Nigerian Indigenous Languages Research Articles

The Role of the Anglican Church in the Development of Nigerian Indigenous Language

This study looks at the significant roles the Anglican Church's has played and commitment to education, translation, worship, publishing, and research has significantly impacted the development of Nigerian indigenous languages. The study was based on historical fact, books and other secondary sources of information, the conclusion and recommendations were based on the research findings.

Translation Equivalents in Nigerian English and Ghanaian English

This research is an analysis of the translation equivalents in Nigerian and Ghanaian Englishes. Translation equivalents refer to manifestations of mother tongues interferences in which lexical items are substituted literally from other local languages to English language. This study discusses the data from ICE Nigeria and Ghana respectively that reflect mother tongue interferences. All the data were purposively drawn from International Corpus of English (ICE) Nigeria and (ICE) Ghana components. A total of thirty-nine expressions constitute the data for analysis in this study. An eclectic framework of language interference, transfer and language variation and change is used for analysis. The analyses are in three levels: sociolinguistic, semantic and corpus based. This study identifies some distinctive NE and GhE lexical items from ICE Nigeria and Ghana with their meanings. Examples include “raise voice and no light” (NE) and “feel the rain and kill time” (GhE). The translation equivalents in NE are majorly as a result of the influence of the Nigerian indigenous languages: Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa languages, among others. That of GhE is greatly influenced by the Akan, Ewe and Ga languages. The study reveals that translation equivalents in both varieties of English are quite related.

AN APPRAISAL OF THE AVAILABILITY AND USE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN TEACHING MODERN AND NIGERIAN LANGUAGES (ENGLISH, IGBO AND YORUBA) IN LAGOS STATE JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

This study looked at the appraisal of the availability and utilization of instructional materials for teaching of English and Nigerian indigenous languages (Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba) in Nigeria junior secondary schools. The Scope of the research is Lagos State Junior secondary schools. Three Educational districts were used for the Study. The method adopted for the study was descriptive Survey. Two research instruments, teacher’s Questionnaires and observation checklist schedule were used for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Major findings of the study includes; inadequate instructional materials in teaching Nigerian and modern languages in Nigerian junior secondary schools, the available instructional materials were not adequately utilized as a result of inexperienced and ill-trained teachers. The study concluded that there would be appropriate use of instructional materials by modern and Nigerian languages teachers if the government and the stakeholders could provide fund for the needed materials, employ qualified teachers as well as encourage and sponsor on-the-job training of Modern and Nigerian languages teachers.

Reverse Back the Car: Reduplication as Language Variation in Nigerian English Usage

This paper investigates the use of reduplicated English elements as aspects of Nigerian English usage in the speech events among participants in Calabar, a multilingual city in Southern Nigeria. The study adopts Variationist Sociolinguistics and Sociopragmatic Competence as the theoretical foundations because both account for the occurrence of variation and semantic change resulting from interference from L1 and other factors. The data for the study were generated through a two-year field investigation by means of participant observation and audiotape recording of interactions among participants who are bi/multilingual in English and one or more Nigerian indigenous languages. The active sites where the data were extracted include interactions among participants in the University environment, markets, churches and other social gatherings, and discussants on television and radio programmes. The findings indicate that the use of reduplicated elements cut across ages, gender, social status, and the diverse ethnolinguistic and educational backgrounds of Nigerians. These features of Nigerian English occur as lexical reduplication which combines identical elements in the open class system and the semantic reduplication that denotes redundancy and other contrastive forms. The features generate new semantic forms that perform several sociopragmatic functions within the Nigerian sociocultural context indicative of variant of new Englishes as outcome of English contact with indigenous languages.

THE CHANGING STATUS OF THE NIGERIAN NATIVE SPEAKER: IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Globalisation has taken its toll on different aspects of human life, having both positive and negative effects on the languages spoken around the world in particular. As a consequence, the concept of the native speaker is becoming increasingly blurred and is in danger of becoming lost. Researchers in different disciplines have highlighted the inimical import of the term (Cheng, Burgess, Vernooij, Solis-Barroso, McDermott & Naboodiripad, 2021). However, it is necessary to preserve the term in order to maintain the native speaker’s identity (Kim, 2022) and authenticity. Every Nigerian has an ethnic language by virtue of the fact that their parents are Nigerians which makes him/her the possessor of an L1 or first language. But, does the possession of a mother tongue qualify a person to be a native speaker in Nigeria in the traditional sense of the term? Some other children have acquired Nigerian English as their first language and cannot communicate in any other language except Nigerian English. As a consequence, could they also be termed ‘native speakers of English?’ Similarly, would children who have acquired Nigerian Pidgin (Niger Delta region) as their first language also be referred to as native speakers of Pidgin? There are also deaf people in Nigeria and similar questions emerge about how best to describe their native language. It is against this background that this paper undertakes a critical literature review to examine the changing status of the Nigerian ‘native speaker’ and the nuances associated with it, many of which are often ignored or concealed in the attempt to understand it as a homogenous term. Arising from the literature review, the paper argues that in future, Nigerian indigenous languages may become extinct and that to guard against this outcome, there is a need to preserve native languages in the country, hence the status of its speakers. The study concludes that the use of the term ‘native speaker’ is losing its currency and recommends the preservation of the concept as it symbolises the language rights of the minority and a model source of data for the language (Skutnabb-Kangas and Phillipson, 1989; cited in De Gruyter, 2012).<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0968/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Adulteration of the Igbo Language Through Multilingualism in South-Eastern Nigeria

The study seeks to find out the linguistic adulteration of the Igbo language through a sociolinguistic process known as multilingualism. Many scholars are lamenting that the Igbo language is going into extinction just because it is losing its original linguistic structures via multilingualism. Such alteration brings to the limelight of the study in order to address these issues on Nigerian indigenous languages in general and the Igbo language in particular. A descriptive approach is used to harvest some of these language contact issues among the Igbo populace and language. A random sampling is used to ascertain the population of the five Igbo states: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States on how communication and written aspects of the language have been dealt with negatively. Participant observation and students’ essay writing in the Igbo language are used to collate these sub-standard Igbo grammar structures. The study expounds at a length the intricacy of the proper Igbo written forms and as well as pulling the Igbo language away from the effects of multilingualism. The findings of the study prove that the different types of multilingualism abound among the Igbo language native users. They also exemplify some linguistic related issues on the bold face of multilingualism among the Igbo interlocutors and how they vary among the Igbo speech communities in Nigeria. The study also finds out the effects of multilingualism on the standard Igbo teaching. The study goes further in suggesting some quintessential solutions to recuperate the status quo of the Igbo language.

IMPACT OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AS A PRE-REQUISITE FOR ETHNIC INTEGRATION IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

The study assessed the impact of indigenous language as a pre-requisite for ethnic integration in Osun State, Nigeria. The study employed descriptive survey research design where questionnaire was used to acquire necessary data for the research work. Population comprises of all primary schools in Ayedade Local Government, Osun State. Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to select ten (10) primary schools in Ayedade Local Government, Osun State, Nigeria. Fifteen (15) teachers were randomly selected from each of the chosen school to make a total of one hundred and fifty (150) teachers as sample for the study. Two (2) research hypotheses were raised and tested in this study. Reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha. The statistical techniques were employed to analyze the data in order to test the hypotheses, Mean, Standard deviation, t-ratio. The research findings concluded that the use of indigenous languages is central to the holistic development of any nation and the issue of indigenous languages be handled with total commitment and seriousness. It was further revealed that, local language is the pride of any Nation’s development that promote cultural heritage so as not to go into extinction. The paper therefore recommended that, a body of committed linguists be set up in Nigeria and that amendment of National Policy on Education be done to integrate the use of indigenous language for teaching-learning purposes across all levels of education in Nigeria and Nigerian indigenous languages should be made official languages at state levels while maintaining English language as the official language at the federal level.

The Role of Nigerian Indigenous Languages in Covid-19 Discourse

Nigerian Indigenous languages are quintessential to the modus operandi of communication in Nigeria. The indigenous languages are dominated by English language which is a lingua franca in Nigeria. Since the broke out of COVID-19 disease; a 'highly transmittable and pathogenic viral infection’ there have been several measures to contain the disease. The need to spread adequate information that will enhance the personal safety of Nigerians has led to the use of the indigenous languages in facilitating information sharing among indigenous people in Nigeria. Consequently, this study investigates the role of the Nigerian indigenous languages in the fight against COVID-19. Methodologically, data were collected through electronic media. Salawu’s model for indigenous language developmental communication was adopted for this study. The results of this study show that Nigerian indigenous languages are used in spreading COVID-19 preventive measures, media briefing on National television, health orientation and, medical research. This shows that the Nigerian indigenous languages which overtime has been dominated by English could be very significant at a critical time of medical delivery.

Radio Broadcast and Indigenous Language Development in Nigeria: Contributions of the Radio Service of BRTV Maiduguri Toward the Promotion of Kanuri Language

Nigerian indigenous languages are facing challenges due to many factors including the ever-present long-term effects of colonialism and the use of English as the official language of communication and education, as well as urbanization, internal migration, and the mass media (both traditional and new). The preservation of indigenous languages has received global attention over the decades by notable international non-governmental organizations such as UNESCO and The British Council. In fact, the preservation of traditional cultural heritage, language inclusive, is one of the cardinal functions of mass media. Kanuri language, which is the main spoken language in Borno State in the northeast of Nigeria, is one of the several Nigerian indigenous languages facing challenges. Khaddamari, the headquarters of Jere Local Government Area, is a town very close to Maiduguri, a cosmopolitan city with population of about 1 million. Being so close to a large urban center it is known whether Kanuri language faces similar challenges it faces in the urban center, and if it does, what role does the media broadcasting from the city play toward promoting the language? This study examined the impacts of the Kanuri broadcast service of BRTV Radio, Maiduguri in the promotion and preservation of Kanuri language among the people living in Khaddamari town. Using the snowball sampling technique, 14 participants were recruited for in-depth interviews from BRTV radio and Khaddamari town. The study found that BRTV’s Kanuri broadcasts’ contribution toward the promotion of Kanuri language at Khaddamari is progressively diminishing compared to how much it could have done so three decades ago and that some of the listeners were dissatisfied with several BRTV’s Kanuri programs/news broadcasts. The study concluded that BRTV radio’s contribution toward the promotion of Kanuri language in Khaddamari town is crucial but was minimal, often hampered by the dwindling broadcast power and reach of BRTV radio signals. Therefore, BRTV should address its infrastructural deficits and formulate articulate broadcast language policy. Keywords: Radio broadcast and indigenous language, Radio program, BRTV Maiduguri, Indigenous language preservation, Kanuri language DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/99-01 Publication date: October 31 st 2021

Globalization as a Factor for Language Endangerment: Nigerian Indigenous Languages in Focus

Globalization can be viewed from economic, cultural and socio-political perspectives including information and communication technology (ICT). In view of this, it is seen as the increasing empowerment of western cultural values including language, philosophy and world view. In many African countries Nigeria inclusive, English language which is the language of colonization is gradually becoming a global language due to its influence and subsequent adoption as the official language by many African nations which are largely multi-cultural and multilingual under the British colony. This trend has not only relegated the status of Nigerian Indigenous languages to the background but has also threatened their existence in Nigeria which accommodates over 500 native languages. If this trend is left unchecked, the ill-wind of globalization will gradually sweep the native languages including the so-called major ones (Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba) out of existence particularly in Nigeria. This paper discusses globalization as one of the major factors for language endangerment with respect to Nigeria as a nation, with a view to proffering possible solutions capable of sustaining and empowering the nation’s socio-cultural and economic stability.

Dialect Levelling: A Case Study of Ìkàr??-Àkókó Dialect

This study investigates the factors that are responsible for the levelling of Ìkàr??-Àkókó dialect. Specifically, the paper examines the impacts of Nigerian indigenous languages, especially Yorùbá, on the dialect. The study aims at identifying the patterns of changes in the dialect and their impacts on the ethnic identities of the people. The work is based on the variationist approach pioneered by William Labov in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The tools used for data collection include questionnaire, oral interview and observation. The findings of the study reveal that the dialect manifests different stages of changes, vital domains like home, school and work place, which are supposed to be the strongholds of this dialect are being encroached upon by languages other than the mother tongue in the study area. It was found that the changes in the dialect are not due to the influence of English language only, but to indigenous Nigerian languages, mostly Yorùbá. It was concluded that the gradual levelling of Ìkàr??-Àkókó dialect is caused in part by restricted domains of use, increase in population; lack of commitment to indigenous language use by the native speakers; and suppressive language policy in the nation. The study recommends sensitization campaigns as a way of maintaining and sustaining the status of indigenous languages.

Radio Broadcast and Indigenous Language Development in Nigeria: Contributions of the Radio Service of BRTV Maiduguri Toward the Promotion of Kanuri Language

Nigerian indigenous languages are facing challenges due to many factors including the ever-present long-term effects of colonialism and the use of English as the official language of communication and education, as well as urbanization, internal migration, and the mass media (both traditional and new). The preservation of indigenous languages has received global attention over the decades by notable international non-governmental organizations such as UNESCO and The British Council. In fact, the preservation of traditional cultural heritage, language inclusive, is one of the cardinal functions of mass media. Kanuri language, which is the main spoken language in Borno State in the northeast of Nigeria, is one of the several Nigerian indigenous languages facing challenges. Khaddamari, the headquarters of Jere Local Government Area, is a town very close to Maiduguri, a cosmopolitan city with population of about 1 million. Being so close to a large urban center it is known whether Kanuri language faces similar challenges it faces in the urban center, and if it does, what role does the media broadcasting from the city play toward promoting the language? This study examined the impacts of the Kanuri broadcast service of BRTV Radio, Maiduguri in the promotion and preservation of Kanuri language among the people living in Khaddamari town. Using the snowball sampling technique, 14 participants were recruited for in-depth interviews from BRTV radio and Khaddamari town. The study found that BRTV’s Kanuri broadcasts’ contribution toward the promotion of Kanuri language at Khaddamari is progressively diminishing compared to how much it could have done so three decades ago and that some of the listeners were dissatisfied with several BRTV’s Kanuri programs/news broadcasts. The study concluded that BRTV radio’s contribution toward the promotion of Kanuri language in Khaddamari town is crucial but was minimal, often hampered by the dwindling broadcast power and reach of BRTV radio signals. Therefore, BRTV should address its infrastructural deficits and formulate articulate broadcast language policy. Keywords: Radio broadcast and indigenous language, Radio program, BRTV Maiduguri, Indigenous language preservation, Kanuri language DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/99-01 Publication date: October 31 st 2021

Emerging Sociolinguistic Teaching Trends of English as a First Language in Nigeria

This paper seeks to examine the emerging sociolinguistic trends in Nigeria with the view to ascertaining the use of English as a first language among its speakers particular in Calabar, Nigeria. The study adopts Vygotsky’s (1978) Social Interactionist Theory. The theory is relevant because it accounts for the intentional and changing linguistic attitudes of children believed to be influenced by their early exposure to English as the language spoken by adults and peers within their immediate environment. Data for the study were generated through primary sources, particularly by means of participant observation and administration of questionnaire. Using random sampling technique, 468 questionnaires were distributed to children within the school age bracket of 06 - 13 in 10 selected Private Primary and Junior Secondary Schools in Calabar. With the aid of 20 trained research assistants who are bi/multilinguals in some Nigerian indigenous languages and English, 400 questionnaires filled under supervision were retrieved from the respondents from where the data were extracted and collated for analysis. Findings indicate that 37 percent of the pupils/students are monolinguals who speak only English as their ‘first and native language’. Similarly, 32.5 percent of the target population understand their mother tongue(s) while 30.8 percent of affirm that they speak the indigenous language(s) fluently. Also, it is observed that a total of 63 percent are bi/multilinguals in their mother tongue(s) and English language and could switch or mix codes. The reasons for the increasing preference towards English language, the researchers have observed, range from the persuasive influence from parents, teachers and peers, and the consequences of globalization in addition to the multiple domains of use of English language. This trending communication practice would continue to increase the growing population of English speakers in Nigeria while the indigenous are further endangered.

Nigerianism in Nigerian English: A Reflection of Ethnolinguistic Situation

The study discusses the structure of Nigerian English with a view to examining the influence of Nigerian indigenous languages on this variety of standard English. Data for the analysis were obtained from twelve respondents selected from each of the three major national languages, namely; Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. This study was carried out using a case study design. Oral test by reading three different texts, and observation were used as instrument to elicit data. The corpus revealed that interlanguage transfer is a major factor that influences the students in the pronunciation of English words. A number of grammatical issues borne out of mother tongue interference were equally discovered. The prominent roles ascribed to the English language led to the desperation by Nigerians to speak the language to the extent of inclusion of some linguistic forms from different indigenous languages. However, the paper affirms that Nigerianism should not be seen as evidence of weak proficiency in English. Rather, it should be viewed as possible signs of acculturation, and creative tendency that are associated with first language (L1) and/or mother tongue usage.

English Language, Globalisation and the Future of the Nigerian Indigenous Languages

In the present globalised world, languages have come to be ranked based on their roles in the world arena, the status assigned to them in the environment inwhich they are spoken as well as the number of their respective speakers. As such, some languages, including English, is considered a world language. English language wields great power in Nigeria, as an official and national language. Its ever-increasing roles have detrimental effects on the survival of the minority languages, with most of them playing just peripheral roles. Most of the minority languages are further threatened by the major ones spoken in different geopolitical zones. As the functional loads of these minority languages continue to reduce gradually and consistently, their level of vitality equally reduces. A minority language whose functional domains are overtaken by a dominant one will eventually disappear as their users shift to the latter and therefore, would no longer use them for any linguistic function. This paper discusses the current precarious situation of the Nigerian indigenous languages, especially the minority ones in the face of globalisation, the domineering effect of English language and what can be done to make these languages withstand the test of time.

Perceptions on community media for effective acculturation in Nigerian indigenous languages

AbstractThis study examined perceptions on the effectiveness, attendant challenges and remedies of community media for effective acculturation in Nigerian languages. The qualitative survey design was adopted with focus group discussions and key informant interviews of 50 purposively chosen informants. It was perceived that community media could serve as veritable platform for effective acculturation in Nigerian languages since they would engender the setting of acculturation in Nigerian languages as national objective or goal. It was further held that the strengths of community media for acculturation were in being goal-defined, ensuring local content and diversification. The study identified that as palatable as the proposal for community media for effective acculturation in Nigerian languages is, it would be fraught with some set-backs or challenges that were very much surmountable. Perceptions pointed towards transient nature of community media and funding as challenges as well as multibased funding as one remedy. Immediate establishment of community media for the purpose of acculturation in Nigerian languages was recommended.

“You're not staying in Island sha o”: O, sha and abi as pragmatic markers in Nigerian English

This paper investigates three pragmatic markers which hitherto have not been discussed in Nigerian English. It examines the meaning, grammatical properties and discourse-pragmatic functions of these pragmatic markers: o, sha and abi in the International Corpus of English-Nigeria, from a grammatical-pragmatic approach. The results reveal that o is an emphasis marker and a mitigation marker, sha is a discourse marker, an attention marker and a mitigation marker while abi occurs as a discourse marker and as an agreement marker. The three markers are syntactically optional; they mostly occupy the clause-final position and are mainly found in informal talks. While o is derived from various Nigerian indigenous languages including Yoruba, Igbo and Ishan, sha and abi are borrowed from Yoruba. The paper concludes that o may be a likely candidate for inclusion in Standard Nigerian English, due to its frequency, distribution and functions in Nigerian English.

NIGERIANS UTILISATION OF CODE-MIXING AS COMMUNICATIVE DEVICES

The importance of communication as a central idea in language usage cannot be over-emphasised. This seems to inform how many Nigerian speakers make extensive use of the mixture of indigenous languages and the English language in one and the same breath. It seems to reveal a kind of perception of reality in two ways at the same time. They seem to go through the process of thinking in diverse ways at the same time. This study thus seeks to find out the extent to which the average Nigerian user of the English language makes intelligible contribution to discourses. How much sense is made to and by interlocutors in the course of their discussions? To what extent is reality to them influenced by their knowledge of the English language? The extent of the indigenisation process is also of interest to the study. The expectation is that such contact should be to the advantage of one or the other of the languages in contact. Real time linguistic data were collected and analysed, using linguistic levels as base to access the extent to which Nigerian indigenous languages have been able to influence the English language. The finding shows that codemixing is an important part of the Nigerian communication process and has enabled the vernacularisation of the English language to a very large extent. This has produced a new spatial identity that reveals the Nigerian’s domination of the colonial English language.Keywords: Code-mixing, Communication, Language usage, English vernacularisation, Nigerian indigenous languages, Spatial identity

Policy Declaration and Nigerian Indigenous Languages: A Case for Improved Incentives for English Language Teachers

<p>This paper argues that the lack of commitment to implementing the declarations and language provisions of the National Policy on Education not only has adverse effects on the development of these indigenous languages, but conversely, continues to confer prime status on the place of the English language in the Nigerian education system. Further, it establishes that there is a relationship between the non implementation of policy declaration on indigenous languages and the exposure of Nigerians to the English language which in turn continues to contribute to the global status of English as the language of power and intellectual discourse. By extension therefore, onerous responsibility is placed on the teacher of the English language to properly transmit knowledge to students to equip them to meet social and educational expectations. Hence, the problem of poor performance by students at examinations all of which are written in English can be directly related to the teachers’ competence which in turn can be seen as evidence of non availability of incentives. Consequently, the paper locates the centrality of teacher welfare to increased professional competence, task delivery and productivity. Quantitative data is provided as evidence of the relationship between teacher welfare, task performance and productivity. It is discovered that the absence of these incentives has negatives implications. It concludes by recommending the need for improved English teacher specific incentives to serve as motivation for professional competence and task delivery while enhancing quality student performance and language negotiation on the global platform.</p>

Bilingualism and Biculturalism as Elements of Indigenisation in Selected Nigerian Artists Pop Music

The peculiar linguistic history of Nigeria has rubbed off on language use at the micro level. In the Nigerian music industry today, one can hardly find a single song that feature without using English, Nigerian pidgin or any of the Nigerian indigenous languages. The English language has been viewed as not having enough expressive resources that can match any of the native languages. English is seen as being too formal, complex and foreign to Nigerians and as a result of this complexity, speakers often result to the use of indigenous languages because it tends to make the speakers feel at home without much attention paid to the grammatical formations. This study seeks to find out this assertion by exploring the extent of bilingualism and biculturalisms techniques adopted by the selected Nigerian artists. Cummins Threshold Model of Bilingualism and Text Translation Model were used to interpret the lyrics of the songs - ‘Ojuelegba, Jaiye Jaiye, and Orente’. Bicultural elements were portrayed in the musical videos of artists via their costumes and physical settings. Artists employ dressing techniques that merge bits of European and African cultural values. The data sampled also showed the artists’ high level of cultural consciousness and solidarity with mother tongues as indispensable tools for self-expression and self-actualization. The switches between codes were used for emphasis where necessary.