1.1 Introduction
Redundancy as a property of a language was noticed in research literature in the mid- twentieth century in connection with the emergence and development of information theory. Semantics is the study of meaning. It is a wide subject between the general studies of language. An understanding of semantics is essential to the study of language acquisition (how language users acquire a sense of meaning, as speakers and writers, listeners and readers) and of language change (how meaning alter over time). It is important for understanding language in social contexts as these are likely to affect meaning, and for understanding varieties of meaning and effects of style. It is thus one of the fundamental concepts in linguistics. The study of how meaning is constructed, interpreted, clarified, obscured, illustrated, simplified, negotiated, contradicted and paraphrased.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
The word redundancy comes from the Latin word redundare (compete, increase) and means information surplus, for example, more information than necessary (Bakos, 2002). A short dictionary of defines redundancy as superfluity. It means overcoming the normal or necessary degree of something. Redundancy is such a state or property where a greater number of elements are used than is usual or necessary.
This study review some of the semantic redundancies found in students' speech. This is with a view to identify some long observed peculiarities in the use of redundancy in the students' use of English.
In the context of language studies, semantics occupies the end continuum. Semantics is at the top level because it deals with communication and interpretation. The major problem is with the definition of the subject simply as the study of meaning. Meaning is the target/goal in language. In whatever we do, we try to get meaning. The challenge is trying to find the meaning of meaning itself.
The term redundancy is also used in literature, especially in the perception and interpretation of the literary text. In this context, according to Šenkár (2016), it is very important to return to the strands that conceal the nucleus of a nation, from which individual consciousness grew, formed feelings and influenced (cultural) actions. This problem also corresponds with the need to develop the pupils’ evaluative thinking, which is often forgotten in practice (Pisoňová, 2014). Redundancy in a literary work appears in the repetition of characteristic, thematic and linguistic-stylistic components in the literary work. From the recipient's point of view, redundancy in the text may be desirable or unnecessary.
This project work is concerned with the repetitions made by students while speaking. However, any issue raised here would be considerably discussed and illustrated with adequate examples. Thus the findings of this work will on the other hand add to the existing literature(s) on semantic redundancy as a localized contribution to knowledge.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation reveals the challenges of the existing research work, which entails that, one of the reasons for the increasing of the use of elements of language redundancy is the lack of examples of elitist language proficiency in the media, as the spontaneous speech of journalists, anchor men, bloggers, actors, and other media people is replete with speech errors. This is an uneconomic waste of other language means with the expectation that the recipient will choose the minimum of words that will allow to achieve understanding. Redundancy in speech is considered to be represented in superfluous words, constructions, turnovers, the contents of which can be conveyed by a simpler synonymous expression or a single word.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Semantic Redundancy in Students' Speeches. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows to:
- Determine the linguistic motivation for redundancy among students.
- Establish a clear demarcation between samples of data taken and their Standard English version.
1.5 Significance of Study
The relevance of clarity and correctness in communication cannot be over emphasized. Therefore, this work on semantic redundancy is desirable because it provides some insights into the prevalence of redundancy in the verbal interaction of the students selected as the subject of the project. More so, the findings of this work will not only contribute to the existing literature on semantic redundancy, but would help anyone who goes through this work to avoid tautology in their speech.
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.6 Research Methodology
The researcher adopts a multi-dimensional approach in her efforts to get at the substance of this work. The researcher made use of both primary and secondary sources of obtaining pieces of information. Books, journal articles, encyclopedia, dictionaries, magazines, unpublished project works etc were consulted as secondary source materials. Questionnaire schedule was designed as a primary source of obtaining oral information from the respondents. Both structured and unstructured questionnaire items were designed for eliciting information out of these respondents. People from the age of twenty were considered qualified as respondents. In interpretation of the data collected, the researcher made use of descriptive and analytical approaches.
1.7 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Semantic Redundancy in Students' Speeches. The study is limited towards that phonological, morphological and syntactic redundancies. This research is also limited to only semantic redundancy.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
1.9 Definition of Terms
Semantics: Semantics is the study of the meaning of words and phrases (Oxford Advance Learners Dictionary, 2010).
Redundancy: Redundancy is the state of not being necessary or useful (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 2010).
1.10 Conclusion
In this chapter, the background of the study, aims and objectives, significance of the study, scope and limitation, definitions of terms as well as the research method have been presented to serve as adequate background to the study. The second chapter will gives a review of the literature related to this work.
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