LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN NIGERIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
Abstract
With over 300 languages, Nigeria is unarguably one of the most linguistically diverse countries in Africa. However, none of these languages has a prominent status as the English language which serves as the medium of instruction from the primary to the tertiary level, the official language and the language of inter-ethnic communication. In order to be relevant in this digital age, Nigerian students who are basically bilinguals, need to be proficient in the all- important global language, English. Accordingly, the teaching and learning of English have a prominent place in the education sector. This paper explores the diverse linguistic terrains of Nigeria in which all the languages function as equals although English is evidently more equal. It also examines the implications of this sociolinguistic situation for ESL pedagogy.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Agheyisi, R. N. (1984). Minor languages in the Nigerian context: Prospects and problems. WORD 35 pp.235-253
Akinnaso,F.N. (1989). One nation,400 languages,unity and diversity in Nigeria’s language policy. Language Problems and Language Planning, 13(2)
Akinnaso, F. N. (1991). Towards the development of a multilingual language policy in Nigeria. Applied Linguistics, 12(1), 134 – 140
Bamgbose, A. (1984). Mother-tongue medium and scholastic attainment in Nigeria. Prospects,14(1), 87-93
Bamgbose, A. (1991).Language and the nation. The language question in Sub-Saharan Africa.Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press
Brann,C.M. B. (1981). Language planning and language policies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Mimeograph.University of Maidugiri, Nigeria p.11.
Caroll, L. (1968). The arguments for the mother tongue.In J. Dakin, et al (eds),In languages in education.London:Oxford University Press
Egbe, E.N. (2002). Harnessing the language resources in Nigeria. An unpublished monograph.
Fafunwa, A.B. (1989). Education in mother tongue: The Ife primary education research project (1970-1978)
Federal Government of Nigeria (2014).National policy on education. Abuja: NERDC publishers
Fishman, J.A., Ferguson,C. &Das Gupta, J. (eds.) (1968). Language problems of developing nations. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Greenberg, J.H. (1971). Language, culture and communication. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Halliday, M.A.K (1975). Explanations in the functions of language. London: Edward Arnold.
Hansford, J.K., Bender, S.& Stanford, R. (1976). A provisional map of Nigeria. Savana, 5(2)
Hoffman, C. (1974). The languages of Nigeria by language families. Ibadan. University of Ibadan Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages
Jowitt, D. (1990).Nigerian English Usage: An introduction. Ibadan: Nigeria Longman
Oladejo, J. (1991). The national language question in Nigeria: Is there an answer?Language Problem and Planning, 15(3), 255-67
Ogunyemi, K.O. (2009). Nigerian languages, ethnicity and formal educational practices. An unpublished monograph
Owolabi, D. & Dada, S.A. (2012). Language policy in Nigeria and Nigerian language policy: Implications for effective communication in non-monolingual nations.Sino-US English Teaching, 9(11), 1676-1685
Oyetayo, A. (2006). Hope for the future languages of Nigeria. Ibadan.Freedom Press
Phillipson, R.(1992).Linguistic imperialism. Oxford University Press. Oxford
Siguan, M. & Mackey, W.F. (1987). Education and bilingualism.London.Kegan Page.
Tiffen, B. (1969).A language in Common. London: Longman
UNESCO (1953). The use of vernacular languages in education. UNESCO Monographs on Fundamental Education 8. Paris:UNESCO
Wardhaugh, R. (2011).An introduction to sociolinguistics. Chicester: John Wiley and Sons
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2023 Prof. Gloria Olatunde-Ojo (PhD), Prof. Jeno-Mary Enighe (PhD), Osita Canice Ogidi
ISSN (PRINT): 2734 - 2522
ISSN (ONLINE): 2734 - 2514
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.