Bilingualism-Biculturalism and the Utilization of African Languages for the Development of African Nations

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dc.contributor.authorAdegbite, Wale
dc.coverage.geographicalAfricaen_US
dc.date.accessioned2014-08-15T08:36:43Z
dc.date.accessioned2018-10-27T14:59:10Z
dc.date.available2014-08-15T08:36:43Z
dc.date.available2018-10-27T14:59:10Z
dc.date.issued2004
dc.departmentEnglishen_US
dc.description.abstractThe slow rate of development of African nations vis-a-vis their counterparts all over the world has been a major concern throughout the 21st c. As we enter the century, it behoves African scholars and intellectuals and other non-Africans who have some goodwill for Africa to rise up and challenge this ugly situation. This paper argues that the lack of development of African nations can be mainly linked to the lack of recognition and underutilization of African languages and cultures. It has consistently escaped the attention of African policy-makers planners that language has the greatest potentials and capacity to enhance the development of human beings, as individuals or societies, hence their consistent neglect and silence about language when discussing matters of development. Using Nigeria as a point of reference, the study observes the patterns of social and language policies in Africa. It then examines the basis of government policies in order to identify the sources of socio-linguistic problems militating against national development. Lastly, it suggests the application of a bilingual-bicultural policy towards tackling the problems facing the nations of Africa. The key principles of bilingualism-biculturalism, viz (i) the conception of societal bilingualism-biculturalism, (ii) appropriate integration of tradition and modernity, and (iii) adequate utilization of mother-tongue and second language resources are explained and related to three key areas of national development -- politics, language choice and development, and education. The paper concludes by suggesting that new comprehensive language policies be formulated in African nations which will incorporate all features pertaining to the principles of bilingualism-biculturalism stated above.en_US
dc.facultiesArtsen_US
dc.format.filetypePDFen_US
dc.identifier.citationAdegbite, Wale (2004) Bilingualism-Biculturalism and the Utilization of African Languages for the Development of African Nations. In Oyeleye, L. (Ed.). Language and Discourse in Society. Ibadan: Hope Publications, pp. 13 - 31.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/2660
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.pages.totalpages10en_US
dc.subjectLanguage policies in Africaen_US
dc.subjectImpact of policies on national developmenten_US
dc.subjectDominance of Englishen_US
dc.subjectUnder-utilization of indigenous languagesen_US
dc.subjectDominance of major indigenous languagesen_US
dc.subjectBilingualism-biculturalism and national developmenten_US
dc.subjectPrinciples of Bilingualism-biculturalismen_US
dc.subjectLanguage choice and developmenten_US
dc.titleBilingualism-Biculturalism and the Utilization of African Languages for the Development of African Nationsen_US
dc.typeBook chapteren_US
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