I was recently reading an article titled "learning the language" by perrin klass. In the article, she narrated her first 3 months of working in the hospital as a medical student. She said "I picked up not only the specific expressions but also the patterns of speech and the grammatical conventions; for example, you never say that a patient''s blood pressure fell or that his cardiac enzymes rose. Instead, the patient is always the subject of the verb: "He dropped his pressure. "He bumped his enzymes or when chemotherapy fails to cure Mr bacon's cancer, what we say is, "Mr bacon failed chemotherapy."
Her major point expressed in the essay is that the special language contributes to a sense of closeness and professional spirit among people who are under a great deal of stress. It therefore makes practitioners understand themselves effectively and efficiently.
The question becomes " Is language diversity simply the cause of the problem in Nigeria?
How come we have several languages within short distances?
Despite the fact we claim oneness why are people so sentimental about language superiority?
I am not trying to ask for a dominant language in Nigeria. This is because they are things that cannot be unchanged, and better left untouched so as not to release the beast within each individual. Language is magical and tender. At times it thrills me to hear myself using it. It enables me understand my family and friends more effectively. Yet I am so embarrassed that I will never notice the peculiarities and unique senses of one language as keenly as I would love to. What I mean is speaking to every Nigerian with a language that would be strange and useless to strangers who do not understand our culture.
I have noticed in Yoruba audience, a lot of speakers get the attention of the audience when they say a few words In Yoruba. Yoruba''s and Igbo''s easily Identify to their individual languages than they do to other's. When words are spoken in their languages something magical and extraordinary spreads far and wide. Immediately everyone begins to communicate within themselves and at that point you hear the most sincere laughter and chuckles which even the birds may never give. That is language, it expresses one's fears, joy, opinions and experiences. Just say "kedu"to an Igbo man and you identify intimately with him. Or "Ba oni" to a Yoruba man, you are good to go. I think this is quite different when it comes to Cross River State where there is no central language. To every new local government, a language springs forth. I know this because my mom''s village happens to be minutes away from my dad''s but it's so funny that their languages are so different.
This brings me to my main point where I say "Nigerians would never be able to Identify with one another as far as our languages are divergent and not linked to one cultural line" someone may then ask what about "English language". I would then say no matter how much we master English language it would never be ours. A language must be linked with a certain cultural heritage and most be identified by all. As for "English" a lot can identify English to the colonial period.which wasn't a nice period for African''s at large. Till date we still witness the extinct cruelty of colonialism. But a language which everyone knows and do not need expertise for mastery.
What if Nigeria had one language would things have turned differently,
Kindly drop your comments.
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