The evolution of national vocabulary in Nigeria: Implications for national cultural integration

Abstract

The attainment of national cultural integration is a major goal of most multi-ethnic societies in the world. For decades, Nigeria has grappled with the tension arising from the co-existence of over 200 ethnic nationalities that share over 400 languages. Since language fosters ethnic identity and solidarity, the need for a common language with the potential for reducing ethnic hostilities and enhancing national cohesion has been stressed. In Nigeria, the English language plays a role in this regard, but along with it there is a perceptible evolution of lexicon shared by these diverse groups – consciously or unconsciously. The evolution of these linguistic items is an indication of language expansion and attrition. The article examines this phenomenon, along with the factors which have triggered the evolutionary processes, and suggests that when such a national vocabulary fully evolves, ceteris paribus, the process of national cultural integration could be significantly enhanced.

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