1 - Linguistic Diversity, Pluralism and National Development in Africa
Corresponding Author(s) : Beban Sammy Chumbow
Africa Development,
Vol. 34 No. 2 (2009): Africa Development: Special Issue on The Humanities
Abstract
In the quest for national development in Africa, how are the facts of linguistic diversity to be reconciled with pluralism, the African Union’s ideological option for nation building? From the perspective of language planning theory, we motivate, justify, rationalise and propose a tier stratification model of language planning predicated on an adaptation of Jurgen Habermas’s 1965 notion of the public sphere. Concretely, the bifurcation of the public sphere into the public and private domains and a principled stratification of languages of the nation-state into these domains, leads to a rational planning process. The process is characterised by the maintenance and consolidation of the linguistic and cultural identities of ethno linguistic communities at the micro- planning level while constructing a pluralistic national identity at the macro-planning level. The efficacy of the interaction between the two domains is mediated by two principles. The Principle of Functional Complementarities (PFC) requires that all languages be assigned (by the state) some valorising functions, i.e. functions that procure economic, social, and political advantages, thereby contributing to elevating the status of the ethno-linguistic communities. The Principle of Attitude Engineering (PAE) is expected to effect a positive change of attitude, culminating in a change of mindset congruent with the paradigm shift of national development anchored on pluralism. This model of Language Planning ensures the empowerment of linguistic minorities, provides for a reduction of ethno linguistic dominance and ipso facto, ensures the democratisation of access to knowledge, especially development-relevant knowledge for the national development enterprise.
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- Alexander, N., 2001, ‘Key Issues in language policy for Southern Africa’, in Trewby, Richard and Sandra Fitchat, eds., 2001.
- Alexander, N., ed., 2005, The Intellectualisation of African Languages. The African Academy of Languages and the Implementation of the Language Plan of Action for Africa, Cape Town, PRAESA.
- AU, 2006a, The Charter of the African Cultural Renaissance, Addis Ababa, The African Union.
- AU, 2006b, Language Plan of Action for African Development, Addis Ababa, The African Union.
- AU, 2006c, Second Decade of Education in Africa 20006-2015, Addis Ababa, The African Union.
- Baker, C., 2003, Bilingual Education, Multilingual Matters, Clarendon, Buffalo, Toronto.
- Bamgbose, A., 1991, Language and the Nation: The Language Question in Subsaharan Africa, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press.
- Bamgbose, A., 2005, ‘Mission and Vision of the African Academy of Languages’, in Alexander, N., ed., 2005.
- Batibo, H., 1992, ‘The Fate of Ethnic Languages in Tanzania’, in Brenzinger, M., ed., Language Death: Factual and Theoretical Explorations with Special Reference to East Africa, Berlin & New York, Mouton de Gruyter.
- Batibo, H., 2005, Language and Death in Africa. Causes, Consequences and Challenges. Multilingual Matters, Clarendon, Buffalo, Toronto.
- Calvet, L.J., 1998, La guerre des langues et les politiques linguistiques, Paris, Hachette.
- Chumbow, B.S., 1987, ‘Language Planning Model for Africa’, Journal of West African Languages, vol. 2, 1987.
- Chumbow, B.S., 1990, ‘The Mother Tongue in the Nigerian Language Policy’, in Emananjo, Nolue, ed., Minority Languages and Education in Nigeria, Agbor, Nigeria, 1990.
- Chumbow, B.S., 1999, ‘Thematic Glossaries in Language Development’, in Birgit Smeija, ed., Maintaining Contacts through Language, Berlin, John Benjamins and Sons.
- Chumbow, B.S., 2005, ‘The language Question in National Development in Africa’, in Thandika
- Mkandiware, ed., African Intellectuals: Rethinking Gender, Language and Politics in National Development, CODESRIA, Dakar.
- Chumbow, B.S., 2005a, ‘Language, Culture and National Development’, Paper Commissioned by the African Union, The Conference of African Ministers of Culture, Nairobi.
- Chumbow, B.S., 2007, ‘The African Academy of Languages and the Continental Language Development
- Programme’,A keynote Paper at the Conference on Nordic Contributions to African Linguistics. University of Goteborg, Sweden April, 2007.
- To appear in the Proceedings of the Conference edited by Karsten Legere.
- Africa Development, Vol. XXXIV, No. 2, 2009
- Chumbow, B.S., 2008a, ‘Vehicular Cross Border Languages and Endangerment of Minority Languages.
- Mediating a Symbiotic Functional Relationship’, in Bulletin of the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN), No. 03 December 2008, pp. 26-36.
- Chumbow, B.S., 2008b, ‘La politique linguistique de l’Académie Africaine des langues et la diversité linguistique’, Communication au colloque Internationale sur la Diversité linguistique
- dans les Universités de la francophonie, Yaoundé 2008.
- Chumbow, B.S. and Tamanji, P., 1997, ‘Linguistic Identity across the Border of the Cameroon Triangle’, in Prah, Kwesi, ed., Between Distinction and Extinction: Harmonisation and
- Standardisation of African Languages, Johannesburg, Witwatersrand University Press, 53-73.
- Crystal, D., 2000, Language Death, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Fishman, J., 1968, ‘Language Maintenance and Language Shift as a Field of Inquiry’,Linguistics 9: 32-70.
- Gardner, R.C., 1985, Social Psychology and Second Language Learning: The Role of Attitudes and Motivation, London, Edward Arnold.
- Harmon, D. and Maffi, L., 2002, ‘Are Linguistic and Biological Diversity Linked?’, Conservation Biology in Practice 3,1.
- Habermas, J., 1965, Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere: An Inquiry into a Category of
- Bourgeoisie Society, Frankfurt. Kamuangamalu, N., 2003, ‘Globalisation of English and Language Maintenance and Shift in South
- Africa’, International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 164, 65-81.
- Mazrui, A., 1997, ‘The World Bank, the Language Question and the Future of African Education’, Race & Class 38 (30) 35-48.
- Mkude, D., 2001, ‘Minority Languages vs. Kiswahili in Tanzania: A Painful Dilemma’, in Trewby, Richard and Sandra Fithat, eds., 59-167.
- Myers S.C., 1993, ‘Elite Closure as a Powerful Language Strategy: the African Case’, International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 103,149-163.
- Nettle, D. and Romaine, S., 2000, Vanishing Voices. Extinction of the World’s Languages, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
- Ngugi, W.T., 1995, Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature, London, Heinemann.
- Rubanza, Y., 2002, ‘Competition through English: The Failure of the Tanzanian Language Policy’, in Prah, Kwesi, ed., Rehabilitating African Languages, Cape Town, CASAS.
- Skutnabb, K.T. and Phillipson, R. eds., 1995, Linguistic Human Rights. Overcoming Linguistic Discrimination, Berlin, Mouton De Gruyter.
- Stroud, C., 2001, ‘African Mother-tongue Programmes and the Politics of Language: Linguistic
- Citizenship versus Linguistic Human Rights’, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Vol. 22, no. 4, 339-355.
- Trewby, R. and Fitchat, S. eds., 2001, Language and Development in Southern
- Africa: Making the Right Choices, Windhoek, Gamsberg, Macmillan.
- Chumbow: Linguistic Diversity 45
- UNESCO, 1953, The Use of Vernacular Languages in Education, Paris, UNESCO Press.
- UNESCO, 2003a, Education in a Multilingual World, Paris, UNESCO Position Document.
- UNESCO, 2003b, Ad hoc Expert Group on Endangered Languages. Language Vitality and Endangerment. Ms. Paris, UNESCO.
- UNESCO, 2003c, ‘Partager un monde de différence. La diversité linguistique, culturelle et biologique de la terre’, UNESCO TERRALINGUA, Fond Mondial pour la Nature.
References
Alexander, N., 2001, ‘Key Issues in language policy for Southern Africa’, in Trewby, Richard and Sandra Fitchat, eds., 2001.
Alexander, N., ed., 2005, The Intellectualisation of African Languages. The African Academy of Languages and the Implementation of the Language Plan of Action for Africa, Cape Town, PRAESA.
AU, 2006a, The Charter of the African Cultural Renaissance, Addis Ababa, The African Union.
AU, 2006b, Language Plan of Action for African Development, Addis Ababa, The African Union.
AU, 2006c, Second Decade of Education in Africa 20006-2015, Addis Ababa, The African Union.
Baker, C., 2003, Bilingual Education, Multilingual Matters, Clarendon, Buffalo, Toronto.
Bamgbose, A., 1991, Language and the Nation: The Language Question in Subsaharan Africa, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press.
Bamgbose, A., 2005, ‘Mission and Vision of the African Academy of Languages’, in Alexander, N., ed., 2005.
Batibo, H., 1992, ‘The Fate of Ethnic Languages in Tanzania’, in Brenzinger, M., ed., Language Death: Factual and Theoretical Explorations with Special Reference to East Africa, Berlin & New York, Mouton de Gruyter.
Batibo, H., 2005, Language and Death in Africa. Causes, Consequences and Challenges. Multilingual Matters, Clarendon, Buffalo, Toronto.
Calvet, L.J., 1998, La guerre des langues et les politiques linguistiques, Paris, Hachette.
Chumbow, B.S., 1987, ‘Language Planning Model for Africa’, Journal of West African Languages, vol. 2, 1987.
Chumbow, B.S., 1990, ‘The Mother Tongue in the Nigerian Language Policy’, in Emananjo, Nolue, ed., Minority Languages and Education in Nigeria, Agbor, Nigeria, 1990.
Chumbow, B.S., 1999, ‘Thematic Glossaries in Language Development’, in Birgit Smeija, ed., Maintaining Contacts through Language, Berlin, John Benjamins and Sons.
Chumbow, B.S., 2005, ‘The language Question in National Development in Africa’, in Thandika
Mkandiware, ed., African Intellectuals: Rethinking Gender, Language and Politics in National Development, CODESRIA, Dakar.
Chumbow, B.S., 2005a, ‘Language, Culture and National Development’, Paper Commissioned by the African Union, The Conference of African Ministers of Culture, Nairobi.
Chumbow, B.S., 2007, ‘The African Academy of Languages and the Continental Language Development
Programme’,A keynote Paper at the Conference on Nordic Contributions to African Linguistics. University of Goteborg, Sweden April, 2007.
To appear in the Proceedings of the Conference edited by Karsten Legere.
Africa Development, Vol. XXXIV, No. 2, 2009
Chumbow, B.S., 2008a, ‘Vehicular Cross Border Languages and Endangerment of Minority Languages.
Mediating a Symbiotic Functional Relationship’, in Bulletin of the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN), No. 03 December 2008, pp. 26-36.
Chumbow, B.S., 2008b, ‘La politique linguistique de l’Académie Africaine des langues et la diversité linguistique’, Communication au colloque Internationale sur la Diversité linguistique
dans les Universités de la francophonie, Yaoundé 2008.
Chumbow, B.S. and Tamanji, P., 1997, ‘Linguistic Identity across the Border of the Cameroon Triangle’, in Prah, Kwesi, ed., Between Distinction and Extinction: Harmonisation and
Standardisation of African Languages, Johannesburg, Witwatersrand University Press, 53-73.
Crystal, D., 2000, Language Death, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Fishman, J., 1968, ‘Language Maintenance and Language Shift as a Field of Inquiry’,Linguistics 9: 32-70.
Gardner, R.C., 1985, Social Psychology and Second Language Learning: The Role of Attitudes and Motivation, London, Edward Arnold.
Harmon, D. and Maffi, L., 2002, ‘Are Linguistic and Biological Diversity Linked?’, Conservation Biology in Practice 3,1.
Habermas, J., 1965, Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere: An Inquiry into a Category of
Bourgeoisie Society, Frankfurt. Kamuangamalu, N., 2003, ‘Globalisation of English and Language Maintenance and Shift in South
Africa’, International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 164, 65-81.
Mazrui, A., 1997, ‘The World Bank, the Language Question and the Future of African Education’, Race & Class 38 (30) 35-48.
Mkude, D., 2001, ‘Minority Languages vs. Kiswahili in Tanzania: A Painful Dilemma’, in Trewby, Richard and Sandra Fithat, eds., 59-167.
Myers S.C., 1993, ‘Elite Closure as a Powerful Language Strategy: the African Case’, International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 103,149-163.
Nettle, D. and Romaine, S., 2000, Vanishing Voices. Extinction of the World’s Languages, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Ngugi, W.T., 1995, Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature, London, Heinemann.
Rubanza, Y., 2002, ‘Competition through English: The Failure of the Tanzanian Language Policy’, in Prah, Kwesi, ed., Rehabilitating African Languages, Cape Town, CASAS.
Skutnabb, K.T. and Phillipson, R. eds., 1995, Linguistic Human Rights. Overcoming Linguistic Discrimination, Berlin, Mouton De Gruyter.
Stroud, C., 2001, ‘African Mother-tongue Programmes and the Politics of Language: Linguistic
Citizenship versus Linguistic Human Rights’, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Vol. 22, no. 4, 339-355.
Trewby, R. and Fitchat, S. eds., 2001, Language and Development in Southern
Africa: Making the Right Choices, Windhoek, Gamsberg, Macmillan.
Chumbow: Linguistic Diversity 45
UNESCO, 1953, The Use of Vernacular Languages in Education, Paris, UNESCO Press.
UNESCO, 2003a, Education in a Multilingual World, Paris, UNESCO Position Document.
UNESCO, 2003b, Ad hoc Expert Group on Endangered Languages. Language Vitality and Endangerment. Ms. Paris, UNESCO.
UNESCO, 2003c, ‘Partager un monde de différence. La diversité linguistique, culturelle et biologique de la terre’, UNESCO TERRALINGUA, Fond Mondial pour la Nature.