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Academic Paper |
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| Title: | A Preliminary Linguistic Ecology Report on the 'Tapshin' Speaker-Community ', North-Eastern Nigeria |
| Author: | Philemon Victor Gomwalk |
| Email: | click here TO access email |
| Institution: | University of Jos |
| Linguistic Field: | Sociolinguistics |
| Abstract: | Recognition of the need to preserve language diversity has begun to take a foothold among linguists. Current work on language endangerment has focussed primarily on the need to document languages under threat of extinction as a means of at least preserving a record of the world’s linguistic heritage. In order to truly safeguard linguistic diversity, however, steps must be taken to ensure the actual survival of spoken languages in their cultural context. This suggests a need for a deeper understanding of the processes and factors involved in language endangerment, before steps can be taken to stabilize a threatened language. This paper examines some key aspects of the contemporary linguistic ecology of the Tapshin people, a small –sized ethno- linguistic group found in Dass Local Government Area in Bauchi State on the North-eastern fringes of the Jos Plateau area of Nigeria. The speaker community investigated is easily identifiable, using basic sociolinguistic standards, as facing grave threat of endangerment and probable extinction in future; it is now restricted in coverage to a few isolated rural hamlets, though it was once more widely spoken in the recent past. The perspective presented in the paper identifies and reviews a number of influences which are combining to bring about the linguistic endangerment and gradual decline of Tapshin language usage in key interactive domains in its area of immediate coverage. It may not be too late to revitalize the language if there is a better understanding of its contemporary ecological situation. Such analysis can provide insights as to how the ecology of a language can contribute to determining its future linguistic fortunes. |
| Type: | Individual Paper |
| Status: | Completed |
| Publication Info: | Ms. |
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