The African Symposium: An online journal of the African Educational Research Network SOCIOLINGUISTIC DIMENSION TO GLOBALISATION: GRADUAL SHIFT IN YORUBA PERSONAL NAMES AMONG YOUTHS IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA Saheed Oke Raheem Obafemi Awolowo University Abstract Globalisation is a phenomenon which permeates all aspects of human endeavors. Language choice patterns manifest this imperative. Against the above backdrop, this paper reports an empirical study of one of the different dimensions of globalisation on language attitudes, language choice pattern, and resultant language shift among youths in Southwestern Nigeria. Through a random sampling of names sourced from the Facebook page of the researcher, the paper examines the linguistic habits of youths on this popular global social medium, specifically with respect to the way Yoruba personal names are written. The data comprises 50 Yoruba personal names from his “friends list” on Facebook. The paper observes a gradual shift to, and preference for the English language (Anglicized name forms) among the younger generation of Yoruba speakers in Southwestern Nigeria. This is reflected in the Anglicization of most Yoruba personal names by Youths on this social platform. The paper concludes that, the effect of globalisation is evident in language choice patterns as represented in the rendition of the data for the study among the sample population. Hence, the need for Nigerian linguists to exploit the opportunities offered by globalisation for the development of Nigerian languages. Keywords: Sociolinguistics, Globalisation, Language Shift, Yoruba Personal Names Introduction The affairs of man today are constantly changing, and fusing in an unprecedented way as a result of convergence in the way we conduct most of our activities. Globalisation has brought up new and unquantifiable opportunities for worldwide influence, development, and interaction across cultural, social, economic, linguistic, and other contexts. The differences in the conduct of man’s affairs and the distance among nations of the world have been removed by the power of technology, which is continuously uniting people hitherto separated by these factors Okwudishu, (2003). The effects of globalisation are noticeable and felt in all areas of human dealings. It is felt in economics, political developments and experimentations, cultural contacts/ influence, scientific transfer, technological know-how or collaborations, language contact/use, etc. This present study explores the patterns of language choice, attitudes to languages, language shift, and the general effects of globalisation on language use among youths in Southwestern Nigeria. Globalization is a concept which suggests that all activities, be it on the local, national, or regional scene, are conducted in a manner and way that is essentially “global” and “worldwide” in scope and outlook. It means designing/conceiving ideas or products not just for local consumption/ relevance, but also for global acceptability. Globalisation is shaping our world in different ways and producing undeniable consequences in our interaction at the individual, interpersonal, societal, and at the international level. Technology is transforming the spaces in which we live and interact with one another. Our affairs all over the world are now closely interconnected and interdependent, so much that several decades’ old barriers have been removed by developments in communication technology. These experiences of the unification of human activities in different areas is why many observers and commentators alike have described today’s modern world as a “global village” where more and more people around the world can interact because of the opportunities provided by technology. This has removed distance, collapsed borders, and other barriers that have hitherto characterized such communications. Today, people’s linguistic exchanges are characterized and shaped by the fact that people are getting more and more united by the day as a result of technology. The pronounced cultural and linguistic differences of the past decades are continuously being removed in today’s ‘global village’ of modern interaction and communication. The English language remains the most dominant language on the internet. This, one can argue to be as a product of two factors; first, the unassailable position of the English language among other languages of the world in terms of spread/usage/acceptability, second, the fact that the internet was basically developed as an English-based network. However, with the emergence, popularity and spread of the internet, and other emerging communication technologies, the use of other languages in 88 Volume 13, No. 1, June 2013 The African Symposium (ISSN# 2326-8077)