An African Language Experience

Aspects of the Relationship Between Language and Culture Among the Hausa People of Northern Nigeria

The present book is about Hausa linguacultural practices. Its primary goal is to demonstrate aspects of the relationship between Hausa language and culture as it affects northern Nigeria, the territory with the largest concentration of native-Hausa speakers on earth today. Using various examples, illustrations and real-life situations, the book seeks to portray Hausa speakers experiences and practices as they daily exploit their language to communicate their needs and, in the process, express their culture. These experiences and practices are realised largely through Hausa verbal and non-verbal means or both which together give rise to linguacultural patterns of behaviour unique to the speakers. It is hoped that readers, particularly non-Hausas, will find the book enjoyable especially in trying to experience what native-Hausa speakers, using their language to communicate, experience during social interactions. Supported by a number of optional activities and exercises, students and teachers of Hausa will particularly find the book not only resourceful and entertaining but also reader-friendly especially with regard to the role of culture in language learning and teaching. Indeed the book has been partly written to encourage the use of Hausa culture in language teaching and learning.