CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
The
Longman Dictionary of contemporary English (1985), defines languages as “the
system of expression by means of word” a particular system of word as used by a
people or nation or “a system of signs, movements and so on used to express
meanings or feelings” or “a particular style or manner of expression such as in
poetic language”.
Language can also be
defined as “a communicative system consisting of formal unit that are
integrated through processes of combination”. Bonvillain, (2000). On his part,
Omojuyigbe (2004) describes language as “a series of sounds strung together in
groups to convey meanings to listeners”. From the various definition of
language, one can infer that language is an integral part of human behavior and
it serves as the primary means of interaction between people.
According to
Nwuneli (1986), an indigenous language is a language that is native to a region
and spoken by indigenous people of the same cultural value and belief. This
language would be from a linguistically distinct community that has been
settled in an area for many generations. Many indigenous languages have become
endangered because of language deaths or linguicide cause by colonization, in
which the original language is replaced by that of the colonists.
The only channel
by which human beings abstract reality is through language. Language affects
the way we think or perceive our reality. If language is allow to slip away
from a particular group of people or culture because of the various
trans-national structural revolutions going on in the world today in the name
of globalization, we will begin to think further. Such newness affects our
reality and this leads to endangerment.
One of such
endangerments, that are very important complement in our environment, is language
engenderment. The Global Language Register (GLR) observes that “less than a
third of the world’s language are dying” Crystal (2000). Moreover, the present
reality in the world today is the raid endangerment and death of many
languages.
At the extreme end
of language endangerment are Language Attrition and Language Death. It is said
that only 600 of the 6,000 of so many languages in the world are safe from the
threat of extinction.
The Nigeria
situation is quite alarming because both population and language endangerment
complement each other. We want to opine that in the next twenty-five years,
most the languages in Nigeria could be gone. The neglect of the rich Yoruba
culture due tot eh influences of western culture, civilization and language
have negative effect on Yoruba culture and language.
The stupendous
mess of our cultural values by the educated youths known no bound Children born
and bred up by Yoruba parents prefer speaking English Language to Yoruba
language. In fact, very few students studies Yoruba language in our tertiary
institutions. The once cherished language is now neglected to the alters of
apathy and hatred.
This behaviour is
now part of the challenges facing some of our media houses who are supposed to
be the custodian of cultural values and heritage and because of lack of deep
understanding of the language especially the usage, it has made many of the
newspaper reporter, news translators and editors to bastardized some words,
idioms, proverbs and expression while some expression are given different
meaning different from what they should interpret.
This is end, the
research will examine the usage of indigenous language in print media with an
appraisal to Alaroye newspaper being a major Yoruba newspaper in the cradle of
Yoruba race belying to have good command of Yoruba language.
ALAROYE became a big name
in the Nigerian newspaper industry, though a vernacular tabloid. It came out
when there was gab to be filled in the industry, and was widely accepted. This
was not a happen stance, but a planned revolution in the newspaper industry in
Nigeria. There was been unlimited numbers of vernacular newspaper in Nigeria
but has not been so successful because most of the earlier issues were
transcription of English newspapers or repetition of news items already carried
on radio and television.
Thorough analysis,
research works and investigative journalism put the newspaper on a very high
pedestal. To informs, educates, entertains and analyses event as they unfold
through the Yoruba culture in pure Yoruba language. Woven around this culture,
it becomes another way of life within the same culture. For this, it circulates
more than most of English newspapers in Nigeria with the print run sometimes as
high as 150,000 copies per week. It can be seen wherever the Yoruba are
domiciled in Nigeria and around the world.
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