excanny:

I do not think Igbo language can die in Igbo land. Maybe in the diaspora.

Akhenaten:

I think this situation is overblown. Igbo language is alive and well in Alaigbo. However, I see many of the dialect disappearing. I do not know if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but focusing on Standardized Igbo is something I support.

Maybe I am a little biased, because Standardized Igbo is based on my Central Igbo dialect, so I should consider myself lucky.

And most people in the East speak Igbo. Now those who live in the Diaspora cannot speak Igbo, so we should be worried about that. However, this is nothing new for immigrant communities. Most descendants of Italians who live in the U.S. cannot speak Italian. The same goes for other immigrant groups.

As long as the people of the South-East speak Igbo, the language will not die.

Freewilly:

I think it will help too if Nollywood would start making movies in Igbo like it used to. My parents have dozens of Old Nigerian movies in Igbo we enjoy watching.

Not only are the entertaining my little sisters pick up Igbo words from them.

ifyalways:

Honestly excanny which kain style of typing is this?i used my phone to post my earlier replies so i did not detect it.
Its so annoying.
NB;my opinion please!

excanny:

Well said, Ada anyi. Igbo movies would make good teaching aids. They should just keep them clean for educational purposes.

alj harem:

i agree with the movie

[b]but why can't igbo language be a compulsory subject in schools in the east. [/b]also, parents should be encouarged to speak igbo to there children

scholarship program for children with good igbo skills should be in place by privte investors

little changes like this will make a big difference

excanny:

Is that your contribution, ifysometimes?

I'll re-edit when I get back to my base.

ifyalways:

Are u saying its otherwise?
I know as at 6 years ago,1 Nigerian local language is compulsory for every school and for those of us that were born in the east,it became automatically Igbo.One of my cousins born and breed in Jos did write Igbo as against Hausa up there in the north.

Abagworo:

The standardized Igbo is not dying but the various distinct dialects are dying.Most Igbos can neither speak nor understand their own dialects and some are even unaware of the existence of their dialects.What I see is a future where Igbo will just be one language while some Igbos that dissociated themselves on time will be the only ones retaining their dialects.

alj harem:

i know 1 language is compulsory in local schools, but private schools niko

also, what about scholarship programs for the best igbo students just like it is done in the north for some students ,,, that why the survival of igbo language is ensured

ifyalways:

[b]Onuku Nsugbe,[/b]do they write separate SSCE/WAEC/NECO exams?
1 Nigerian indigenous language is compulsory from Sokoto to Onitsha.
They give scholarships to the best "hausa-language" student in your village?good for u!

Abagworo:

The standardized Igbo is not dying but the various distinct dialects are dying.Most Igbos can neither speak nor understand their own dialects and some are even unaware of the existence of their dialects.What I see is a future where Igbo will just be one language while some Igbos that dissociated themselves on time will be the only ones retaining their dialects.

Abagworo:

The standardized Igbo is not dying but the various distinct dialects are dying.Most Igbos can neither speak nor understand their own dialects and some are even unaware of the existence of their dialects.What I see is a future where Igbo will just be one language while some[b] Igbos that dissociated themselves on time will be the only ones retaining their dialects.[/b]

Obiagu1:

Igbo language can't die in Igboland, my concern is with Igbos in the Diaspora.

I don't know when they will get it, it's easy for a child in the US or the UK to speak Igbo and English fluently when only Igbo is spoken to the child at home and then learn English when they start kindergarten. A child can learn up to 5 languages simultaneously.

It is this attitude; let me give him/her a little background in English so that he/she can cope in school that cause the problem. A child does not need your English background; the child can pick English and its accent effortlessly when he/she starts pre-school.

I know a little girl that grew up in the North; she speaks Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, and English fluently. She learnt Igbo at home (her parents made sure they spoke only Igbo to her at home), she learnt Hausa from her neighbourhood being born in Hausaland, she learnt Yoruba from her best friend/playmate who is Yoruba and she spends a lot of time with her friend in her Yoruba home, and finally learnt English in school (being one of those schools where local languages are forbidden) and she is only 7yrs old!

Abagworo:

The standardized Igbo is not dying but the various distinct dialects are dying.Most Igbos can neither speak nor understand their own dialects and some are even unaware of the existence of their dialects.What I see is a future where Igbo will just be one language while some Igbos that dissociated themselves on time will be the only ones retaining their dialects.

Akhenaten:

That sounds like music to my ears. Let the dialects die and we can focus on one united Igbo language.

ChinenyeN:

Am I the only one who doesn't appreciate the idea/reality of such?

ChinenyeN:

Believe me, I understand where you're coming from, but I do not and will not agree with it. I simply don't share those 'pan-' views. Don't get me wrong, I gladly welcome a more cooperative unit, but just not at the expense of my okwu and my identity, ehn-ehn. I take them rather seriously.

ChinenyeN:

I can easily work alongside you without identifying like (or with) you. That's no problem, but let me not derail this thread any further. So back the issue of Igbo neglect. Enough about all this 'pan-' this, 'unity' that.