Diglossia and Code Switching in Nigeria: Implications for English Language Teaching and Learning

Abstract

This paper discusses a sociolinguistic phenomenon, ‘diglossia’ and how it relates to code-switching in bilingual and multilingual societies. It highlights the characteristic features of diglossia by discussing the functions and status of languages or varieties of languages that are involved in diglossic situations. The paper goes on to relate diglossia to the Nigerian situation by highlighting the diglossic situations that exist in Nigeria. Finally, it points out the implications of this sociolinguistic concept for English language teaching and learning in Nigeria.