The Patterns Of Endangerment Of The Igbo Language: Implications For Language Education, Documentation And Preservation
Ugochi, Happiness Ikonne Ph.D.
National Institute for Nigerian Languages, P.M.B. 7078, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria
Abstract
The assertion that the Igbo language is endangered is almost a cliché. UNESCO made this declaration after applying a carefully developed language endangerment indices on many languages of the world, African and Nigerian languages including the Igbo language. One of the factors that endangers a language is lack of intergenerational transfer. Where the older generation is not able to transfer their language to the succeeding generation, language endangerment sets in. Extinction is the point of no recovery for an endangered language. Before extinction occurs, the language would first of all experience levels of endangerment. Language endangerment is usually a gradual occurrence. In the case of the Igbo language of the South-East Nigeria, there are observable threats of endangerment. The language of home, play and recreation among peers and children, worship in churches, instruction at schools and of course, the language of dispute/quarrels is far from the Igbo language. Against this background, the Igbo children of the south-East Nigeria, can rarely categorize their world, name objects, express emotions/agreements/disagreements etc. or embrace literacy in their language. Yet, many native speakers doubt that their language is endangered let alone going extinct. To prove to both the native speakers and language scholars the world over that the Igbo language is endangered and may actually suffer extinction, this study s designed to establish the patterns of endangerment of the Igbo language of the South-East Nigeria. The study also intends to proffer sustainable solutions that would facilitate usage, teaching, documentation, revitalization and preservation of Igbo language. The study was empirical, using survey design. The sample was multi stage purposive sampling technique. Instrument for data collection was oral interviews analyzed quantitatively using frequency counts, simple percentage as well as qualitative analyses. Results show five patterns of language endangerment vis: extrinsic/observable culture loss, intrinsic/construct culture loss, codemixing Igbo/English, substituting Igbo nouns and verbs with their English equivalents, anglicizing Igbo verbs to achieve Engliigbo, lexicon loss and evolving naming culture resulting in heritage name loss. The paper concludes with recommendations to the parents, native speakers, language educators, linguists
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