Volume 14, Issue 1, 2026
The Predominance of the English Language and the Fate of Yoruba Language in Social Media Space: Literature of Internet Practices
Rashidat Olamidayo AJAKAYE
Abstract
The digital space is assumed to increasingly privilege the Nigerian official
language, English. Yet, the heavy use of the lingua franca on the social media
handles without cognizance of already existing indigenous languages poses a
challenge of identity to mother tongues. Social media platforms have become
reliable sites that individuals and groups select for easy communication, global
acknowledgement and self-reflection. This paper investigates, admits and
queries the linguistic imbalance between the usage of English Language and
the Yoruba Language on the technological space through the critical analysis
of the circumstances of the Yoruba Language on the internet practices. The
lingua franca is a borrowed unifying language amongst distinctive cultural
groups and not the native language. Through sociolinguistic and post-colonial
theoretical framework, the study discusses how internet practices expose the
gradual silencing of Yoruba expression in digital interactions. Importantly, the
study emphasises the accelerating visibility and passion for the media space
and its resultant threat to Yoruba cultural and communicative standards.
Ultimately, the research demands for intentional and participative
reawakening and transmission of Yoruba identities in the globalized social
media world through aspects like: communication, education, digital practices,
media policy, production and other notable aspects.
Keywords
English Language, English Dominance, Yoruba Language, Social Media, Digital Literature, Internet Practices
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