The inter-cultural dimension in the use of languages of wider communication by minority language speakers

Abstract

The linguistic situation in most African countries has been described as trifocal as it often involves three linguistic levels, namely an ex-colonial language, a major indigenous language and a certain number of minority languages. Each of these languages is a custodian of long established societal norms, social practices and cultural expressions. However, the growing tendency of the expanded use of the major languages, as languages of wider communication, has given rise to the development of marked bilingualism among the minority language speakers with the progressive use of the major languages as primary languages. This article explores the conflicts in cultural norms and values that have been brought about by the use of one code in a cultural and social context of the other and the effects of this development on the cultural future of the minority language speakers or their mastery of the cultural norms of the major languages. One of the main arguments is that the erosion of cultural values in minority languages in favour of those of the major languages is one of the major indicators of the process of language shift. Case studies are used from situations in eastern and southern Africa, namely Tanzania and Botswana.

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