The modernisation of HIV and AIDS’ nomenclatures in Nigeria’s major
languages
Although the level of awareness of HIV has significantly improved over the past
decade following the coordinated activities of the National Agency for the
Control of AIDS (NACA), Nigeria still remains one of the most burdened countries
in the world with about 3 million people living with HIV. Increasing
enlightenment campaigns on HIV and AIDS have not been able to achieve remarkable
behaviour change as a result of the non-use of appropriate nomenclatures. Given
the low literacy rate of Nigerians in English (about 61% based on UNESCO
Institute for Statistics), communication strategies can only be effective when
indigenous Nigerian languages have standardised and appropriate nomenclatures
for HIV and AIDS. This study argues that the use of appropriate terms in the
local languages in referring to HIV and AIDS is capable of reducing the
stigmatisation and discrimination of people living with HIV and AIDS, and
consequently reduce the spread of HIV through behaviour change. Accordingly, the
study embarks on the lexical modernisation of HIV and AIDS nomenclatures in
Nigeria’s three major languages (i.e. Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba) in line with
current developments around the world in the management of the two health
conditions.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Language and HIV/AIDS
- 3.Behavioural change communication
- 4.Data collection and sampling
- 5.Evaluating the existing HIV and AIDS lexical items in Hausa
- 6.Assessing the existing HIV and AIDS lexical items in Igbo
- 7.Evaluating the existing HIV and AIDS lexical items in Yoruba
- 8.Disseminating the proposed terms
- 9.Conclusion
- Acknowledgements
- Note
-
References
This article is currently available as a sample article.
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► pp. 333 ff.
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