On-the-nigerian-police-erroneous-use-and-definition-of-the-word-interview
September 7, 2020 | News
ON THE NIGERIAN POLICE ERRONEOUS USE AND DEFINITION OF THE WORD “INTERVIEW”
It is not proper that the word “INTERVIEW”, has been turned upside down and used as something else by Officers of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF). The word INTERVIEW, has been abused to the point that one begins to wonder where they got their meaning and language from. This is not to undermine the Officers of the Nigerian Police Force, especially in maintaining law and order in the society. But this is geared toward helping the NPF to re-educate its Officers at all levels on the use of the word “INTERVIEW”.
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, the word INTERVIEW has several meanings, depending on what is being referred to. Some of the definitions include: “A meeting at which somebody applying for a job, a place on a course, etc is asked questions to discover whether they are suitable; A meeting at which a journalist asks somebody questions in order to find out their views; A meeting between two people to discuss important matters, usually formal.” Also, according to Wikipedia: “An INTERVIEW is essentially a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers. In common parlance, the word "INTERVIEW" refers to a one-on-one conversation between an INTERVIEWER and an INTERVIEWEE. And the INTERVIEWEE is a person who is INTERVIEWED. While the INTERVIEWER is a person who conducts an INTERVIEW. But in the eyes of the NPF, this is not their own definition of INTERVIEW, as used by them.
From the definitions above, we can conclude that INTERVIEWS are classified, and only concerns those involved. Be it Telephone INTERVIEWS, face-to-face INTERVIEWS, Panel INTERVIEWS, lunch/dinner INTERVIEWS, or formal/informal INTERVIEWS. I have researched all through, and I have not seen any place, where the person being INTERVIEWED, will now be called the INTERVIEWER, while the person asking questions is seen as the INTERVIEWEE. Sadly, that is how Officers of the Nigerian Police Force view this subject. Every time I hear the Nigerian Police Officers saying that the complainants/suspects are the people INTERVIEWING the Nigerian Police Officers as the INTERVIEWER, while the Police Officer asking the questions is the INTERVIEWEE, I cringe and wonder. Who must have taught them this wrong use of the word INTERVIEW? The wrong use and application of such an English word, is simply embarrassing and unprofessional to be associated with/coming from the Officers of the Nigerian Police Force.
I believe the Nigerian Police, and its Officers and men, should live up, grow up and update themselves to the standard expected of them, in their use of the English language, which is Nigeria’s lingua-franca and official language. The Nigerian Police cannot claim to have their own peculiar English Language, different from the one we all know.
For emphasis, the Nigerian Police Officers are the ones interrogating suspects/complainants, in other to understand how to go about solving a criminal case being investigated. The Police Officers are the ones asking the questions, so they are referred to as the INTERVIEWERS, WHILE THE PEOPLE BEING QUESTIONED ARE THE INTERVIEWEES. The Nigerian Police Officers should update themselves and stop misusing the meaning of the word INTERVIEW. The word should not be used upside down. Corporate organizations, and people, should also learn and make necessary corrections in this regard. And stop this erroneous practice, as it was observed to be done in the past out of ignorance.
Zik Gbemre.
March 28, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
It is not proper that the word “INTERVIEW”, has been turned upside down and used as something else by Officers of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF). The word INTERVIEW, has been abused to the point that one begins to wonder where they got their meaning and language from. This is not to undermine the Officers of the Nigerian Police Force, especially in maintaining law and order in the society. But this is geared toward helping the NPF to re-educate its Officers at all levels on the use of the word “INTERVIEW”.
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, the word INTERVIEW has several meanings, depending on what is being referred to. Some of the definitions include: “A meeting at which somebody applying for a job, a place on a course, etc is asked questions to discover whether they are suitable; A meeting at which a journalist asks somebody questions in order to find out their views; A meeting between two people to discuss important matters, usually formal.” Also, according to Wikipedia: “An INTERVIEW is essentially a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers. In common parlance, the word "INTERVIEW" refers to a one-on-one conversation between an INTERVIEWER and an INTERVIEWEE. And the INTERVIEWEE is a person who is INTERVIEWED. While the INTERVIEWER is a person who conducts an INTERVIEW. But in the eyes of the NPF, this is not their own definition of INTERVIEW, as used by them.
From the definitions above, we can conclude that INTERVIEWS are classified, and only concerns those involved. Be it Telephone INTERVIEWS, face-to-face INTERVIEWS, Panel INTERVIEWS, lunch/dinner INTERVIEWS, or formal/informal INTERVIEWS. I have researched all through, and I have not seen any place, where the person being INTERVIEWED, will now be called the INTERVIEWER, while the person asking questions is seen as the INTERVIEWEE. Sadly, that is how Officers of the Nigerian Police Force view this subject. Every time I hear the Nigerian Police Officers saying that the complainants/suspects are the people INTERVIEWING the Nigerian Police Officers as the INTERVIEWER, while the Police Officer asking the questions is the INTERVIEWEE, I cringe and wonder. Who must have taught them this wrong use of the word INTERVIEW? The wrong use and application of such an English word, is simply embarrassing and unprofessional to be associated with/coming from the Officers of the Nigerian Police Force.
I believe the Nigerian Police, and its Officers and men, should live up, grow up and update themselves to the standard expected of them, in their use of the English language, which is Nigeria’s lingua-franca and official language. The Nigerian Police cannot claim to have their own peculiar English Language, different from the one we all know.
For emphasis, the Nigerian Police Officers are the ones interrogating suspects/complainants, in other to understand how to go about solving a criminal case being investigated. The Police Officers are the ones asking the questions, so they are referred to as the INTERVIEWERS, WHILE THE PEOPLE BEING QUESTIONED ARE THE INTERVIEWEES. The Nigerian Police Officers should update themselves and stop misusing the meaning of the word INTERVIEW. The word should not be used upside down. Corporate organizations, and people, should also learn and make necessary corrections in this regard. And stop this erroneous practice, as it was observed to be done in the past out of ignorance.
Zik Gbemre.
March 28, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes