English in African development

Contest

Introduction

The African continent is a vast region with a huge resource, both material and human (cultural and linguistic). However, it is one of the neglected regions in the world. Even in the field of English language teaching (ELT) we do not hear about as much activity in Africa as we do in other regions of the world. East Africa and West Africa, which are geographically far apart but struggling with similar issues concerning the role of English and indigenous languages. My 1^st chapter deals with English in development but focuses on Africa?s complex political, social and linguistic context.

As an official language of the African Union (AU) and an international language, English is important for the continent. The question then is what concrete roles does English have in development in Africa? Is it a detractor or a contributor to Africa?s development endeavours?

English in African development

In this chapter, I have adopted a more or less similar categorisation to help me to analyse the role played by English in African development, but I have made several modifications to Coleman?s (Hywel Coleman 2010) categories.
Because of its association with colonialism, English is often stigmatised as the language of imperialism or oppression (Phillipson 1992). Many writers on language policy (e.g. Ouane and Glanz 2010) lament that the emphasis on foreign languages like English has led to Africa making an insignificant contribution to knowledge production and creative writing because this has led to a dependency syndrome among educated people. However, it is not rational to blame every ailment in Africa (political, economic, educational) on these foreign languages. After all, as Phillipson (1996) observes, after independence it was African leaders, such as those in Nigeria, who were responsible for the choice of English over local languages. This was done with the intention ?to de-emphasise ethnicity and build up a sense of nationhood? (Phillipson 1996:162).

In spite of their historical association with colonial rule and the fact that they have limited the development of indigenous languages, the former colonial languagesare useful now in several ways. As an African, I will try to answer the question as to whether English is helping or hindering development. This is a complex issue that does not have a straightforward answer, so I will look at the challenging coexistence of English with other indigenous languages and foreign languages.

1.1 Role of English in Africa?s development

English is a major international language with multiple functions and roles for Africans within Africa and in interaction with the people of other continents. It plays a critical role in entertainment and the media, in diplomacy, in commerce and tourism, in migration and in education. In fulfilling these roles, English creates development opportunities for individuals and communities in Africa. We will look at each of these aspects individually below.

Date: 2016-06-12; view: 100