English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
CATACHRESIS
You shouldn’t be seen talking to such a *local* person (Popular Nigerian English).
You shouldn’t be seen talking to such an *unrefined* person (standard).
A local person is not an unrefined or uncultured person. Local means existing in or belonging to the area where you live, or to the area that you are talking about:
I love to read *local* newspapers; these foreign ones don’t paint true pictures (standard).
You cannot trust them. They visit *herbalists* often (Popular Nigerian English).
You cannot trust them. They visit witch *doctors* often (standard).
A person who is thought to have magic powers which can be used to heal people is a witch doctor or medicine man. A herbalist is a person who grows or sells herbs that are used in medicine:
I stopped having a constant headache since I visited that herbalist (standard).
GAB
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