The Language Situation in Mozambique

Abstract

This paper addresses the language situation in post-independent Mozambique from both a language-planning and a language-policy perspective. It begins with a presentation of an up-to-date language profile of the country, as well as a discussion of its high linguistic diversity. This is followed by an investigation of the language spread dynamics in education, literacy and media. Then, the paper argues that language-planning activities, which are ultimately derived from the nature of the Mozambican society and the consequent language needs, should lead to a maintenance-oriented promotion type of language policy in the polity. The final section attempts an evaluation of the prospects for an improved cohabitation between the Bantu languages, Portuguese and English in multilingual Mozambique.

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