METONYMY AND MEANING IN NIGERIAN ENGLISH: A SEMANTIC ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study explores the semantic dimensions of metonymy in Nigerian English, examining its dominant forms, domains of use, and communicative functions. Anchored in the Referential Theory of Meaning, the research analyzes twenty-five metonymic expressions drawn from Nigerian media discourse and everyday conversations. The analysis identifies five major metonymic patterns—place-for-institution, object-for-role, body-part-for-person, process-for-outcome, and person-for-action—with the first two occurring most frequently. Findings reveal that metonymy functions as a pervasive semantic strategy in Nigerian English, performing key roles in linguistic economy, cultural expression, and rhetorical persuasion. By relying on shared sociocultural knowledge, metonymy enables speakers to encode authority, identity, and ideology succinctly. The study concludes that metonymy is not merely a stylistic ornament but a cognitive and cultural mechanism that reflects how Nigerians conceptualize and communicate social realities.