ISSN 2360-7998
Abstract
This study investigates the ethnolinguistic situation of Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria, with a particular focus on the complex relationship between ethnicity, language use, and identity. The analysis foregrounds the distribution of indigenous languages, their domains of use, and the evolving attitudes of speakers towards their mother tongues (MT) in the face of the dominance of Hausa and English. Employing an eclectic methodology that combines surveys, interviews, and participant observation, the research covers selected communities of Afo, Alago, Egbira, Eggon, Gbagyi, Gwandara, and Hausa/Fulani. The findings reveal that while indigenous languages remain vibrant within cultural and domestic domains, Hausa has steadily consolidated its role as the de facto lingua franca in inter-ethnic communication, commerce, and political discourse, whereas English is largely confined to formal education and administrative settings. Evidence suggests a gradual language shift among younger generations, especially in urban centres, as a result of education, migration, and the symbolic prestige attached to Hausa and English. The paper concludes that this ongoing trend threatens the long-term survival of minority languages and, consequently, the cultural heritage embedded within them. It therefore recommends investment in mother tongue education, orthography development, systematic language documentation, and the promotion of cultural festivals as strategies for safeguarding endangered languages in Nasarawa State.
Keywords: ethnolinguistics, language survey, Nasarawa State, ethnicity, and language shift.