Language as a Living Archive

Abstract

This study explores the role of language as a living archive through an eco-linguistic analysis of selected personal names in the Idoma and Nkome languages of Nigeria. Grounded in eco-linguistic theory, the research investigates how naming practices encode ecological knowledge, cultural values, and spiritual beliefs. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews with native speakers aged 40 and above from Otukpo and Apa (Idoma) and Enoghie and Bokomo (Nkome). The analysis focused on personal names that reflect natural elements, communal ethics, and cosmological beliefs. Two key findings emerged: first, personal names such as Adagba (Elephant) and Isu (River) in Idoma demonstrate a deep symbolic relationship between humans and nature, highlighting how names preserve environmental awareness and ecological values; second, theocentric Nkome names like Okimasi (“Thank you, God”) and Reje Okim (“Gift of God”) reflect a sacred ecological worldview that merges spiritual gratitude with environmental consciousness. Thematic categories such as Human–Nature Connection, Social Ecology, Eco-Leadership, and Spiritual Ecology reveal how names function as eco-linguistic artifacts. The study concludes that personal names in the Idoma and Nkome contexts are vital cultural tools that preserve indigenous ecological wisdom and identity.