A thread made front-page today with the title ' 10 English Sentences That Can Make You Appear As A 'Quarter-Baked' Graduate ' with the first paragraph stating ' I know even educated people commit grammatical blunders sometimes but there are grammatical blunders that are just so outrageous and shameful at the same time, when they come right out of the mouths of supposed 'graduates' from tertiary institutions!'

I have no issue with what the poster highlighted as mistakes but he failed to give those he joyfully criticized the correct sentences.

My argument is not on which sentence is correct or which is not, but my argument is on the perceived ignorance even amongst the so called 'graduate'

Firstly let's understand the word 'communication' and what it means.

Communication

communication/kəmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/
noun

the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium.
means of sending or receiving information, such as telephone lines or computers.
means of travelling or of transporting goods, such as roads or railways.

So if communication is the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium. Can this only be achieveable with only the "Queen's English"?

Secondly, let's understand the term 'graduate'

Graduate

noun
a person who has successfully completed a course of study or training, especially a person who has been awarded an undergraduate or first academic degree.
verb
successfully complete an academic degree, course of training, or (North American) high school.
arrange in a series or according to a scale.
change (something, typically colour or shade) gradually or step by step.

It is not stated that fluency in English Language serve as a perquisites in becoming a graduate. So, where did the Master-Slave Mentality come from?

Nice one op.

OP, out of the blue you came up with your own mentality? Didn't you studied in English?

If you cannot communicate effectively well, then there's a problem for you.

DeeTus:
OP, out of the blue you came up with your own mentality? Didn't you studied in English?
If you cannot communicate effectively well, then there's a problem for you.

oga even you self wan scata the English... What's a double negative doing there? I completely concur with the op though some kind of blunder is unpardonable.

Suigeneris93:
You should have made some of the errors he highlighted in his post and see if we'd b able to understand you. Forget this BS about master-slave mentality English is Nigeria's ligua franca and as long as we have so many indigenous languages, English has come to stay

Thank you! Only lazy people who have no interest to learn, just like this Op, reason this way!

Mod, let this be on FP

Haha... sorry guys, we can't understand this language to the fullest till we leave the surface of this earth. Because, the rules keep changing.

English itself is one of the involuted or complicated languages in the world today...

Understanding it in a more comprehensible way is difficult. The language is so delicate. You would be making utterances thinking you are flowing whereas pedants are behind you noting down and compiling your blunders...


As for me, my spoken English is where I have enormous blemish... I almost give up on this language!

Suigeneris93:
You should have made some of the errors he highlighted in his post and see if we'd b able to understand you. Forget this BS about master-slave mentality English is Nigeria's ligua franca and as long as we have so many indigenous languages, English has come to stay

You seem to miss the point here sweetheart, this post is not about whether English language should or shouldn't be our ligua franca, it is about the perceived mentality that for you to be a graduate you must be fluent in English. I know of someone who is a great mathematician but couldn't relate well in English, of course that didn't stop him from getting a nice job...all he has to do is get the job done.

I wish say we fit just approve pidgin as our own official language , I know mama peace will endorse it

Rapmoney:
Thank you! Only lazy people who have no interest to learn, just like this Op, reason this way!

Guy, your post focused on mistakes with no emphasise on corrections, I opened this thread to talk about a perceived Mentality. here's another chance to send in corrections but no, you are busy calling someone lazy...abeg na who lazy between me and you? I am not surprised though...some people have masters degree in pointing out other people's mistakes but cannot help with corrections because they are helpless themselves.

Hexzagon:
oga even you self wan scata the English... What's a double negative doing there? I completely concur with the op though some kind of blunder is unpardonable.

Haha. How much will you pay to learn?

KingOfAmebo:


You seem to miss the point here sweetheart, this post is not about whether English language should or shouldn't be our ligua franca, it is about the perceived mentality that for you to be a graduate you must be fluent in English. I know of someone who is a great mathematician but couldn't relate well in English, of course that didn't stop him from getting a nice job...all he has to do is get the job done.

Yes you have to be! You can't claim to be a graduate, yet go about speaking like a village farmer. There has to be a difference between the way a graduate and an illiterate speaks. Terrible diction can be a total turn-off to employers, especially when you claim to be a graduate. First impression matters.

You cannot neglect the fact that English is our lingua franca. So long as it is, every Nigerian should endeavour to be a proficient speaker of the language. This is no slavery. It's an added advantage to what we already have.

The British colonised the americans. They taught them English language for them to use in communicating with one another.

Fast forward to 200+ years after their independence, they still use the language. And they didn't/don't fight it like we do. Instead, they got better and better with it. This, subsequently, contributed to their development as a nation.


I hate it when I speak to some so-called graduates and they keep echoing, "eh?", "you said?". some will just nod their heads like lizards to show that they understand, meanwhile they don't.

Change your perception, op.