La question des langues nationales dans le processus de décentralisation au Cameroun : une analyse des représentations sociolinguistiques dans les régions du centre et de l’ouest

Abstract

This dissertation titled “The issue of national languages in the decentralization process in Cameroon: an analysis of sociolinguistic representations in the Central and Western regions”, comes in a context where decentralization is being fully implemented and multiculturalism in Cameroon remains a social reality. Its objective is to show that despite all the measures taken by the government to promote national languages, the issue of languages remains problematic. Our research topic falls within the field of sociolinguistics and poses the problem of managing of national languages. However, it is important to note that most of the officials in charge of the Decentralized Territorial Communities (CTDs) have not yet developed action plans in favor of promoting these languages because they are not part of the priority needs and concerns of the populations and that of the Administration, to the detriment of the colonial languages that prevail in these two regions (the Center and the Western regions). However, it can observed that there is also a problem of diglossia between official languages (French/English) internally and subsequently, official languages/national languages. Therefore, it is important for the CTDs to be aware of this problem and especially the linguistic industry represented by languages. The idea of a regional language should be taken very seriously. It will later facilitate the unique choice of one of these languages to make it official alongside French and English, drawing inspiration from African countries such as Senegal with Wolof, Rwanda with Swahili, etc. To better understand this concept, we have adopted Sol Amougou’s theory (2018), which perceives the analysis of representations as an element which allows us to take into account the perceptions and social judgments on language and its use in a given context. The author also considers that this allows us to better understanding of linguistic dynamics and conflicts in societies as well as attitudes towards different linguistic varieties, and is also interested in multilingual situations. In order to conduct this research pertinently, we have adopted the semi-directive interview as the survey technique. In this regard, we were able to obtain from speakers their perceptions on decentralization, which many of them find and describe as inactive, ineffective, embryonic and too administrative; and as for the languages to be promoted, the choice of speakers is the Ewondo language in the Central region, Medumba and Shumum in the Western region. Thus, the speakers from these two regions are interested in these languages, their promotion, and expect actions from the Authorities in charge of these different Decentralized Territorial Communities (CTD). However, it is necessary to specify that no Regional Council or Municipality has been able to develop a development program in favor of promoting national languages.