Africa’s Linguistic Divisions

A CONTINENT OF MANY LANGUAGES   

Even though Africa is home to an estimated 2,000 local languages, the majority of languages taught in schools are foreign. French and English are the most widely spoken ‘foreign’ languages in Africa; however, Arabic, Portuguese and Spanish are also common.

In many African countries, more than one non-African language is spoken. As a result of Africa’s colonial past, language has in many cases become a cultural and even a political issue.

CAMEROON

Cameroon is a country that has been badly affected by linguistic differences. Although over 200 local languages are spoken across Cameroon, French and English are the official languages, used in government, business and education.

French-speakers are the majority, forming 80% of the population, but there is a large English-speaking minority in west Cameroon. After decades of peaceful coexistence, the past three years have seen a breakdown in relations and a wave of violent conflict caused by the language divide, bringing Cameroon to the brink of civil war.

The conflict can be traced to peaceful protests organised by English-speaking teachers and lawyers in 2016 in response to the government sending French-speaking teachers and judges to English-speaking areas, forcing them to learn French. English-speakers have also often felt excluded as the most elite positions in government and other professions in Cameroon are usually held by French-speakers.

The conflict is now between the francophone Cameroon government and English-speaking separatists who want to create a new English-speaking state called Ambazonia.

WHY ARE ‘FOREIGN’ LANGUAGES STILL USED?

First of all, it is important to remember that a language does not belong to a single nation but to anyone who speaks it.

One advantage of having a foreign or non-African language as the official language of government, education and business is to make it more competitive on an international level. For example, English has become the international language of business, politics and science.

Another reason is the sheer number of languages spoken within each individual country. Nigeria alone has over 500 languages, Tanzania is home to more than 120 and Kenya has almost 70. Foreign languages allow people who live in the same country but who speak languages to communicate with each other.

A PAN-AFRICAN LANGUAGE?

In recent years there have been calls to introduce a pan-African language, meaning one African language that would be the common language of government and business across the continent.

However, deciding which African language should take this place is a complicated question. Many have suggested Swahili (or Kiswahili), which is arguably the most widely spoken language in terms of geographical reach. It is spoken by approximately 150 million people in central and eastern Africa, mainly in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, this is not the case in west Africa in countries such as Ghana, Cameroon, Mali and Nigeria where many see Swahili as an entirely foreign language.

The adoption of a common African language might seem far off, however, is part of a wider movement to strengthen ties between African countries, such as the creation of a single African market, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

SELIN MILWARD

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