Patterns of Language Use: An Assessment of Etulo Linguistic Vitality in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

Minority languages in Nigeria are amongst the most understudied in the world, this has made most of the languages that are almost all endangered to suffer from low vitality; this study looks at the patterns of Etulo language use with a view of identifying the domains of use for the singular purpose of assessing the linguistic vitality of the Etulo language of Benue State. It employed the sociolinguistic questionnaire, focus groups interviews, face-to-face personal interviews and observations for data collection. UNESCO's nine factors of linguistic vitality were used in the measurement of the linguistic vitality of the Etulo language. The findings show that the Etulo language is used across all informal domains such as the home, the river banks, festivals, ceremonies, village meetings and discussion. The English and Tiv languages are used in the all official domains such as schools, offices and clinics. The Etulo language therefore, has a very low vitality.