Francesco Goglia, Mantenimento e shift linguistico in contesto migratorio: il caso dei nigeriani igbo di Padova - p. 113
This chapter examines language maintenance among Igbo Nigerians in Padua. The first generation maintains a complex linguistic repertoire, enriched by Italian and the Veneto dialect. In contrast, the second generation shows signs of a linguistic shift towards Italian and English, the dominant languages. The use of Igbo in the immigrant context is declining due to the lack of usage domains and parents not actively teaching it to their children. This shift from Igbo to English is already underway in Nigeria, where middle-class families prefer their children to use English for better job opportunities. The immigrant context accelerates this trend, as families plan to stay in Italy or move to another European country, leading to less investment in teaching Igbo. Nevertheless, Igbo represents an important identity marker, and the second generation’s positive attitude towards Igbo culture and language, along with some Italian-born children having basic Igbo knowledge, may slow the linguistic shift.
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