| Publication |
2012.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Lagos-In her song "One Kilometer, One Language," Nigerian pop star Evi Edna Ogholi captures Africa's linguistic complexity. In pidgin English, she raps, "One kilometer means another language, half a kilometer means another language … na which one we go speak?" According to a 2010 UNESCO report, the number of indigenous languages in Africa ranges from 1,000 to 2,500. After the 19th century scramble for Africa, colonial governments also overlaid three other languages-the English that became dominant in West and East Africa, the French of West and Central Africa, and the Portuguese spoken mainly in southern Africa. Post-independence Africa is still tied to these languages. Though there have been calls for the promotion of indigenous languages, the reality on the ground may force African countries to rethink their language policy, and by implication, their entire economic, social, and cultural environment.
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