KELVIN OGHENESINVWE CHUKWURA

This study examines requests and commands in Nigerian Pidgin English(NPE), focusing on their structure and pragmatic functions. The research investigates how speakers convey directives and negotiate social relationships through language. The study is motivated by the wide spread use of NPE in Nigeria and the lack of detailed research on its directive forms. Guided by Speech Act Theory (Austin, 1962; Searle, 1969) and Politeness Theory (Brown & Levinson, 1987), data were collected from adult NPE speakers in urban settings using participant observation, audio recordings, and semi-structured interviews. Analysis shows that requests and commands often employ uninflected verbs and pragmatic markers such as abeg, which serve to soften, intensify, or emphasize directives depending on context. Social factors, including power dynamics, age, and familiarity, influence whether speakers use direct or indirect forms. The study concludes that NPEis a pragmatically rich language capable of managing complex social interactions. Findings contribute to the descriptive study of NPE, enhance understanding of directive speech acts in multilingual settings, and support the recognition of NPE as a legitimate language in Nigeria.