Language Ecology and Endangerment Dataset for South-South Nigeria

This paper presents the dataset obtained from a field survey conducted on proper households (those with at least one parent and one child) in the South-South Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria. The dataset, collected between July 2023 and April 2024 using a purposeful sampling method, includes 543 validated responses captured in real-time through an online, electronic survey (e-survey) instrument developed with Google Forms. The survey instrument was synthesised from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) 2003 Language Vitality and Endangerment (LVE) framework/questionnaire to capture personalised views from households (five per Local Government Area (LGA)) within the language communities. The synthesised instrument makes the dataset suitable for identifying the causal LVE factors, group(s) or agent(s), thereby supporting efficient knowledge extraction and localisation. Also included are data on the speech systems of the languages spoken in these communities–consisting of recorded speech of 108 words selected from the Swadesh wordlist, with textual documentation of the gloss, syllable, and tone patterns of each word. The dataset is useful for mining insights into LVE patterns, providing a basis for understanding linguistic trends, changes, interactions over time, and other factors impacting language sustainability. It can also can support the analysis of complex linguistic behaviours across language communities.