Beyond Barriers - Nigerian Pidgin climbing the Ladder of Prestige

The paper explores the historical evolution of English and Nigerian indigenous languages, highlighting the minimal contact during the pre-colonial period. It notes that significant interaction began with the British colonization after Nigeria's unification in 1914. The development of Nigerian Pidgin is examined as a contact language that emerged from this interaction. However, it argues that Nigerian Pidgin has evolved beyond traditional definitions, as it is primarily spoken locally rather than universally, and it does not meet the criteria to be classified as a creole.