Reviving Indigenous Languages through Teaching and Learning: The Case of Igala Language (Published)
The paper highlights the world’s language situation especially in Africa, where majority languages have better chances of survival than the minority ones in the face of dominant languages of the ex-colonial masters like English, French and Spanish. It analyses the state of indigenous languages in Nigeria in particular with the position of Igala language in the country and in the educational sector. The paper examines language planning ideology and the language policy in Nigeria. It discovers that there is lack of interest by government and school administrators to implement the national policy on education concerning language. Consequently, it feels that teaching and learning in indigenous languages and in Igala in particular need to be revived to save hundreds of Nigerian languages from going extinct as well as to turn around the poor state of education through early mother tongue instruction. It recommends that government at all levels should ensure the implementation of the mother tongue instruction in early education by providing funds, equipment, teaching aids and supervision.
Keywords: Extinction of Languages, Igala Language, Kogi State, Language Ideology, Language policy, Linguistic Rights, Majority Language, Minority Language, Mother tongue instruction, Multilingualism, Nigeria, Policy Implementation, Revalorization
REVIVING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES THROUGH TEACHING AND LEARNING- THE CASE OF IGALA LANGUAGE (Published)
The paper highlights the world’s language situation especially in Africa, where majority languages have better chances of survival than the minority ones in the face of dominant languages of the ex-colonial masters like English, French and Spanish. It analyses the state of indigenous languages in Nigeria in particular with the position of Igala language in the country and in the educational sector. The paper examines language planning ideology and the language policy in Nigeria. It discovers that there is lack of interest by government and school administrators to implement the national policy on education concerning language. Consequently, it feels that teaching and learning in indigenous languages and in Igala in particular need to be revived to save hundreds of Nigerian languages from going extinct as well as to turn around the poor state of education through early mother tongue instruction. It recommends that government at all levels should ensure the implementation of the mother tongue instruction in early education by providing funds, equipment, teaching aids and supervision.
Keywords: Extinction of Languages, Igala Language, Kogi State, Language Ideology, Language policy, Linguistic Rights, Majority Language, Minority Language, Mother tongue instruction, Multilingualism, Nigeria, Policy Implementation, Revalorization
REVIVING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES THROUGH TEACHING AND LEARNING- THE CASE OF IGALA LANGUAGE (Published)
As important as language is in the existence of man, so it has its attendant issues since human beings exist in numerous linguistic and ethnic groups, the languages of larger groups overriding those of smaller groups for varied reasons. Countries of the world especially in Africa are made up of divergent linguistic and ethnic groups. Most of these multilingual countries have adopted the languages of their colonial masters as official languages. Policies across multilingual African countries have adverse effects on indigenous languages. In Nigeria, the adoption of English as the official language has created lack of interest in the country’s over 400 indigenous languages especially the so-called minority languages. Igala, one of the relegated languages needs to be maintained for group identity, interaction, transmission of culture and values, exploration and exploitation of the environment of the Igala people. A majority language in Kogi State, North Central, Nigeria. It is also spoken in other neighbouring States of Kogi. The mother tongue instruction of the National Policy on Education is considered among other recommendations as one way of ensuring the maintenance of Igala.
Keywords: Ethnic groups, Indigenous languages, Language policy, Mother tongue instruction, Revalorization