Dr Simon Shachia Oryila holds a PhD in English Language, an MA in Linguistics, a BA (Hons) English, a Diploma in Computer Studies and a Diploma in Law, among other qualifications. His extensive teaching and research interests are in the areas of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics. He currently teaches at the Department of English Language and Literature, Benue State University, Makurdi, central Nigeria.
Over the years, Dr Oryila has authored and co-authored works using disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches which address contemporary issues in communication, discourse, semiotics, multimodality, stylistics, linguistic interfaces, writing, editing, and publishing. He has increasingly become interested in advancing research in Tiv language, a Niger-Congo language spoken by over five million native speakers in central Nigeria. Among others, he is documenting the English roots of Tiv words, exploring the contentious issue of dialects in Tiv language, curating ten thousand Tiv proverbs, and investigating Tiv tonal systems.
His pioneering books address the use of English and communication in English, relevant to all students of English as a Second Language and Teachers of English as a Second Language. With his Writers & Editors Kitchen, Dr Oryila has been involved in professional editing and freelance writing projects for clients and referrals.
