A number of language buffs have been writing on a very important topic pertaining to the need for everyone to learn — and also have a good command of — the English language, regardless of his course of study. Experts have repeatedly stated that even in non-English speaking countries where the language is used as a foreign (or second) language, its importance has reached a stage that it’s “indispensable.”
Nevertheless, a number of us here in Nigeria do not care to write or speak (virtually) flawless English. The alibi? English is not our mother tongue, and/or it’s not our primary course of study at our respective institutions of learning, not knowing that the inability to use (the) language accurately may bring a barrier to communication; or hinder us from conveying our messages effectively.
Another challenge with inability to speak English fluently is that, what linguists call “international intelligibility” may not be achieved. This happens especially when one finds himself in a foreign environment where most of the people he would interact with may totally not be familiar with his linguistic accent.
Therefore, proficiency in the English language basically requires that you grasp the grammatical structures of phrases, clauses, and sentences — as well as the functions of the English word classes, including the overlap of functions that the words have with respect to their classes. Master the idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs of the language as much as you can; read the newspaper as much as possible; consult the dictionary whenever you stumble across a new word. By so doing, you will get to understand that you are improving.
Muhammadu Sabiu,
Department of English and Literary Studies,
Bauchi State University, Gadau
