Senior Man! Semantic Classification of Address Terms in Nigerian Pidgin

Address terms are fixed anchorage of politeness in every language and culture. In Nigerian Pidgin (henceforth NP), they are fluid and dynamic concepts that are opened to change, adaptation and variation. This article investigates the semantic classification of address terms in NP, and from a sociolinguistic account explores some address terms in NP as they are used in situated contexts by young people in their varied communities of practice to mark solidarity, identity and equality. The study is rooted in Brown and Levinson’s (1987) theory of politeness which maintains that interlocutors choose politeness strategies to mitigate or address loss of face. Data for the study were elicited through ethnographic (qualitative) fieldwork using semi-structured interviews with 25 participants in Calabar and Ikom, in Cross River State, south-south geopolitical zone of Nigeria. They were purposively sampled. The study identified five forms of address terms in NP: reciprocal terms, non-reciprocal terms, kinship reference, borrowed terms and impolite terms. We conclude that young people utilise address terms in NP to reinforce social relations, illuminate youth-centred experiences and strengthen belonging. In this way, heterogeneity of address terms in NP provides insights into understanding how politeness is achieved in interactional contexts.