Language and Development in Africa
Perceptions, Ideologies and Challenges

This volume explores the central role of language across all aspects of public and private life in Africa.

H. Ekkehard Wolff (Author)

9781107459670, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 28 March 2019

374 pages, 9 b/w illus. 13 maps 10 tables
23 x 15.2 x 2 cm, 0.55 kg

'Language and Development in Africa is generally a very straightforward, practical guide to broaching the complex linguistic situation across the continent. Because all but one of the chapters are grounded in the twenty themes established in the introductory chapter, the reader remains constantly aware of the overarching goals of this book, viz. to improve and widen understanding of the complexity of language usage and policies in Africa, and also to effect change on the continent as it concerns the interaction of language and development … the extensive maps, figures, and tables serve as effective illustrations of the longer, textual explanations. Most surprisingly, two other sections are provided to share with the reader additional scholarly sources for consultation and an exhaustive glossary of all linguistic terms referenced in the text.' Troy E. Spier, LINGUIST List (https://linguistlist.org)

Development is based on communication through language. With more than two thousand languages being used in Africa, language becomes a highly relevant factor in all sectors of political, social, cultural and economic life. This important sociolinguistic dimension hitherto remains underrated and under-researched in 'Western' mainstream development studies. The book discusses the resourcefulness of languages, both local and global, in view of the ongoing transformation of African societies as much as for economic development. From a novel 'applied African sociolinguistics' perspective it analyses the continuing effects of linguistic imperialism on postcolonial African societies, in particular regarding the educational sector, through imposed hegemonic languages such as Arabic and the ex-colonial languages of European provenance. It offers a broad interdisciplinary scientific approach to the linguistic dimensions of sociocultural modernisation and economic development in Africa, written for both the non-linguistically trained reader as much as for the linguistically trained researcher and language practitioner.

1. Introduction: approach, questions and themes
2. Background: Africa and the 'West' - a difficult relationship
3. Perception: between ignorance, half knowledge and distortion
4. De-marginalisation: the cradle of mankind and home of human language
5. Re-conceptualisation: the overdue linguistic turn in development discourse
6. Challenges: linguistic plurality and diversity - problem or resource?
7. Future: synopsis and options for language planning
8. Agenda: arguments and steps
9. Basic sociolinguistic facts: 'languages', 'dialects', numbers of speakers.

Subject Areas: Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography [JHMC], Dialect, slang & jargon [CFFD], Language acquisition [CFDC], Sociolinguistics [CFB]