CODE-SWITCHING IN SONGS AS A TOOL FOR NATION BUILDING

Resumen

The use of code-switching in the Nigerian music industry is a prevalent trait that is employed by artists in the composition of the lyrics of their songs in order to reach out to a wider audience and communicate ethnicity. This has become one of the major tools of enhancing and promoting unity in cultural and language diversity in Nigeria. The use of code-switching is not only evident in the secular sector alone, but in the gospel sector too. Code-switching in these songs does not only make the song easily acceptable for those who speak the languages involved but also makes it more appealing as it relates to the cultural base of the listeners. It has become a recent phenomenon motivated by the expansion of the mass media that provides unprecedented opportunities for people all over the world to be easily exposed to language and culture other than their own culture, thereby enhancing nation building and growth. This paper focuses on code-switching involving English and one or more of the major languages in Nigeria, as a strategic tool used by the artists to achieve certain social goals in communication which also helps in eradicating language endangerment.