BENIN PIDGIN

This study examines the processes of word formation in Benin Pidgin within the framework of the Lexical Morphology Theory (LMT). The research investigates how new words are created, structured, and used in Benin Pidgin, with particular attention to the linguistic creativity that characterizes the language. Contrary to the common perception of Benin Pidgin as a “broken” or unstructured form of English, this study demonstrates that it possesses an organized morphological system governed by identifiable linguistic rules. Data for the study were collected from natural speech contexts, popular media, and informal interviews in Benin City, Lagos, Warri, and Port Harcourt. The analysis focused on six major morphological processes observed in Benin Pidgin reduplication, compounding, affixation, clipping, blending, and borrowing all of which contribute to lexical expansion and communicative efficiency. The Lexical Morphology Theory provided the analytical framework for classifying these processes across the derivational, inflectional, and post-lexical strata of morphology. Findings reveal that word formation in Benin Pidgin is both systematic and innovative. While the language exhibits limited inflectional morphology, it shows high productivity in derivation and post-lexical creativity. Reduplication and compounding are the most frequent and culturally grounded processes, while blending and borrowing reflect urbanization and multilingual interaction. The study concludes that Benin Pidgin is a linguistically rich and evolving language that mirrors the cultural diversity and adaptability of its speakers. The study recommends further research into syntactic and semantic aspects of Benin Pidgin, as well as the development of a standardized morphological corpus to aid documentation, teaching, and preservation of the language