Ethnic minority linguistic ambivalence and the problem of methodological assessment of language shift among the Ogu in Ogun State, Nigeria

• Esther, Senayon ^[1]
  1. [1] University of Ibadan

     University of Ibadan

     Nigeria

     
• Localización: International journal of the sociology of language, ISSN 0165-2516, Nº. 242, 2016 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Language Shift and Shifting Standards, Issue Editor: Florian Coulmas), págs. 119-137
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.1515/ijsl-2016-0035
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • This study examines the ambivalent attitude of the Ogu people towards their language. In a recent survey carried out by the researcher to ascertain the extent of shift from Ogu to Yoruba, findings revealed the ambivalent attitude of the Ogu to their language vis-à-vis Yoruba. A total of 121 copies of a questionnaire were administered in three local government areas of Ogun State. Eighty percent of respondents claimed that the Ogu were loyal to their language and wanted it maintained. This was a stark deviation from the reality on the ground as results from participant observation for a period of ten years showed that the people hardly patronized their language or identified with it. The ambivalent attitude of the Ogu is further confirmation of the inadequacy and unreliability of the questionnaire as an instrument for carrying out empirical research.