Africa: French or English?

e   Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:23 am GMT
Which is and will be more important?
pinche pendejo   Wed Jan 06, 2010 8:45 am GMT
Creo que el chino. China está comprando todos los recursos y apoderándose de los corruptos políticos de allí, tienen plata de sobra para sobornar a todo el mundo (y después claro que los matarán, pero de eso ni palabra por ahora). Una nueva era de colonización nos espera, no nos queda mucho tiempo de tranquilidad....
opinion   Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:12 am GMT
Of course English.
fraz   Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:51 am GMT
I would like to see the native languages of Africa gain a more prominent status.
H. Simpson   Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:58 am GMT
Arabic and English.

After them Swahili, Hausa, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Afrikaans.
Truth   Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:44 am GMT
French first then English, Arabic, and Swahili.
Visitor   Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:53 am GMT
Vanguard (Lagos)
Nigeria:Rivers Govt Initiates Programmes for French, Arts Education
Olubusuyi Adenipekun
16 April 2009

The Rivers State government has put in place programmes that will promote the study of French Language and Creative Arts in its primary and secondary schools.

While students of two secondary schools in the state are undergoing a two-week holiday training programme on French, Arts works of primary school pupils were recently exhibited in Port Harcourt as a way of encouraging them to fully develop their creative talents.

Prior to the French training programme, which is organised by the state Ministry of Education in partnership with Alliance Franciase under the Public Private arrangement, the state government had earlier donated a piece of land for the development of French Language Resource Centre.

The state Commissioner of Education, Mrs Dame Alice Nemi explained that the French training programme is intended to expose them to the study of French for the purpose of inculcating in them the rudiments of French Language in a conducive environment, equipped with adequate facilities.

Nemi disclosed that the best student in the training programme would be given an award, counselling the students to take advantage of the training to improve their knowledge of French Language.

The need for the students to take the full advantage of the programme was reiterated by the President of Alliance Franciase, Chief O.J. Akiri, stressing that since Nigeria is surrounded by French speaking, its citizens should be able to communicate in French to enable them interact with their Franchophone neighbours.

Chief Akiri, who was represented by Prof. Folorunso Ogunleke, explained that while English is classified as the language of science, French is known as the language of diplomacy, adding that Nigerians need to understand French as the world has become a global village.

He expressed satisfaction that Rivers State has more French companies than any other state in Nigeria, arguing that Rivers people must understand French language before they can property fit into any of these French companies.

On his part, the Deputy Managing Director of Total Explorations and Production Nigeria Ltd; Mr Rager Poirrier described the two-week training programme as a unique opportunity to study another language for effective communication in a fast changing world, advising the students to take the programme serious to enable them become fluent in it, given the fact that FRENCH LANGUAGE IS NOW NIGERIA'S SECOND NATIONAL LANGUAGE.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200904160039.html

In section 1 sub-section 10 the policy talks about the importance of language. It says "government appreciates the importance of language as a means of promoting social interaction and national cohesion and preserving cultures. Thus every child shall learn the language of the immediate environment.
Furthermore, in the interest of national unity it is expedient that every child shall be required to learn one of the three Nigerian languages, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. FOR SMOOTH INTERACTION WITH OUR NEIGHBOURS IT IS DESIRABLE FOR EVERY NIGERIAN TO SPEAK FRENCH. ACCORDINGLY, FRENCH SHALL BE THE SECOND OFFICIAL LANGUAGE IN NIGERIA AND IT SHALL BE COMPULSORY IN SCHOOLS."

http://allafrica.com/stories/200801030568.html

SOLDIERS ORDERED TO SPEAK FRENCH
The GAF is considering setting aside the first Friday of every month as a 'French Day', on which all military personnel would speak French.

THE GHANA ARMED FORCES (GAF) IS CONSIDERING SETTING ASIDE THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH AS A 'FRENCH DAY', ON WHICH ALL MILITARY PERSONNEL WOULD SPEAK FRENCH, INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL ENGLISH.

Major General Peter Augustine Blay, Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), disclosed this during the closing ceremony of the Ghana Armed Forces Annual Inter-Service Shooting competition held at Yawhima in Sunyani.

He noted that as Ghana was surrounded by French-speaking countries, it would be prudent for personnel of the GAF to take the learning and speaking of French serious.

Maj. General Blay urged personnel of the GAF to take up the challenge to learn and speak French, adding "it makes a lot of sense to be able to speak the French language for our own interest, and for an enhanced international cooperation.”

According to him, the GAF fortunately, has fully-functioning French language centres in the 2 and 5 Garrisons, which all efforts would be exerted to replicate them in the remaining garrisons, to afford facilities for the learning of the French language.

http://www.modernghana.com/print/250554/1/soldiers-ordered-to-speak-french.html

GOV'T DIRECTS OFFICIALS TO LEARN FRENCH

Last Updated: Wednesday, 10 September 2008, 8:38 GMT Previous Page

Vice president Aliu Mahama

The government has directed all government officials to compulsorily take French lessons.

Vice-President Aliu Mahama said the directive was part of the government's plans to make French a common language for as many Ghanaians as possible to enhance economic, commercial and social activities between Ghana and its neighbours.

Consequently, he asked those who were privileged to be studying the French language in schools to take the subject seriously because of the numerous advantages associated with knowing, understanding and speaking it.

Alhaji Mahama said this when the French Minister for Overseas Development and Francophone Affairs, Madam Geraldine Brigitte, paid a courtesy call on him at his office at the Castle on Monday.

The French minister was in the country to extend an invitation to the Presidency to attend the 12th summit of the International Organisation of the Francophone in Quebec, Canada, later in the year.

He recounted a number of experiences with many government officials who attend high-level meetings in Francophone countries and were unable to communicate because of their inability to speak French.

"Our French counterparts even do well to speak the English with us but those of us from the English speaking countries seldom speak any French at all and that is not the best," Alhaji Mahama said.

The Vice-President had early on exchanged some greetings in French with his guest but was unable to continue when the conversations went deep.

According to him, the President had directed all government officials to take compulsory French lessons, adding that "this is what has helped me and we are trying to ensure that the teaching of the French language becomes a major subject at all levels of the academic calendar".

He encouraged business people who traded with their counterparts in the neighbouring countries to endeavour to learn the language to enable them to transact business without stress.

Alhaji Mahama said there was a lot to benefit should Ghanaians begin to engage their neighbours in serious trading and economic activities.

He assured the French minister of the government's commitment to make the teaching and learning of French much more widespread for many more people to benefit.

Madam Brigitte for her part commended Ghana for the efforts she was putting in place to get more people to learn the French language.

In spite of this, she said, Ghana needed to attach greater interest to making the teaching and learning of French more widespread for many more people to benefit.

Madam Brigitte said France was committed to making more resources available to Ghana to enable it to create the necessary environment for people to learn the Language.

She expressed the hope that the government would be able to attend the summit to further strengthen the relationship between Ghana and the Francophone countries.

Source: Daily Graphic

http://news.myjoyonline.com/education/200809/20389.asp
fraz   Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:35 pm GMT
French may have withered on the vine in Europe but retains a huge lingusitic influence in Africa. Surely it's not asking too much for English speaking Africans to also be able to communicate in French?
(..)   Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:10 pm GMT
Well, there is an interesting linguistic battle in Africa. In my opinion there are 4 major languages, in order of speakers:

1. Arabic
2. English
3. French
4. Swahili

It is also important the economic field. The top five countries by GDP are:

1. South Africa, English
2. Nigeria, English
3. Egypt, Arabic
4. Algeria, Arabic
5. Libya, Arabic

So, considering the economics and the number of speakers, English and Arabic are the winners.
.().   Thu Jan 07, 2010 2:27 am GMT
<< Well, there is an interesting linguistic battle in Africa. In my opinion there are 4 major languages, in order of speakers:

1. Arabic
2. English
3. French
4. Swahili >>

1. French
2. English
3. Arabic
4. Swahili

<< It is also important the economic field. The top five countries by GDP are:

1. South Africa, English
2. Nigeria, English
3. Egypt, Arabic
4. Algeria, Arabic
5. Libya, Arabic

So, considering the economics and the number of speakers, English and Arabic are the winners. >>

1. South Africa - Afrikaans
2. Algeria - Arabic & French
3. Egypt - Arabic only
4. Libya - Arabic
.().   Thu Jan 07, 2010 2:38 am GMT
Well, there is an interesting linguistic battle in Africa. In my opinion there are 4 major languages, in order of speakers:

1. French
2. Arabic
3. English
4. Swahili

It is also important the economic field. The top six countries by GDP Per Capita are:

1. Equatorial Guinea - French
2. Gabon - French
3. Libya - Arabic
4. South Africa - Afrikaans
5. Algeria - Arabic & French
6. Namibia - Afrikaans


So, considering the economics, French, Arabic and Afrikaans are the winners while in the number of speakers, the winners are French, Arabic, and Swahili.
Visitor   Thu Jan 07, 2010 3:01 am GMT
<< French may have withered on the vine in Europe ....>>

No, the battle has just begun.

French speakers always have aces under their sleeves like the following:

1. French immersion or bilingual classes found all over Europe such as UK, Ireland, Germany, Russia, etc. where the medium of instruction for match, science, history, social studies, etc. are in French.

2. French is far less ambiguous than English that France, Poland, Romania, Belgium, Bulgaria, and Luxembourg campaign to make French the SOLE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE of legal matters in Europe.

3. There are a number of countries whose native/official languages are not French in Europe that are member, associate, or observer in La Francophonie such as Romania, Moldova, Albania, Greece, Cyprus, Austria, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, and Macedonia. As of now French is the 3rd or 4th foreign language in these countries except for Romania, Moldova, Greece, Austria, and Albania and these countries are working together to at least make it equal with English and bring back the former status that was lost to that language. Ireland is not member of Commonwealth but it shows interest of joining La Francophonie since 25% of its people can speak French.

4. French is much more ideal to use in diplomacy, medicine, civil service, administration, and law/legal matters than English that's why in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos despite the rising popularity of English at the expense of French, professionals in those countries involved in those fields in those countries still prefer French over English. http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/france_159/label-france_2554/label-france-issues_2555/label-france-no.-30_4398/feature-francophonie-in-asia_4517/tour-of-asia-french-speaking-countries_7349.html
Keen Observer   Thu Jan 07, 2010 3:52 am GMT
<< Surely it's not asking too much for English speaking Africans to also be able to communicate in French? >>

Well, English is the one that is doing in Francophone Africa.

Look at Rwanda. French was scrapped all of a sudden as the medium of instruction in favor of English by Paul Kagame even if cause a lot of damage since it would involve a lot of money. The consequence is lack of teachers who speak English and lack of books in English and rich English speaking countries like UK, US, Australia, Canada, and NZ are not giving or unwilling to give financial assistance to Rwanda. He even even went to far and appear absurd by replacing petanque with cricket as the number 1 game of Rwanda just to show his solidarity with Anglophonia when in reality he's not really Anglophile. Kagame even made a remark that the reason of switching to English is that French is just spoken in France, Parts of Canada, Belgium, Switzerland and Africa while English is spoken in Big countries like US, Canada, Australia, NZ, and UK. The irony is that these English speaking countries that Kagame praised and worshipped are actually Rwanda's fair weather friends and ignore Rwanda because no profit can be gained form that country.

Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia became so paranoid after the collapse of communism that it the paranoia even extend to Russian language and culture. The result was people form those 3 countries at that time pretended that they don't speak Russian when they actually do because Russian is the medium, of instruction during their school days and they even forced themselves to learn English and ban Russian hoping that America and UK would give them financial aid. But that didn't materialize because they're not in the of list in which these 2 countries would give aid but the countries with huge oil reserves. Finally, they realized that Russia which is next door is the one that can really them and their progress can only be achieved by cementing an economic ties with that country, something that they cannot do with US or UK. That's why Russian language became a fad again in Baltic countries.

The experience of Baltic countries will be a deja vu for Rwanda in the future in my opinion and they too would switch back to France because France, French Canada, Belgium, and Switzerland are more generous and more willing to give help.

As for Madagascar, I don't think that English will be widely spoken by ordinary educated masses in that country even if English is added as one of the official languages in addition to Malagasian and French. English will be spoken with people who are involved in international business or tourism. The reason for this is to hasten foreign investments coming form non-francophone world and to strengthened the economic ties with Eastern Africa and almost all of them are English speakers.

On the other hand, in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, and even Liberia even though French is not official but it's compulsory in secondary schools and may even extend to primary schools in those schools. The citizens of those countries are willing to study French in contrast with those of Rwanda who are forced to learn English. Nigeria even built a French speaking village known as Badagry to help those who study the language. Ghana directed it's government and military officials to be fluent in French and in fact, military personnel are ordered to speak in French only instead of English in every first Friday of the month. Liberia, an English speaking stronghold declared that it would raise French in equal footing with English in the future. These are the compensation of the French language that serve as offsets for what is happening in Rwanda.

The implementation of French in English speaking Africa are done in opposite manner wherein French has to be studied and eventually spoken by the people who are willing to speak the language and finally, make it one of the official languages. It's slowly but surely. While the implementation of English in Rwanda and Madagascar is the exact opposite. English was hastily and forcibly made an/the official language while it's spoken by a tiny fraction of the people of those 2 countries. English was forced in education as in Rwanda without consulting the people if they are willing to learn it.
L.L.   Thu Jan 07, 2010 9:03 am GMT
It can be true.

But the reality is that Rwanda, Madagascar, Cameroon, Canada, Seychelles, Vanuatu have English as official language. In all of them the strongest language is almost always the winner. So, French can disappear there...

Another good example. The Arabization of Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia and Lebanon is very strong. The only official language in these countries is ARABIC. French is not yet the official language. It is only a "foreign language". Besides, English is also becoming important in these countries. So, the role of French in these countries is dubious.

Even I know that in several French African countries, like in Senegal or Guinea that a minority prefer to speak in Arabic for religious reasons: The language of muslims. This fad is obviously very dangerous for French language.

Finally, there are several countries of Eastern Europe that belong to the Francophonie for several reasons: economic aid and to strengthen the economic ties with Western Europe. Anyway, the reality is that they don't study French, but ENGLISH.

On the whole, all these countries see that English is the global language, the global fad and it is more practical to study English than French. If this fad becomes important in Senegal, Guinea, Mali, etc. French can be very weak there.

The power of a language is the people that speak the language everyday, the mother tongue speakers. It is a tiny power for French, hardly 75 million people in all the World...

The future of French language is extremely dubious...
PARISIEN   Thu Jan 07, 2010 10:02 am GMT
<< The Arabization of Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia and Lebanon is very strong. The only official language in these countries is ARABIC. >>

-- Ludicrous. Arabic is spoken by only 60% of Moroccan and Algerians. The Berberic minorities reject Arabization. Berbers and Arabs generally use French as a neutral medium to communicate. Furthermore Arabic is split between so many poorly mutually intelligible dialects that its role is more dwindling than expanding.