The Impact of the English Language on the Development of African Ethos: The Igbo Experience

Abstract

The predominance and relegation of the English and Igbo Languages in discourse respectively have been speculated with a paucity of empirical backup. The need arises therefore for a quantitative assessment of the Impact of the English Language on the development of values (language, dressing and religion) among the Igbos. One hundred structured questionnaires were distributed, collated and analysed. The result showed that English and Igbo languages were spoken at the rate of (6%) and (76%) respectively, and that the English Language had a zero (0) impact on the mode of dressing, while its effect on religion was at the rate of only (6%) among the sampled participants. It is therefore recommended that first language (L1) be emphasized as the language of communication over second language (L2) for an overall communicative competence.

Keywords: English Language, African Ethos, Igbo Experience