MULTILINGUALISM AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Keywords:
Multilingualism, bilingualism, national development, national cohesion, Linguistic sourcesAbstract
From the linguistic perspective, the single most admirable fact about Nigeria is the linguistic and cultural diversity. It is a known fact that Nigeria as a nation is multilingual and multicultural in varying degrees and levels. This obvious fact establishes the existence of several spoken and written languages across the length and breadth of this nation. Each linguistic community is in turn characterized by an autonomous ethno-linguistic identity. On the other hand, the most heralded paradigm of development in the current nation Nigeria is predicated on the ideal of multilingualism as an ideological foundation of nationhood in Nigeria. This work provides a framework for maintaining and harnessing benefits inherent in multilingualism for national development.