English as an Agent of ‘Lingua-Cide’ and ‘Native Tonglocaust’ in Adekunle Ajasin University, Nigeria

Kehinde Olufemi OGUNYEMI, Olamide Opeyemi POPOOLA

Abstract


This study examines the role of English as an agent of lingua-cide, more specifically the case study of native tonglocaust among undergraduates in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State. This work evolved out of the sociolinguistic consciousness that the entire populace needed to be re-orientated about the impending sociolinguistic effect and danger their indifferent language attitude posed towards native tonglocaust in term of national under-development, cultural alienation, individuals’ loss of ‘native’ identity, educational and mental incapacitation and social disintegration. Through re-orientation and affinity with one’s cultural value, the linguistic badge would be preserved; national vis-à-vis educational development would be enhanced; and most importantly, efficiency and effective development of mental ability and capacity in individuals would be encouraged.

The study employed the descriptive research design. The data was collected using a self-designed questionnaire as the research instrument with a reliability coefficient of 0.73. Simple random sampling technique was adopted in the selection of the respondents for this research work. One hundred and eighty (180) students were randomly selected from the six faculties in the institution. Simple percentage was used in analyzing the data generated.

The results revealed that many Nigerian native languages are beginning to experience a gradual ‘self-actualized’ crime of ‘native tonglocaust’ and ‘lingua-cide’ based on the ‘status’ prestige granted to English in its sociolinguistic usage.

It is recommended that much more than ‘little love’ be shown towards the use of native languages while the ‘vernacular syndrome/consciousness’ be eradicated among the populace in order to encourage individuals to ‘develop mentally’, the nation to fully get ‘developed’, and affinity with the cultural vis-à-vis linguistic identity be restored so as to avoid native languages from moving into a state of being ‘loss’, ‘dead’, or ‘extinct’.

 


Keywords


Lingua-cide; Linguistic agent; Linguistic war; Native tonglocaust

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/11257

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