Sociolinguistic Studies · 2010 · 63 citations · 0 references
Language StudiesLinguisticsAfrican StudiesLinguistic AnthropologySociolinguisticsAfrican LanguagesLanguage ChangeLanguage MaintenanceLanguage ShiftMultilingual DevelopmentMultilingualismBroadcastLanguage EcologyMaintenance Of Indigenous Languages
Language shift, the process by which speakers reduce use or proficiency in their native language in favor of others, has largely been examined from Western perspectives and is especially complex in multilingual settings where multiple shifts can occur simultaneously or sequentially. The study examines language shift in Ghana, a highly multilingual West African country, to broaden understanding beyond Western frameworks. The authors employ a questionnaire survey to map language shift patterns in Ghana, introduce an ecological framework for shift analysis, and describe maintenance initiatives like indigenous language FM radio broadcasts. Empirical results reveal ongoing language shift in Ghana and highlight active maintenance efforts, notably the widespread use of indigenous languages on FM radio, which could serve as a model for other African nations.
Language shift, a process which may lead speakers to use their language in fewer domains with respect to other languages or even lose proficiency in their language altogether in favour of other languages, is a prominent concept in linguistics. But the concept has been mainly studied from Western perspectives (e.g. Fishman 1964, 1991; and Veltman 1983). This paper discusses language shift from the perspectives of Ghana, a highly multilingual developing nation in West Africa. We introduce the concept of ecology of language shift, and argue that any theory of language shift must rigorously take into consideration the complexity of the ecology in which language shift occurs. Multilingual language shift processes – situations in which different types of language shift are taking place concurrently or sequentially in a country – are thus very different from simple language shift situations in less multilingual set-ups. The paper provides a relatively detailed empirical study of language shift based on a questionnaire survey before outlining some language maintenance activities – such as the pervasive use of indigenous Ghanaian languages in FM radio broadcast - that are being pursued to contain language shift in Ghana, and which may be used for containing language shift in other African countries.