Sample 1: “He also condoled the people of Birnin Gwari (for) the lost of lives and properties they’ve experienced as a result of these attacks.” (Tinubu receives chieftaincy title for being the first candidate to visit Birnin Gwari, Opera News, 18 December, 2022)
The word that attracts our attention is lost which occurs in the following context: “he condoled the people of Birnin Gwari for the lost of lives and properties.” “Lost of lives and properties”? The form lost is a strange lexeme in the context. It is certain that the writer confused the form lost with loss. This error features occasionally in the English expressions of some Nigerians. In other words, some inexperienced Nigerian writers do not know the difference between lost and loss. At best, they give the erroneous impression that the one is a variant of the other.
The form lost, let us note, is the past and past participle form of lose. As a past participle form, it can occur in the context of the perfect tense; it can occur in the context of the passive structures; it can also function adjectivally. Illustrations will make the points clearer. Please read the following sentences: 1) Our leaders seem to have lost their sense of direction. 2) The followers have lost confidence in their leaders. 3) The patient has lost too much blood for the doctor to be of any help to him. 4) He has lost his sense of humour as a result of a string of terrible experiences. 5) Africans lost their pride as a result of slave trade and colonisation. 6) The man lost his patience following a number of gratuitous insults. 7) I don’t think Nigeria has lost the war against corruption. 8) We have lost too much time already; let’s start immediately. 9) We have recovered all the lost items. 10) It is often said that a lost opportunity can never be regained. 11) Who will bear responsibility for the money lost in the failed business? 12) Workers seem to have lost faith in the system. 13 The nation, through hard work and patriotism, has regained its lost pride. 14) He lost his respect as a result of greed. 15) Many lives were lost in the accident. 16) Mercifully, no life was lost in the accident. 17) He, unfortunately, lost the opportunity of working in a blue-chip company. 18) Is there any chance that the lost manuscript can be found? 19) The unfortunate thing is that she lost favour with her boss. 20) Fortunately, the lost glory is coming back gradually. 21) The tourists were lost in the jungle, moving in a circle like Israelites in the wilderness. 22) Lost but found items are kept in the store. 23) Any natural language can be lost over time if not put to active use. 24) The president lost sight of the fact that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation. 25) He has lost touch with reality as a result of the comfortable life he has the privilege of living. 26) He has lost all his money to gambling.
The word loss is the noun form of the verb lose. Now read the following sentences: 1) Their loss is our own gain. 2) That drug usually induces loss of appetite. 3) Ripe old age is sometimes accompanied by loss of memory. 4) Such disasters are associated with loss of lives. 5) The government has plans to help traders who sustained losses during the fire disaster. 6) That disease is notorious for inducing loss of blood. 7) Increased technology may mean inevitable loss of jobs. 8) Many days of sickness resulted in loss of energy. 9) Extreme misfortune may result in loss of faith in God. 10) The politician has been humbled by loss of political power. 11) Politicians are afraid that the reform may bring about substantial loss of their wealth. 12) The cuts in taxes are bound to lead to loss of revenue. 13) The loss of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameron reduced the quantity of oil available for sale. 14) The loss of many of our factories to the neighbouring countries was due to lack of steady power supply. 15) Loss of money, however huge, cannot be equated with the loss of human life. 16) Loss of influence at the grassroots is indeed a great loss for a professional politician. 17) The computer crashed, leading to loss of a mass of vital information. 18) The loss of the original copy has raised questions about the authenticity of this document. 19) Loss of truth means loss of everything that is right. 20) Many politicians cannot cope with the consequences of loss of election.
Do not say or write: 1) The old man is experiencing memory *lost. Say or write 1b) The old man is experiencing memory loss; Do not say or write: 2a) The government is complaining about *lost of revenue. Say or write: 2b) The government is complaining about loss of revenue; Do not say or write: 3a) *Lost of influence at the grassroots gave the politician anxiety. Write or say: 3b) Loss of influence at the grassroots gave the politician anxiety; Do not say or write: 4a) We have *loss a precious opportunity. Say or write: 4b) We have lost a precious opportunity. Do not say or write: 5a) The veteran *loss one his eyes during the civil war. Say or write: 5b) The veteran lost one of his eyes during the civil war.
Sample 2: “Since he resumed at the State House as Executive Governor of Ogun State, the native of Ijebu land in Ogun State has passionately committed his bulk and prodigious repute to a grand and noble intent to improve the fortunes of the state.” (Vistas of hope—juilation in Ogun as Dapo Abiodun conquers land, air, sea, News Opera, 11 April, 2022)
I draw readers’ attention to the verb resumed which occurs in the context, “since he resumed at the State House as Executive Governor of Ogun State…” The writer has obviously confused the verb resume with assume, for the context does make it clear that the reference is to the circumstance of Dapo Abiodun commencing work as the new Governor of Ogun State. It is important to note the forms of the word in question: The noun form of assume is assumption; of resume is resumption.
The problem of insufficient grasp of the nuances of a word resulting in confusing its identity with that of another with varying degrees of seriousness is endemic in the Nigerian usage terrain. The problem arises because writers don’t care enough to make the words their “own” by thoroughly and consciously internalizing their essential and distinguishing properties.
The word resume under review here is a typical example. The impression the writer gives when he uses the verb resumed, as in many instances of the use of that verb or its noun form (resumption) in the Nigerian context, is that Dapo Abiodun has been on a break and has come back to work.
Some Nigerians would say, “The newly appointed Minister will resume duty on July 1” when they mean, “The newly appointed Minister will assume duty on July 1”. They would say, “The new Inspector-General of Police will resume duty next week” when they mean, “The new Inspector-General of Police will assume duty next week”. They would say, “The newly admitted students will resume (classes) next week” when they mean, “The newly admitted students will commence classes next week.”
We need to make a distinction between assumption of duty (which is about commencing work for the first time) and resumption of duty (which is about coming back to work after a break). To resume work is to begin to work again after one has stopped working, and to assume duty is to report for an assignment for the first time.
The expression “assumed duties” should replace the verb resumed in the context under review.
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