Intergenerational Language Transmission of Igbo in Rural Households in Owerri West Local Government Area

This study examines patterns of intergenerational language transmission of Igbo in rural households in Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State, South East Nigeria. Intergenerational transmission is widely recognised as the most critical determinant of language vitality, with UNESCO's language endangerment framework identifying its disruption as the earliest and most consequential stage of language shift. Owerri West, despite its rural character and predominantly Igbo-speaking environment, has not been immune to the pressures of language shift linked to educational aspiration, religious influence, and economic migration patterns. The research employs a household language use survey administered to two hundred and fourteen households, supplemented by in-depth interviews with thirty-two grandparent-parent-child family triads. Language transmission is measured across communication domains including domestic interaction, religious practice, entertainment, and peer socialisation. Findings reveal that Igbo remains the dominant home communication language in seventy-eight percent of surveyed households, yet child-directed speech incorporates English at increasingly higher rates in younger parent cohorts. The study identifies grandparental presence in the household as the strongest positive predictor of Igbo child language use. Migration for education or employment by one or both parents is associated with measurable reductions in child Igbo proficiency. Recommendations address the role of extended family structures in supporting Igbo language transmission. Keywords: intergenerational transmission, Igbo language, rural households, Owerri West, language vitality.