRACT

This study is titled a Sociolinguistic Analysis of Classroom Interactional Patterns in Federal College of Forestry Mechanization Afaka. The data was collected through the use of questionnaires and tape recordings of classroom interactions, which were analyzed using Huge Mehan’s Initiation-reply-evaluation     (IRE)                                             Sequence                  and     John     Gumperz Contextualization cues. The study revealed that there are two basic hindrances to comprehension in the College. First the respondents find the differences in their culture and English Language as a hindrance. Secondly, the respondents who are of the youth age bracket of between 16-30yrs, and engage mostly in the use of substandard English or Broken English, also find the use of this social behaviour as a hindrance. However, this research sees hope and a positive step toward better comprehension for the respondents through the use of John Gumperz’s contextualization cues and Hugh Mehan’s IRE Sequence. The study finally recommends the study of Oral English as a core subject on its own from the junior secondary level. Also the use of IRE sequence by lecturers is recommended. This can be done through refresher courses which the lecturers can attend from time to time.

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Language is one of the outstanding features that differentiate man from

other creatures. It is of much higher complexity as it is based on a complex

system or rules relating symbols to their meanings. This results in an

indefinite number of possible innovative utterances from a finite number of

elements. Humans acquire language through social interaction, which makes

the use of language to become deeply entrenched in human culture. Apart

from being used to communicate and share information, it also has social

and cultural uses, such as signifying group identity and social stratification.

It can also be looked at as a set of utterances that can be produced from a set

of rules.

When the way language is used is affected by the society in which it is used,

especially in areas relating to cultural norms, expectation and context, it

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becomes the study of sociolinguistics. This is a term which embraces the

a