THE IMPACT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE DOMINANCE ON YORUBA LANGUAGE USE AMONG SELECTED YOUTH IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Language endangerment, which can lead to linguicide (language death) in some cases, is an important concept in linguistics. The dominance of the English language over other local languages can be a threat to the growth of some of these languages. This study investigates how the English language in Lagos State dominates the local language, Yoruba, in Nigeria. The method adopted for the study is a mixed method. The basis for the analysis was through the investigation of the school subjects and the outcomes of the interviews conducted with some filmmakers in Lagos State. We collected data from the sources so as to demonstrate the influence of the dominant language on the local language (Yoruba) through the Language Imperialism Theory. Our results showed that most schools in Lagos do not adhere to the language policy of the government on the use of the local languages, and most of the movies that are supposed to be acted in the Yoruba language are dominated by the English Language. The implications of this are that the Yoruba language has been marginalised. This study contributes to the policy of the government in ensuring that the local languages do not become extinct.