Applied linguistics review: Decolonizing Cameroon’s language policies: a critical assessment

Kamdem, Seraphin; Ojongnkpot, Comfort; van Pinxteren, Bert

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Title:: Applied linguistics review

Publication:: Berlin New York, NY: De Gruyter Mouton

Note:: Gesehen am 17.05.18; Ersch. jährl.; HZV!zs-Änderung analog Druckausg.(01-10-09);C!URL-Ä(01-02-12)

Scope:: Online-Ressource

ISSN:: 1868-6311

ZDB-ID:: 2575065-3

VÖBB-Katalog:: 15261586

Keywords:: Angewandte Linguistik ; Zeitschrift ; Zeitschrift

Classification:: Sprache

Collection:: Sprache

Copyright:: Rights reserved

Accessibility:: Eingeschränkter Zugang mit Nutzungsbeschränkungen

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Author:: Kamdem, Seraphin; Ojongnkpot, Comfort; van Pinxteren, Bert

Title:: Decolonizing Cameroon’s language policies: a critical assessment

Publication:: Berlin New York, NY: De Gruyter Mouton, 2025

Language:: English

Information:: Abstract: Due to its colonial history and prevalent multilingualism, Cameroon is a country where language policies have profoundly impacted socioeconomic and political life. Cameroon has 273 local languages and two official languages, English and French. The two official languages have been a crystallization point for discontent and civil unrest, leading to secessionist sentiments and violence. In this paper, we assess Cameroon’s language policies, firstly by providing a brief historical and legal overview based in the literature. We then present a new decolonial analytical framework, building on but extending existing theoretical frameworks. Our new analysis shows that a transition to using indigenous languages in formal education and other domains is not necessary at present. However, we argue that such a transition will become unavoidable in future. We show that it will be practically possible to use a limited number of indigenous languages as mediums of instruction, building on existing bilingualisms in the country. We believe these languages should be chosen using rational criteria and we introduce an approximate assessment of which languages are easy to learn and teach, and for speakers of which other languages. The transition we foresee requires planning and preparation. A different approach to Cameroon’s languages may help in building national unity and healing national wounds in the areas of sociolinguistic power-sharing and interregional cohabitation. We expect that our approach also holds benefits for other African countries.

Scope:: Online-Ressource

Note:: Open Access; Archivierung/Langzeitarchivierung gewährleistet

Keywords:: Cameroon ; language policy ; education ; decolonizing ; multilingualism ; medium of instruction ; indigenous languages

Classification:: Sprache; Sonstiges

URN:: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2503110541048.114537584942

Collection:: Sprache; Sonstiges

Copyright:: CC BY

Accessibility:: Free Access

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fullscreen: Decolonizing Cameroon’s language policies: a critical assessment / Kamdem, Seraphin (CC BY) Access restriction There is no access restriction for this record. Copyright CC BY: Attribution 4.0 International. You can find more information here.

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fullscreen: Decolonizing Cameroon’s language policies: a critical assessment / Kamdem, Seraphin (CC BY)

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CC BY: Attribution 4.0 International. You can find more information here.