Narrative Functions of Sociophonetic Variation in Nigerian English: A Comparative Study of Season of Crimson Blossoms, My Sister, the Serial Killer and The Fishermen

Nigerian English shows significant phonological diversity influenced by indigenous languages, yet its sociophonetic features in literature remain underexplored. This study examines orthographically marked phonological variation and its narrative functions in three Nigerian novels representing major regions: Season of Crimson Blossoms (Northern), My Sister, the Serial Killer (Western), and The Fishermen (Eastern). Using qualitative textual analysis informed by Discourse Phonology (Coupland, 2007) and Phonological Stylistics (Leech & Short, 2007), the research codes and examines the graphological markers of segmental, suprasegmental, and prosodic features preserved in the selected narratives. Findings reveal systematic regional phonological variation in Nigerian English, with significant substrate influences on the narrative patterns in these novels. This comparative analysis establishes methodological approaches for analysing orthographically-represented phonological variation in literary texts and contributes empirical evidence of Nigerian English phonological diversity serving narrative functions across regional varieties.