The Historical Sociology of Hausa Language Standardisation: Power, Knowledge, and Colonial Linguistics

The standardisation of Hausa language through the development of a Roman-script orthography, the production of standardised grammars and dictionaries, and the establishment of educational publishing in the colonial period represents one of the most consequential language engineering projects in West African history, with lasting effects on Hausa literacy, publishing, and the social distribution of linguistic prestige. This doctoral study develops a historical sociology of Hausa language standardisation, examining the power relations, knowledge systems, and institutional processes through which standard Hausa was produced and naturalised. Drawing on the sociology of knowledge, critical linguistics, and African colonial history, the research employs a critical historical methodology combining archival research at colonial and post-colonial institutional archives with theoretical analysis. The historical analysis covers the period from early colonial-era grammatical description through to the 1970 Hausa standardisation conference and its aftermath, drawing on archival materials from the National Archives Kaduna, Colonial Office records in London, Gaskiya Corporation archives in Zaria, and personal papers of key linguists and colonial officials. Oral historical interviews with 20 scholars who participated in or have direct knowledge of post-independence standardisation debates supplement archival findings. Original contributions include a detailed historical reconstruction of the standardisation process, analysis of the racial and class power dynamics that shaped standardisation choices, and examination of the voices and perspectives systematically excluded from formal standardisation decisions, particularly Hausa women speakers, rural dialect speakers, and the scholarly advocates of Ajami script maintenance. Theoretical contributions articulate a colonial linguistics framework applicable to other African language standardisation histories. Keywords: Hausa standardisation, Historical sociology, Colonial linguistics, Power, Language history.