Abstract

This study is a re-examination of the rhythm of Nigerian English, using speech data drawn from Nollywood films. Unlike earlier descriptions of Nigerian English rhythm which relied largely on elicited speech, the study investigates Nollywood speech with a view to ascertaining if methodological differences affect rhythmic characterisation. Using acoustic evidence from Pratt, Rhythm Ratio analysis, and perceptual examination of a hundred and forty (140) utterances, the study finds consistent evidence for full-vowel timing across the data, lending support to Udofot's (2003) account. The findings suggest that Nigerian English rhythm is neither conventionally stress-timed nor syllable-timed but reflects an emergent phonological pattern associated with the nativisation of English in Nigeria.