Make Pidgin English Lingua Franca (fwd)

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Make Pidgin English Lingua Franca

>From Iyefu Adoba in Abuja
http://www.thisdayonline.com/news/20040218news31.html

A Director of research programmes from the National Centre for
Scientific Research in France, Professor Bernard Caron, has made a case
for Pidgin English as a lingua Franca in the country.

Speaking in Abuja at a lecture titled "Why Study Minority Languages in
Nigeria," Professor Caron, who has been in and out of Nigeria for the
past 17 years, regretted that despite Pidgin being an important Lingua
Franca, it is hardly mentioned in the language policy of the country.

"Why is the language policy silent on Nigerian Pidgin which is used in
families and is a first language for many children?" queried the
Professor.

He noted that English is the de facto official language in the
bureaucratic and educational system, while the 3 major languages of
Yoruba, Ibo and Hausa remain the major national potential languages.

Noting that Pidgin is commonly used in songs, the Professor however
observed that very little literature, if any at all, exists in Pidgin
and asked if there is any future literary for Pidgin which can be
easily read in Nigeria and even outside the country.

Caron said Nigeria is a well known country of many languages, adding
that there are easily 500 mother tongues in the country, which can be
classified under dead, dying, moribund or living languages.

The Professor said the study of minority languages helps provide better
knowledge of the culture of the people and helps fight illiteracy.