Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Scholarly interest in Selected Undergraduate Students' Radio Commentary has remained strong, reflecting its continued relevance to discussions of Nigerian and African literary identity.

Existing criticism of Radio Commentary tends to focus on its broader thematic concerns, with semantic shift as a stylistic device in service of bilingualism receiving comparatively less sustained attention.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While Selected Undergraduate Students' Radio Commentary is widely studied, there is no settled critical consensus on how its semantic shift functions specifically in relation to bilingualism. This study undertakes a close textual analysis to address that gap.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the use of semantic shift in Selected Undergraduate Students' Radio Commentary.
2. To analyze how semantic shift contributes to the portrayal of bilingualism.
3. To assess the effectiveness of semantic shift as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text.
4. To situate the findings within the broader context of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship.

1.4 Research Questions

1. How is semantic shift used in Selected Undergraduate Students' Radio Commentary?
2. In what ways does semantic shift contribute to the portrayal of bilingualism?
3. How effective is semantic shift as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text?
4. How does this reading relate to the broader body of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to students and teachers of linguistics, offering a close reading of Selected Undergraduate Students' Radio Commentary that can support classroom discussion and further critical work. It also contributes to the broader body of scholarship on Nigerian literary and linguistic studies.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to a close textual analysis of semantic shift within Radio Commentary, reflecting a MSc-level scope; it does not extend to a full survey of the author's other works.