Hausa Language Vitality in the Twenty-First Century: A Sociolinguistic Ecology Framework

Assessing the vitality and developmental trajectory of Hausa in the twenty-first century requires a theoretically comprehensive framework that goes beyond demographic speaker count to incorporate ecological dimensions of language status, intergenerational transmission, institutional support, and the impacts of globalisation and digital communication. This doctoral study develops and applies an original Hausa Language Vitality and Endangerment Framework, generating the most comprehensive empirical assessment of Hausa language vitality across its Nigerian speaker base to date. Drawing on language ecology theory, UNESCO's language vitality assessment framework, and critical sociolinguistics, the research develops a theoretically grounded and empirically operationalisable vitality assessment framework specific to the Hausa context. The empirical programme spans four years and covers 12 Nigerian states where Hausa is a significant community language, both as a mother tongue and as a second language. Primary data collection involves 2,000 household surveys, 120 in-depth interviews with community language leaders and linguists, institutional language support mapping across education, media, and government domains, and digital language presence audits. Regional variation in vitality profiles is a central analytical focus. Original findings document significant intra-national variation in Hausa vitality, with intergenerational transmission strong in rural North West and North Central areas but showing measurable attrition among urban educated communities in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. Digital Hausa is growing rapidly but literacy in Hausa Roman script remains low. Theoretical contributions include the Hausa Language Vitality Framework applicable to other major African languages facing comparable developmental challenges. Keywords: Hausa language vitality, Sociolinguistic ecology, Intergenerational transmission, Language endangerment, Nigeria.