Religious Issues and Foreign Language Learning in Nigeria
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Date
2014
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Publisher
University of Ilorin Library and Publication Committee
Abstract
Arabic and French languages are the most common foreign languages taught in Nigerian schools after English which is considered to be a second language. The two languages are languages of learning, culture, and progressive thought in the civilized world as they have both contributed to the development of modern world of science and technology. The controversy about Arabic and French is that their journey into the country was made through different religions, namely Islam and Christianity. They also came in through opposite directions. Thereafter, the two languages spread all over the country, from the north to the south and vice versa. This paper highlights the importance of the two languages in Nigeria with particular reference to indigenes of Ilorin within the Ilorin metropolis. It also dwells on the suspicious attitudes of Muslims and non-Muslims towards the learning of Arabic and French respectively. It submits that the religious impact on the two languages constitutes a setback for their learning and teaching. The paper further recommends that Arabic and French should be learnt in schools with no bias, since they are first and foremast mother tongues of citizens of some countries.
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Keywords
Religion, Foreign languages, Attitudes, Arabic, French