SAMPLE 1: “The parties on the fringe lack formidable structures, numerical and financial strength Pooling Resources Piecemeal, and national spread. They are domiciled in major cities without any slight connection with the grassroots. The candidates are mostly youths who have refused to pull their resources together.” (The Big Contest, The Nation, Sunday, 30 December, 2018)
We are interested in the expression, “pull their resources together.” My purpose of drawing attention to the expression, “pull their resources together”, particularly to its opening word pull, is not necessarily to question its integrity in absolute terms, but to initiate a process of ensuring that that word is the one the writer actually intended to select, and to warn readers against being misled into confusing it with pool. This proactive warning is not exactly a scaremongering stunt, for the tendency seems to be rife among Nigerian users to confuse pool with pull whenever there is a need to use expressions like the one under reference. We can’t even be too sure that this isn’t the reporter’s own version of the much harassed expression! To be sure, the English usage does permit us to say we are pulling things together, at least as far as my own knowledge of the language goes. However, my suspicion concerning the confusion (of pull with pool) is fuelled and heightened by the involvement of the noun resources, a word that regularly collocates with the word pool in the context of the legitimate idiom.
When they are interested in saying that a group of people contribute resources to achieve an end, some Nigerians would say: “Members of the family have been advised to pull their resources together and pay their father’s hospital bill” or “Residents pulled resources together to buy a vehicle needed to convey children to and from school” or “People should pull knowledge together for the development of their community.”
Each of those sentences has two problems. One, the word pull has been selected instead of pool. Two, the word together is redundant; that is, it serves no useful purpose, being not a ‘natural’ part of the idiomatic usage. The sentences are revised as follows: 1) Members of the family have been advised to pool resources and pay their father’s hospital bill. 2) Residents pooled resources to buy a vehicle needed to convey children to and from school. 3) People should pool knowledge for the development of their community.
Further usage examples: 4) A society will develop rapidly when its members pool and share wisdom. 5) In those days, farmers pooled their labour resulting in extensive and highly productive cultivation of land. 6) The time has come for scientists all over the world to pool and share knowledge. 7) The Minister of Finance has advised small scale businessmen to pool their money and start a larger, jointly owned business. 8) Three people can pool their savings and start something larger and more impressive. 9) Once they enter an exam hall, students are not expected or allowed to pool knowledge. 10) The purpose of this meeting is to pool ideas for the progress of our company.
If the reporter’s expression is intended to convey an idea similar to what we have in each of those sentences, then he is in error. At any rate, it will be a good idea for both the reporter and all other readers to note the difference between pool and pull and their respective collocation. Significantly, the difference in pronunciation is worth noting, for it would seem to me that the grave snare is constituted by the users’ pronunciation deficiency. The difference in pronunciation is not something to be glossed over. Good dictionaries and competent teachers will be of great help.
Sample 2: “Preliminary investigation confirmed a serious case of money laundering. The N6.5billion was withdrawn in piecemeal in cash to cover up any trail.” (EFCC Probes Akwa Ibom over Withdrawal of Another N6.5b from Account, The Nation, 11 November, 2018)
I draw readers’ attention to the expression, “in piecemeal.” Worthy of attention especially is the particle (in) immediately preceding the word piecemeal. That particle is the problem. We have complained several times in this place about the habit of some Nigerians using particles arbitrarily in the contexts of idioms. Some Nigerians, following the dictates of their feelings and fancy, would delete particles where their presence is absolutely essential; bring in particles where they are complete strangers; freely substitute particles without any regard for the idiomatic character of the expressions involved; etc. Such carelessness and arbitrariness do violence to the idiomatic integrity of the expressions.
To return to our sample, instead of saying, “The money was withdrawn piecemeal,” fellow Nigerians would say, “The money was withdrawn in piecemeal.” Then you wonder where the particle in occurring immediately before the word piecemeal comes from. Of course, it would seem that the particle comes from a particular kind of construction involving the word piecemeal: “The money was withdrawn in a piecemeal fashion.” This is an idiomatic construction requiring the presence of the particle in, but this construction should not be confused with the earlier one in which the particle is intrusive.
Also, some Nigerians would allow the particle on to collocate with the verb emphasize. They would say, “The chairman emphasized *on the need for probity in the handling of the company’s affairs.” The proper thing to say is: “The chairman emphasized the need for probity in the handling of the company’s affairs.” Other defective sentences and their corrected versions are as follows: Defective: The professor emphasized *on the importance of regular reading as a means of developing one’s capacity. Corrected version: The professor emphasized the importance of regular reading as a means of developing one’s capacity. Defective: The doctor emphasized *on the need for exercise as a way of maintaining a healthy body. Corrected version: The doctor emphasized the need for regular exercise as a way of maintaining a healthy body. Defective: The guest lecturer encouraged the developing African nations to emphasize *on mechanized agriculture as a means of guaranteeing food security. Corrected version: The guest lecturer encouraged the developing African nations to emphasize mechanized agriculture as a means of guaranteeing food security. Defective: This regime is emphasizing *on training and re-training of staff. Corrected version: This regime is emphasizing training and re-training of staff. Defective: The instructor emphasized *on the need to maintain a clean and hygienic environment. Corrected version: The instructor emphasized the need to maintain a clean and hygienic environment.
Readers should note that although the verb emphasize does not take the particle on, the noun emphasis does. Please read the following sentences: 1) The new regime places emphasis on probity and accountability. (Compare: The new regime emphasizes probity and accountability.) 2) The emphasis in the western world is on increased technology. (Compare: The western world emphasizes increased technology.) 3) The emphasis here is on herbal medicine (Compare: Here we emphasize herbal medicine.) 4) The workshop will place emphasis on the participants’ ability to pronounce words correctly. (Compare: The workshop will emphasize the participants’ ability to pronounce words correctly.) 5) This government is placing emphasis on security. (Compare: This government is emphasizing security.) 6) Any training in English should lay emphasis on clarity of expression. (Compare: Any training in English should emphasize clarity of expression.)
Some users confuse the particle/preposition that should go with the verb prepare (or its noun preparation) with the one that goes with the adjective preparatory. They would say, preparatory for instead of preparatory to. Read the following sentences: 1a) We are preparing for exams. b) We have bought materials in preparation for exams. C) Materials have been bought preparatory to exams. 2a) We are preparing for the construction work. b) We have cleared the site in preparation for the construction work. C) We have cleared the site preparatory to the commencement of construction work. 3a) INEC is preparing for elections. b) INEC has been procuring materials in preparation for elections. C) INEC has been procuring materials preparatory to the elections. 4a) We are preparing for the meeting. b)The hall has been tidied up in preparation for the meeting. c) The hall has been tidied up preparatory to the meeting. 5) a) I am preparing for resumption. b) I have bought new books in preparation for resumption. c) I have bought new books preparatory to resumption. 6) a) The Super Eagles are preparing for the match. b) The Super Eagles have gone to the camp in preparation for the match. c) The Super Eagles have gone to the camp preparatory to the match.
Note the following: prepare for; preparation for; preparatory to.
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