A Survey of Language Shift in Communicative Domain Preferences among Idoma Youths

Abstract

The phenomenon of language shift, characterised by the gradual displacement of a native language in favour of a dominant language, has garnered scholarly attention because of its profound sociocultural implications. Recently, many ethnicities in Nigeria have shifted from using indigenous languages to English. This study compares the domains where the Idoma and English languages are most frequently used. The theoretical tool adopted was Fishman’s domain analysis, which includes family, education, religion, friendship, and employment. Data were collected from 100 respondents through structured questionnaires. A t-test was used to show significant differences across domains. The findings indicated a significant preference for English over Idoma. In the family domain, 61% strongly agreed that they used English with their fathers, compared with 15% for Idoma. In the education domain, 68% preferred using English with teachers, compared with 11% for Idoma. Higher English usage was observed in all domains, signalling a threatening shift that necessitates urgent preservation efforts for Idoma.

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