Harnessing Linguistic Resources towards Sustainable Language Development

Abstract

‘Sustainable development’ is often discussed with emphasis on social, infrastructural,
economic and technological development, in many climes. The question of language
development is hardly ever mentioned and when it is, it is subsumed under culture. All
over the world, language suffices as that aspect of culture which marks a people out
among other groups of the same species. It often remains the inheritance of generations
after generations and guarantees the perpetuity of the common goals and aspirations of
the people. Given the central role which language plays in the individual and communal
lives of the people, it is often surprising that linguistic aspects of a people’s existence are
often treated with levity. In this study, adopting a purely library-based methodology and
focusing on the linguistic resources that abound in two indigenous Nigerian languages
(Igbo and Yoruba), we investigated their state of development and their prospects. The
study sought to establish the place of Language Development within the larger picture of
Sustainable Development focusing on the principles of graphisation, standardisation and
modernisation. It was argued here that any integrated development that affects other
areas of a people's life must of necessity also pay attention to the crucial issue of
Language Development since language is central to national development. The study
concluded by emphasising the need for collaboration among stakeholders – the media,
the academic and the everyday language user - to ensure that the results of our individual
researches are adequately publicised and implemented towards sustainable language
development.