LINGUISTIC VARIATION: A PROBLEM FOR STANDARDISATION. A CASE STUDY OF THE JUKUNS OF TARABA STATE

This study examined the varieties of the Jukun language with the aim of determining whether a Standard variety actually exists as claimed. The paper carried out a comparative analysis of four varieties spoken in and around Wukari local Government area, drawing data from the Ibadan Four Hundred (400) Word list of Basic Items. The data was collected from native speakers of the language. The essence of the comparative work was to discover the similarities and differences that exist among the dialects. At the end of the study, it was discovered that although mutual intelligibility exists among the dialects, most of them varied in terms of word use and their meanings. The conclusion drawn was that there was no standard variety. This study recommends that for a standard dialect to be chosen, measures should be taken to design orthographies for the dialect most widely spoken and speakers of that variety encourage others to accept it.