Tomorrow May Not Be Yours: Military Slang and Jargon as Linguistic Performance in Nigeria

Abstract

This article explores the expressive use of slang and jargon by officers and men of the Nigerian Army in a bid to construct social identity, enforce discipline, and conform to work ethics. The study adopts linguistic ideology and community of practice theories which are complemented by the notion of style as performance to provide frameworks for understanding military subjectivities and attitudes represented by these emblematic linguistic resources. Data were sourced through participant observation and semi-structured interviews with 30 participants. The study found that military slang and jargon help ease communication between officers and men as they index power, enhance solidarity, facilitate inclusion (and exclusion), and promote varied military subcultures. We conclude that situated language practices provide a site for linguistic creativity and the enactment of style that sustain meaningful relationships between personnel in the army. This linguistic practice, therefore, offers strong social capital in defining collective identities and professional belonging.