Language Policy and Economics: The Language Question in Africa (Palgrave Studies in Minority Languages and Communities)

This book addresses the perennial question of how to promote Africa’s indigenous languages as medium of instruction in educational systems. Breaking with the traditional approach to the continent’s language question by focusing on the often overlooked issue of the link between African languages and economic development, __Language Policy and Economics__ argues that African languages are an integral part of a nation’s socio-political and economic development. Therefore, the book argues that any language policy designed to promote these languages in such higher domains as the educational system in particular must have economic advantages if the intent is to succeed, and proposes Prestige Planning as the way to address this issue. The proposition is a welcome break away from language policies which pay lip-service to the empowerment of African languages while, by default, strengthening the stranglehold of imported European languages. Front Matter....Pages i-xxv The Language Question in Africa....Pages 1-34 Language Planning and Ideology in Colonial Africa....Pages 35-54 Language Planning and Ideologies in Postcolonial Africa....Pages 55-81 Globalization, the Spread of English, and Language Planning in Africa....Pages 83-104 Language Planning and the Medium-of-Instruction Conundrum in Africa....Pages 105-123 Why Inherited Colonial Language Ideologies Persist in Postcolonial Africa....Pages 125-155 Toward Prestige Planning for African Languages: A Response to the Language Question in Africa?....Pages 157-187 Prestige Planning for Vernacular Language Education around the World: Successes and Failures....Pages 189-211 Conclusions, Challenges, and Prospects for African Languages....Pages 213-223 Back Matter....Pages 225-232 Series Preface -- Foreword -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- Contents -- Notes About the Author -- 1: The Language Question in Africa -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Theoretical Background to Language Planning and the Language Question in Africa -- 1.3 The Traditional Focus of Language Planning in Africa -- 1.4 Language Planning in Africa and Game Theory -- 1.5 Language Planning in Africa and Language Economics -- 1.5.1 Language Economics: An Overview -- 1.5.2 Language Economics and African Languages -- 1.6 Summary -- References This Title Addresses The Perennial Question Of How To Promote Africa's Indigenous Languages As Medium Of Instruction In Educational Systems. Breaking With The Traditional Approach To The Continent's Language Question By Focusing On The Often Overlooked Issue Of The Link Between African Languages And Economic Development, It Argues That African Languages Are An Integral Part Of A Nation's Socio-political And Economic Development. Nkonko M. Kamwangamalu. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.