MULTILINGUALISM
A Nigerian Case Study

by Efurosibina Adegbija

This book will provide further and deeper insight into the Nigerian socio-linguistic situation and its lessons or implications for other multilingual settings, especially with respect to the management of language as a social resource. As a handy, insightful and appropriate example of the African sociolinguistic situation in particular, and multilingual contexts in general, it could be used as a textbook on multilingualism both within and outside Nigeria.

Multilingualism: A Nigerian Case Study puts a national and international searchlight on the Nigerian socio-linguistic scenario through a description and analysis of the language landscape in its various ramifications. It provides a readily accessible, stimulating and fairly comprehensive description of the language situation, including the functions of languages, language choice, language attitudes, the plight and destiny of minority languages and the planning, management and engineering of multilingualism in the Nigerian context. Thus, it can serve as a resource book, provide information for language in education and assist in creating a greater sensitivity to the need to make language policy and implementation decisions in multilingual contexts more realistic and dynamic. It should also encourage further and more intensive debate and research on specific macro and micro aspects of the Nigerian language situation.

In addition, the study will give linguists, sociologists, educationists and scholars in multilingualism in general different challenges on language-related issues and problems in Nigeria. The book will certainly provide further and deeper insight into the Nigerian socio-linguistic situation and its lessons or implications for other multilingual settings, especially with respect to the management of language as a social resource. As a handy, insightful and appropriate example of the African sociolinguistic situation in particular, and multilingual contexts in general, it could be used as a textbook on multilingualism both within and outside Nigeria.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
EFUROSIBINA ADEGBIJA, professor of English, taught English at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria from 1976 to 2001, during which time he served in several capacities including head of department and dean of faculty. He is now at the New Covenant University, Cannaland, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria, where he is the head of department of languages and mass communication. He is the author of several books including Language Attitudes in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Sociolinguistic Overview (Multilingual Matters, UK). He has also published several articles in learned journals including the International Journal of the Sociology of Language and Multilingua.

CATEGORY
Language/AFRICA