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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:We speak code-mix: some perceptions of the Yoruba language in Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Author:Salami, L. Oladipo
Year:1991
Periodical:Journal of Asian and African Studies (Tokyo)
Issue:41
Pages:35-48
Language:English
Geographic term:Nigeria
Subjects:sociolinguistics
Yoruba language
Abstract:On the basis amongst others of data from a survey sample of seventy Yoruba speakers in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, the author examines the language attitudes of Yoruba speakers in a contact situation in an urban speech community. In doing this, he first describes what is called the naive native, or community perception, of language. Secondly, he investigates the relationship between speakers' attitude patterns and sociocultural factors, such as sex, age, education and regional or subethnic background. It appears that Yoruba speakers are not only conscious of variations existing in the language but they also attach some social significance to these variations, as is apparent from their different attitudes towards them. These attitudes are underlain by factors such as the literary culture of Oyo-Yoruba, history, respondents' education, subethnic background and social status. Finally, most Yoruba speakers resident in Ile-Ife seem to accept Oyo-Yoruba as 'proper' Yoruba, in contrast to Ikorodu-Ijebu Yoruba speakers, who favour Eko (the variety of Yoruba spoken in Lagos). This would suggest that there are now two 'cultural capitals' for Yoruba in southwestern Nigeria, Oyo and Lagos. Bibliogr., note.
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