The French Language in sub-Saharan Africa: Revisited (original) (raw)

French Language and Francophone Culture in Sub-Saharan Africa --Interdisciplinary Reflections on Multilingualism and French Language Education

2021

This article, a qualitative research study based on an informal survey, examines the role and significance of French as a global and local language around the world, especially within the multilingual context of Sub-Saharan Africa, and their impact on language teaching, learning and use. Issues include building awareness and appreciation of the global role of French and the diversity of the Francophone world, accessibility, affordability, and advocacy, as well as the role of online education is supporting both accessibility and affordability. Future needs include program and curriculum creation, teacher training, development of learning materials, as well as funding for learners. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

The place of African languages in the revival of the Francophonie movement

International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 1990

Pendant les vingt dernieres annees, la francophonie a deploye beaucoup d'efforts pour la defense et lapromotion de la langue fran^aise. Accusee de chauvinisme et d'elitisme, eile s'est efforcee, ces trois dernieres annees, de se forger une nouvelle Image, celle d'un mouvement qui veut traiter des problemes politiques et economiques et integrer les langues nationales des etats africains dans leur developpement. Cet qrticle remet en cause la francophonie en tant que forum approprie pour la conception de politiques linguistiques adequates pour les etats de rAfrique Francophone. En outre t U montre qu apres trois siecles de colonisation frdwaise pendant lesquels le franfais, impose comme la seule langue pour l'ecole et pour radministration, n'apu devenir une langue vehiculaire, Vattitude de la France n'a fondamentalement pas changee. A la lumiere de donnees linguistiques, du choix et de Vusage linguistiques reels, cet article recommende donc que Velite africaine prenne conscience de la place et du role des langues nationales dans le developpement global de rAfrique dite "Francophone". Introduktion The present linguistic predicament of Trench-speaking Africa' is neither linguistic pluralism-multilingualism is known to be widespread in Africa-nor the use of French äs an official language. Its problem is for the authoritative bodies of each nation to effectively integrate the

French Language and National Development The Case Of Nigeria

The International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention

Many people wonder why Nigeria, with so many local languages and English as the official language, should bother about learning and speaking French language. The government of Sani Abacha saw the need for Nigeria to speak French when in 1996, he pronounced French as the second official language for Nigeria. Unfortunately, the pronouncement has remained on paper as the policy was never implemented. This neglect has neither helped the country nor its citizens. The role of language in every aspect of life in the society cannot be over-emphasized. Multilingualism has many benefits and Nigeria needs to key in especially as it relates to international languages. French language occupies a strategic position on the international scene today. It is a language of development, industry, trade and diplomacy. It can help promote sustainable economic growth and human development which will in turn, translate into a better quality of life for Nigerians. This paper intends to highlight the role Fr...

From foreign to national: a review of the status of the French language in Gabon

This article provides a review of the various statuses of the French language in Gabon, a French-speaking country in Central Africa. It reveals a process in which different generations of Gabonese people are increasingly learning, and thus conceptualising, French as a second language rather than a foreign language. Furthermore, some are also learning and conceptualising French as a mother tongue or initial language, rather than a second language. This process of reconceptualisation has somehow been encouraged by the language policy of the colonial administration and the language policy since the attainment of independence, the latter being a continuation of the former. The final stage of this process is that the language has been adopted among the local languages within the Gabonese language landscape.

Linguistic Colonization in Nigeria: The Impact of the Teaching and Learning of French on Indigenous Languages in Nigeria

2019

Abstract<br> French, though a "colonial" language, is seen as a "gift" of providence to Francophone Africans and a far better choice than any African language. The aim of this paper is to critique aspects of colonization in relation to language which brought about the degradation of many indigenous African languages. It is also to evaluate modalities for a sustainable leverage of indigenous Nigerian languages. This paper adopts the Sociolinguistics principle of Thomas Hudson (1996) which is the descriptive study of the effects of all aspects of society on language. Nigeria is embarking on a gradual voyage of language degradation as a result of its speakers entering into an increasingly intense contact with French language and culture at the expense of indigenous languages. The practices of France will certainly bring about the eventual disappearance of almost all the Nigerian languages. Thus, Nigeria must counter this linguistic colonization by providing th...

Foreign Languages in Ethiopia: A heyday of French

2021

This study examines the first four decades of the one-hundred-and-twenty years old sociolinguistic roles of the French language in Ethiopia. The study covers the period from 1897, when the first bilateral agreements between King Menilik and the then representative of France, Lagarde, were signed, to 1935. It is noted that in this period, which is the heyday of French in Ethiopia, missionaries from France and diplomatic relations between France and Ethiopia have played major roles in popularizing French in Ethiopia's education system and print media. The French language and culture also played pivotal roles in moulding emerging urban and elite culture in Ethiopia. French's influence may also be observed in the positive attitude, which the Ethiopian urban people have towards the language French.

The Linguistic Situation in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Postcolonial Period and the Problems of Linguistic Decolonization

Language and Culture

The present research into the linguistic situation in the most multilingual region of the world, the Sub-Saharan Africa, pursues the goal to clear up the peculiarities of interrelations between the indigenous and European languages in this region as well as to provide a theoretical substantiation of the linguistic policies directed at ousting the European languages of the former metropoles from the most important spheres of life in the countries that achieved independence in the course of the 20 th century. The relevance of the research is determined, first of all, by the fact that there is a growing threat of a loss of linguistic and cultural heritage of the planet in the period of globalization. At the same time, the factors determining the loss of linguistic and cultural diversity of the world remain insufficiently researched. In accordance with the goal of the given work, the authors have sought answers to a number of questions connected with the functioning of multilingualism in the countries to the south of the Sahara. The most important of these questions are the following: 1) what are the main reasons for the failures of the policy of linguistic radicalism directed at ousting European languages from all main spheres of activities?; 2) how important is the role of European languages in the loss of linguistic and cultural diversity in the period of the acceleration of globalization processes?; 3) why is the concept of regarding languages as means of domination and suppression by the former colonial powers erroneous in the conditions of the countries of the Sub-Saharan Africa that became independent comparatively recently? As the result of the present research it was found out that the radical linguistic policy of refusal from the languages of former metropoles by the governments of some of the African Sub-Saharan countries after achieving independence proved to be fallacious, since it was built without taking into account the instrumental function of languages. The main reasons for the domination of European languages in the countries of the region are explained by the historical development of the African countries in the colonial period, during which indigenous languages were developed exclusively for their use at the level of primary education. Another conclusion made in this article is that the approach to European languages with the status of state languages in the Sub-Saharan African countries as the chief source of threat of a loss of linguistic and cultural diversity is unjustified. The European languages as state languages in this region can present a danger to the indigenous languages and cultures only when they are used in the function of expressing ethnocultural identity, which is uncharacteristic of them.

Francophonie in sub-Saharan Africa: Post-colonial dependence or self-determination ?

2022

ABSTRACT & RÉSUMÉ & ZUSAMMENFASSUNG : Africa is today the most important part of the Francophonie. French is an official or co-official language along with other languages in 21 African countries, all in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Since the end of colonialism and Cold War politics, changes in the Francophonie have been driven largely by external factors, such as a drive to combat Anglo-American cultural hegemony. Continuities, on the other hand, are mainly due to France's historical affinity with Africa, its view of its place in the world and its understanding of the role of the state. The International Organization of Francophonie (OIF) defends the common interests of the Francophone area and imposes a common vision for reform, particularly in the area of terms of trade. However, the demographic future of Francophonie will play out more and more in southern countries, especially in Africa. In 2010, half of all Francophones worldwide lived in Africa. It is expected that by 2060 almost 84 % of the French-speaking population will live in Africa. Francophonie is mainly driven by the Francophone power elite in, both France and Africa, and the infamous Françafrique patronage network. Both propagate the universality of French as a language, including Pidgin French (often biasedly referred to as ‘petit-nègre’), culture and way of life. Although the fate of African Francophonie is still determined by the North, the high mobility of the African population, driven by increasing urbanization, means that multilingualism, e.g. the simultaneous use of French and African languages, is 'deterritorialized'. Therefore, it would be crucial to solve the problem of the interface between French and African languages and to identify which other languages could replace French and in which areas this would be most desirable. Apart from that, there are promising perspectives for a self-determined development in the area of the francophone culture of the SSA. The African film industry, literature and religion could make it possible to find a new African rationality, a new way of defining oneself and hoping for a better future, free from the socio-economic inequalities that characterize the francophone post-colony despite globalization. Thus, a viable, dynamic and truly African culture in Francophone SSA could equal and even surpass the rival ‘Commonwealth culture’. Although both European colonial powers, Great Britain and France, conquered substantial geographic spaces in SSA, using language as a means of control, the resulting networks, the Commonwealth and Francophonie are quite different. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RÉSUMÉ : [Francophonie en Afrique subsaharienne : dépendance postcoloniale ou autodétermination ?] – L'Afrique est aujourd'hui la partie la plus importante de la Francophonie. Le français est une langue officielle ou co-officielle avec d'autres langues dans 21 pays africains, tous en Afrique subsaharienne (ASS). Depuis la fin du colonialisme et de la politique de la guerre froide, les changements dans la francophonie ont été largement motivés par des facteurs externes, tels que la volonté de combattre l'hégémonie culturelle anglo-américaine. Les continuités, en revanche, tiennent principalement à l'affinité historique de la France avec l'Afrique, à sa vision de sa place dans le monde et à sa compréhension du rôle de l'État. L'Organisation internationale de la francophonie (OIF) défend les intérêts communs de l'espace francophone et impose une vision commune des réformes, notamment dans le domaine des conditions commerciales. Or, l'avenir démographique de la Francophonie se jouera de plus en plus dans les pays du Sud, notamment en Afrique. En 2010, la moitié des francophones du monde vivaient en Afrique. Il est prévu que d'ici 2060 près de 84% de la population francophone vivra en Afrique. La francophonie est principalement dirigée par l'élite francophone au pouvoir en France et en Afrique et par le tristement célèbre réseau Françafrique. Tous deux propagent l'universalité du français en tant que langue, y compris le pidgin français (appelé souvent de manière biaisée « petit-nègre »), la culture et le mode de vie. Bien que le sort de la francophonie africaine soit toujours déterminé par le nord, la forte mobilité de la population africaine, entraînée par une urbanisation croissante, signifie que le multilinguisme, par ex. l'usage simultané du français et des langues africaines, est « déterritorialisé ». Il serait donc crucial de résoudre le problème de l'interface entre le français et les langues africaines et d'identifier quelles autres langues pourraient remplacer le français et dans quels domaines cela serait le plus souhaitable. En dehors de cela, il existe des perspectives prometteuses pour un développement autodéterminé dans le domaine de la culture francophone de l'ASS. Le cinéma, la littérature et la religion africaine pourraient permettre de trouver une nouvelle rationalité africaine, une nouvelle façon de se définir et d'espérer un avenir meilleur, libéré des inégalités socio-économiques qui caractérisent la post-colonie francophone malgré la mondialisation. Ainsi, une culture viable, dynamique et véritablement africaine en ASS francophone pourrait égaler et même surpasser la culture rivale du Commonwealth. Bien que les deux puissances coloniales européennes, la Grande-Bretagne et la France, aient conquis de grands empires coloniaux en ASS en utilisant la langue comme moyen de contrôle, les réseaux résultants, le Commonwealth et la Francophonie, sont assez différents. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ZUSAMMENFASSUNG : [Frankophonie in Subsahara-Afrika: Postkoloniale Abhängigkeit oder Selbstbestimmung?] - Afrika ist heute der wichtigste Teil der Frankophonie. Französisch ist in 21 afrikanischen Ländern, alle im sub-saharaischen-Afrika (SSA), Amts- oder Ko-Amtssprache zusammen mit anderen Sprachen. Seit dem Ende des Kolonialismus und der Politik des Kalten Krieges wurden die Veränderungen der Frankophonie weitgehend von externen Faktoren vorangetrieben, wie beispielsweise dem Bestreben, die angloamerikanische kulturelle Hegemonie zu bekämpfen. Kontinuitäten hingegen sind vor allem auf die historische Affinität Frankreichs zu Afrika, seine Auffassung von seinem Platz in der Welt und sein Verständnis von der Rolle des Staates zurückzuführen. Die Internationale Organisation der Frankophonie (OIF) verteidigt die gemeinsamen Interessen des frankophonen Raums und setzt eine gemeinsame Reformvision durch, insbesondere im Bereich der Handelsbedingungen. Die demografische Zukunft der Frankophonie wird sich jedoch immer mehr in südlichen Ländern, insbesondere in Afrika, abspielen. 2010 lebte in Afrika die Hälfte aller Frankophonen weltweit. Es wird erwartet, dass im Jahr 2060 fast 84 % der französischsprachigen Bevölkerung in Afrika leben werden. Die Frankophonie wird hauptsächlich von der frankophonen Machtelite sowohl in Frankreich als auch in Afrika und dem berüchtigten Netzwerk der Françafrique vorangetrieben. Beide propagieren die Universalität des Französischen als Sprache, einschließlich Pidgin-Französisch (voreingenommen oft als ‚petit-nègre‘ bezeichnet), Kultur und Lebensweise. Obwohl das Schicksal der afrikanischen Frankophonie bis heute vom Norden bestimmt wird, führt die hohe Mobilität der afrikanischen Bevölkerung, angetrieben durch die zunehmende Urbanisierung, dazu, dass die Mehrsprachigkeit, z. B. dem gleichzeitige Gebrauch von Französisch und afrikanischen Sprachen, ‚entterritorialisiert‘ wird. Daher wäre es von entscheidender Bedeutung, das Problem der Schnittstelle zwischen französischen und afrikanischen Sprachen zu lösen und festzustellen, welche anderen Sprachen das Französisch ersetzten könnten und in welchen Bereichen dies am wünschenswertesten wäre. Abgesehen davon gibt es vielversprechende Perspektiven für eine selbstbestimmte Entwicklung im Bereich der frankophonen Kultur des SSA. Die afrikanische Filmindustrie, Literatur und Religion könnten es ermöglichen, eine neue afrikanische Rationalität zu finden, eine neue Art, sich selbst zu definieren und auf eine bessere Zukunft zu hoffen, frei von sozioökonomischen Ungleichheiten, die die frankophone Postkolonie trotz Globalisierung charakterisieren. Somit könnte eine lebensfähige, dynamische und wahrhaft afrikanische Kultur im frankophonen SSA der rivalisierenden Commonwealth-Kultur gleichkommen oder sie sogar übertreffen. Obwohl beide europäischen Kolonialmächte, Großbritannien und Frankreich, große Kolonialreiche in SSA eroberten, indem sie Sprache als Mittel der Kontrolle nutzten, sind die daraus resultierenden Netzwerke, das Commonwealth und die Frankophonie, ziemlich unterschiedlich.