The Influence of Parental Language Choice on Igbo Language Acquisition in Bilingual Households in Abuja

This study examines the influence of parental language choice on Igbo language acquisition among children aged three to ten in bilingual Igbo-English households in Abuja, Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory. Language acquisition in the home domain is profoundly shaped by parental language attitudes, practices, and ideological orientations, particularly in multilingual urban environments where English carries dominant social prestige. The research employs a mixed-methods design, combining parental language use questionnaires administered to one hundred and five households with recorded child-directed speech samples analysed for Igbo input frequency and complexity. Findings reveal that parental use of Igbo in home communication correlates strongly with children's Igbo vocabulary breadth and conversational competence. In households where both parents habitually address children in English, children demonstrate minimal productive Igbo ability beyond greetings and culturally marked expressions. Single-parent households maintaining Igbo show lower but still positive Igbo acquisition outcomes compared to dual-Igbo-input households. The study identifies language ideology, specifically parental beliefs about the social and economic value of Igbo versus English, as the primary determinant of home language choice. Recommendations include parental sensitisation programmes on the cognitive and identity benefits of bilingual child-rearing. Keywords: parental language choice, Igbo acquisition, bilingual households, Abuja, language ideology.