LANGUAGE AND CULTURE: WORD CHOICE AND LOCAL EXPRESSIONS IN AKACHI ADIMORA-EZEIGBO'S THE LAST OF THE STRONG ONES

This study investigates the place of culture and language in Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo’s The Last of the Strong Ones. It anchors on Sapir-Whorf’s linguistic relativity hypothesis and postcolonial literary theory in examining how the novelist uses local linguistic codes in opposing colonial dominion and portray the valid pre-colonial Umuga people and culture. The study, therefore, centres on how indigenous expressions and word preferences conserve cultural identity. A qualitative textual analysis of the novel centres on specific Igbo idioms, proverbs and transliterations. These are integrated within the English text. Findings disclose that the novelist deliberately employs these local expressions as ornamental stylistic devices. More than amusement, the artist uses the local idioms as vital means of conveying collective values, historical memory and gender attitudes. The reading concludes that the conscious domestication of the English language generates a typical hybrid conversation that efficiently portrays the viewpoint of the characters in the novel. Through these findings, the reading recommends that scholars and critics take into account various domesticated micro-linguistic preferences manifesting in female African literary works. Furthermore, policymakers and curriculum developers should not ignore these linguistically rich texts but incorporate them into basic and advanced literary studies, thereby ensuring an enhanced cultural preservation and dissemination among learners.