ENGLISH LANGUAGE AS A VEHICLE OF SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION IN NIGERIA

Authors

  • Ifeyinwa Obiegbu NATIONAL METALLURGICAL TRAINING INSTITUTE, ONITSHA

Abstract

This study attempts to find out the extent to which the English Language has been a vehicle of social transformation in Nigeria. The concept of 'social’, as used in this study, refers to human society, its organization and quality of life, while that of 'transformation, refers to the change in the quality of life in the society (Procter, Paul, et al (19). The study tries to establish to what extent the English language has been able to transcend the multilingual and multicultural nature of the Nigerian society in order to contribute positively to the attainment of a high level of educated awareness, social comfort, and mutual understanding in the country. There are many important factors which can contribute significantly to social transformation in any given society. Formal education, advances in Medicare, science and technology, among others, constitute some variable factors which can transform the Nigerian society and its individual citizens socially. However, these very important variables in social transformation are all learned, propagated and utilized in Nigeria mainly through the medium of English. It would appear that the process of social transformation in Nigeria would have been much slower if a sophisticated medium such as English were not available to the country. This study, however, r restricts its examination to the language factor which is the repository of human endeavors and knowledge (Fishman 71).

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Published

2020-03-11

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Articles