National identity and the ownership of English in Nigeria

Abstract

It has been argued that, especially in non-Inner Circles of English, whether or not speakers consider language to be a harbinger of national identity affects their positioning as owners of that language. A plethora of prior studies have also demonstrated that language is of central importance regarding the ways in which people enact their national identities. In the case of Nigeria, national language(s) rhetoric has been particularly contentious. This study presents findings from a larger study employing a mixed-methods approach to examine Nigerian university students’ perceptions (N = 387) of English language ownership. Analysis revealed that respondents’ sense of national identity was a major factor in enacting (English) language ownership. The findings from the study also indicated that the extent to which speakers outwith Inner Circle contexts exercise linguistic ownership over English can depend upon both the specific sociolinguistic milieu and the degree to which English expresses national identity.