Senior Lecturer at the Department of Linguistics at the University of Ghana, Dr. Yvonne Agbetsoamedo, has called for the promotion of indigenous Ghanaian languages at home as a key step in preserving the country’s linguistic heritage and preventing language extinction.
Speaking on Campus Exclusive, Dr. Agbetsoamedo stressed the urgent need to encourage the use of local languages in family settings, especially among children.
She warned that languages that are not actively spoken at home become endangered over time and may eventually disappear.
“When a language is not the language of the home, first it gets threatened and finally dies. So if the language is not being used in the home, with the family, with time, you will not have the younger generation picking up the language,” she explained.
Dr. Agbetsoamedo emphasized the importance of striking a balance between using indigenous languages at home and adopting international or borrowed languages, like English, in public and professional settings.
“I would advocate that we speak our languages at home with our children, with our family. And then when you go out there, you can do all the Englishes you care about, the Ghanaian English, the whatever English. But speaking the indigenous language at home promotes their revitalization,” she added.
Her remarks come at a time when foreign languages are increasingly prioritized over local dialects, a trend she believes could lead to the gradual disappearance of Ghana’s rich linguistic diversity if not addressed.
Story by: Kwadwo Owusu Anane | univers.ug.edu.gh
