Bridging the Gap between Policy Formulation and Policy Implementation: National Language Policy and Documentation of Mother-tongue

Abstract

Language is an essential aspect of identity and culture, playing a significant role in shaping a nation's socio-political landscape. This is why nations are continuously making efforts to preserve their indigenous languages. This paper investigates the grey area of theory and implementation of the national language policy in the preservation, revitalization, and documentation of the mother tongue. It discusses the challenges such as the lack of adequate instructional materials and qualified teachers in indigenous languages, facing indigenous languages in Nigeria and how the implementation of language national language policy can promote mother tongue revitalization beyond the classroom. The paper adopts the language ecology model and David Crystal's theory of language revitalization to investigate the study. The paper adopts descriptive analysis methodology, which uses current and historical data to analyse gaps in the study. The paper concludes that bridging the gap between theory and implementation of national language policy in Nigeria is a complex but necessary national task that involves the government allocating resources to produce adequate instructional materials and training teachers to be qualified in teaching indigenous languages. Also, the government and stakeholders should intensify efforts outside the classroom. Preserving mother tongue and revitalizing endangered languages requires a multifaceted approach that extends well beyond the classroom, it involves fostering a cultural environment where the language is valued and used in daily life, creating intergenerational connections, leveraging technology and documenting linguistic resources.