SOCIOLINGUISTIC SITUATION OF NIGERIA: THE BILINGUAL CONDITIONS AMONG NIGERIAN SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH (ENGLISH AND LINGUISTIC PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Over half the world’s population is bilingual and many people are multilingual. They acquire a number of languages because they need them for different purposes in their everyday interactions. The research had it that most of African nations are multilingual. Nigeria is as well a multilingual nation, with 452 different ethnic languages operating daily amongst the lives of the people.One will need one or two of these languages in his daily interactions. Apart from these ethnic languages, there are other varieties of languages that are in operation in the society e.g. lingua franca, which is predominantly English Language, Pidgin, and creoles. All of these are what made up the linguistic varieties in Nigeria. The environment one lives (geographical location) is what determines whichcode to be chosen per time. Also, the classes of people that are involved in the daily activities plays a vital role to some extent, in the choice of the variety of the language to be used. The linguistic code to be used in the formal school environment will be different from the one to be used at home, and the one at home is to some extent, different from the one to be used in the market.
The main reason why I have interest in carrying out research work on this project topic titled “linguistic varieties and a multilingual nation” and have Nigeria as my case study is not just to identify these various languages that are in existence in the nation.
The aim of this research is to examine how languages behave in a multilingual speech community and how people react to these linguistic behavioural patterns. In a situation where there are more than two or three languages that function simultaneously in society there are bound to be language crisis. Some languages will likely to be subjugated or dominated, thereby making them look inferior or unattractive. Therefore this research work will help in identifying such problems and to also proffer possible solution to them. It is obvious that language is an Integra part of culture, and culture is referred to as people’s way of life, therefore if there is any language that is suffering from inferiority complex, the people that own such language will suffer the some. Therefore, via this research work and any other research work that shall further this study, will be able to draw government’s attention tp these degenerating languages, and a mean of bringing them to the lime light will be carried out.
There are several other issues which are problematic to the Nigerian society orchestrated by multilingualism. This research work also takes a look at them and in the same way suggest possible solution to them. Such issues as communication barriers, language domination and so on are addressed in this work.
