Sociolinguistic variation in the rhythm of Nigerian English speech

Abstract There is a dearth of research on speech rhythm in Nigerian English, and scholars have differing views on its nature, ranging from being syllable‐timed to tone‐timed. Apart from the fact that the majority of few available studies were conducted more than a decade ago, the exact nature of speech rhythm in Nigerian English remains contentious. This study aims to address this gap by employing multiple metrics and analyses to investigate speech rhythm in Nigerian English, while also exploring the influence of social factors such as gender and ethnicity on its realisation. The findings reveal a significant divergence between the speech rhythm of Nigerian English and British English. Overall, the study suggests a hierarchy of rhythm patterns, with Nigerian English exhibiting more syllable‐timed patterns compared to British English (Igbo English<Yoruba English<Hausa English<British English), and that Nigerian English has more specific phonological features than British English associated with a syllable‐timed rhythm.