This work, which describes the English of these francophone users, comprises an introduction, seven chapters grouped into two parts, and a conclusion. The introduction overviews the historical background of the country and its geographic and linguistic situations.
Part One deals with the didactics of English in Cameroon; it comprises three chapters which take up in turn the languages in the education system of the country, the teaching of English in primary and secondary schools as well as tertiary level institutions.
Part Two, which tackles the description of the English speech of francophone users, first outlines the research design. Then it takes up the sound system of francophone English, focusing on the realisations of consonants and vowels, and stress placement. Next it examines the vocabulary of this variety of English and finds that it is characterised by an excessive use of direct loan, calque, and false friends. This is followed by a description of the morpho-syntactic features of the variety. The frequent features identified can be grouped under 12 major categories of items, i.e., verb tenses, articles, the plural form in noun phrases, pronouns, word order, subject-verb agreement, adverbs, prepositions, question formation, negation, verbs in embedded clauses, and serial verbs.
Lastly, drawing from the findings outlined in these linguistic analyses, the researcher makes an appraisal of Cameroon’s French-English official bilingualism policy. The various measures taken over the years by Government to promote official bilingualism are evaluated first. Then the consequences of the failure of this policy are considered. Finally a way forward is proposed: there is a need to adopt a new syllabus purposely designed to enhance bilingual competence among francophones in the country.
Francophone English as Kouega notes, is a dialect of English that is developing in a number of Expanding Circles countries where French has hitherto been the sole or primary medium of instruction. In Cameroon, francophone children learn English as a subject from primary school alongside other subjects like geography, which are taught in French.
English is taught as a subject from the primary to the tertiary level of education. It is taught in all schools as part of the implementation of the country’s French-English official bilingualism policy that was adopted in 1961 when French Cameroon and English Cameroon united to form a federal state.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Historical overview
- Cameroon before colonisation
- Contacts with Europeans
- The colonisation process
- The status of a mandated territory
- The status of a trust territory
- Independence of French Cameroon
- Partition of British Cameroons and federation with French Cameroon
- Evolution from federation to the unitary state
- Challenges facing the unitary state
- Geographic overview (ethnic groups, population, economy)
- Language situation in Cameroon (official, vehicular and minority languages)
- Part One: Didactics of English in Cameroon
- Chapter One: Languages in the education system of the country and English in primary school
- Chapter Two: The teaching of English in secondary schools
- Chapter Three: The teaching of English in tertiary level institutions
- Part Two: Description of the English speech of francophone users
- Chapter Four: The sound system of francophone English
- Chapter Five: The lexicon of francophone English
- Chapter Six: The morpho-syntax of Francophone English
- Chapter Seven: Appraisal of Cameroon's French-English official bilingualism policy
Objectives and Key Themes
This study aims to describe the English language as used by Francophone speakers in Cameroon. It examines the historical and sociolinguistic context of English language acquisition in Cameroon, focusing on the impact of French as the primary language of education. The study also investigates the linguistic features of Francophone English, analyzing its phonology, lexicon, and grammar.
- The historical context of bilingualism in Cameroon.
- The role of French in shaping the acquisition of English.
- The phonological features of Francophone English.
- Lexical characteristics of Francophone English.
- The grammatical features of Francophone English.
Chapter Summaries
Chapter One: Languages in the education system of the country and English in primary school: This chapter explores the linguistic landscape of Cameroon's education system, detailing the roles of French and English at the primary school level. It analyzes the structure of the primary education system, examining the curriculum, teacher training, materials used, and assessment methods related to English language instruction. The chapter highlights the challenges faced in teaching English as a foreign language in a predominantly Francophone context, focusing on the limited exposure and resources available in many primary schools. The variations in English language teaching practices across different regions and types of primary schools are also discussed.
Chapter Two: The teaching of English in secondary schools: This chapter investigates the teaching of English in Cameroon's diverse secondary school system. It categorizes secondary schools into types (primary teacher preparation, technical/professional, and general education) and analyzes the specificities of English instruction within each. The chapter delves into the curricula, teaching methodologies, and available resources for English language education at the secondary level. It also examines how the approach to English differs depending on whether it is taught as a subject or as a medium of instruction, exploring the implications of each approach on student outcomes and language proficiency. The chapter contrasts the situation in various secondary school types to illustrate the disparities in access to quality English education.
Chapter Three: The teaching of English in tertiary level institutions: This chapter provides an overview of English language instruction in Cameroon's universities. It offers a detailed analysis of English language teaching practices in different universities across the country, including the University of Bamenda, Buea, Douala, Dschang, Maroua, Ngaoundere, and Yaounde I and II. The chapter focuses on the variations in course offerings, teaching methodologies, and resources available for English language learning at the tertiary level. The comparison highlights the disparities and variations in the quality and accessibility of English language education across different institutions and their impact on the overall level of English proficiency among graduates.
Chapter Four: The sound system of francophone English: This chapter analyzes the pronunciation patterns of Francophone English speakers in Cameroon. The study focuses on the realization of consonants and vowels, paying particular attention to the influence of French on the production of English sounds. It examines areas where Francophone speakers’ pronunciation deviates from standard English, noting the systematic nature of these variations and exploring the underlying linguistic mechanisms that cause them. The analysis goes beyond simply identifying deviations and seeks to explain the relationship between the speakers’ native language (French) and their production of English sounds. The chapter also looks at stress and intonation patterns.
Chapter Five: The lexicon of francophone English: This chapter examines the vocabulary used by Francophone English speakers in Cameroon. It delves into the impact of French on lexical choices, identifying instances of direct borrowing, calques (loan translations), and false friends (words that appear similar but have different meanings). The chapter provides a detailed analysis of these lexical phenomena, illustrating how they contribute to the unique character of Francophone English. It also discusses the frequency and contexts of use for these borrowed or adapted words, explaining their integration into the overall lexicon of the Francophone English variety. The analysis sheds light on the dynamic interplay between French and English in shaping the vocabulary of Cameroon's Francophone English speakers.
Chapter Six: The morpho-syntax of Francophone English: This chapter focuses on the grammatical structures used by Francophone English speakers in Cameroon. It investigates the influence of French on various aspects of grammar, such as verb tenses, articles, noun phrases, pronouns, word order, subject-verb agreement, adverbs, prepositions, question formation, negation, verbs in embedded clauses, and serial verbs. The chapter systematically describes the observed grammatical features, highlighting their frequencies and analyzing their implications for linguistic theory and language acquisition. The patterns identified are compared to standard English grammar, making clear the ways in which Francophone English differs while emphasizing the systemic nature of these differences. It also looks at features such as wordiness and the use of Romance words.
Chapter Seven: Appraisal of Cameroon's French-English official bilingualism policy: This chapter evaluates the effectiveness of Cameroon's official bilingualism policy, which aims to promote proficiency in both French and English. It analyzes the governmental measures implemented to achieve bilingualism and assesses their impact. The chapter examines the consequences of the policy's shortcomings and proposes a way forward, including suggestions for a redefined approach to bilingual education. It critiques the existing syllabus and suggests a revised syllabus to improve bilingual competence, discussing potential benefits and advantages of the proposed changes.
Keywords
Francophone English, Cameroon, bilingualism, language education, language acquisition, sociolinguistics, phonology, lexicon, morpho-syntax, French influence, official language policy.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview of English in Cameroon
What is the main focus of this study?
This study focuses on describing the English language as used by Francophone speakers in Cameroon. It examines the historical and sociolinguistic context of English language acquisition in Cameroon, focusing on the impact of French as the primary language of education. The study also investigates the linguistic features of Francophone English, analyzing its phonology, lexicon, and grammar.
What are the key themes explored in this study?
Key themes include the historical context of bilingualism in Cameroon, the role of French in shaping English acquisition, the phonological features of Francophone English, lexical characteristics of Francophone English, and the grammatical features of Francophone English.
What historical overview is provided?
The historical overview covers Cameroon before colonization, contacts with Europeans, the colonization process, the mandated and trust territory statuses, independence of French Cameroon, the partition of British Cameroons and its federation with French Cameroon, the evolution to a unitary state, and the challenges facing the unitary state.
What aspects of the language situation in Cameroon are discussed?
The study discusses the official, vehicular, and minority languages used in Cameroon, providing a comprehensive overview of the linguistic landscape.
What is covered in Part One: Didactics of English in Cameroon?
Part One analyzes the teaching of English in Cameroon's education system, covering primary, secondary, and tertiary level institutions. It explores curricula, teaching methodologies, resources, and challenges faced in each level.
What does Part Two: Description of the English speech of francophone users cover?
Part Two describes the linguistic features of Francophone English, analyzing its sound system (phonology), vocabulary (lexicon), and grammar (morpho-syntax).
What are the specific topics covered in each chapter?
Chapter summaries detail the content of each chapter. For example, Chapter One explores the linguistic landscape of Cameroon's primary education system; Chapter Two focuses on English teaching in secondary schools; Chapter Three covers tertiary level English instruction; Chapter Four analyzes the sound system of Francophone English; Chapter Five examines its lexicon; Chapter Six focuses on its morpho-syntax; and Chapter Seven appraises Cameroon's official bilingualism policy.
What is the scope of the analysis in Chapters Four, Five, and Six?
Chapters Four, Five, and Six provide detailed linguistic analyses of Francophone English. Chapter Four analyzes pronunciation patterns; Chapter Five examines vocabulary choices and the influence of French; and Chapter Six explores grammatical structures and French influence on grammar.
What is the conclusion of Chapter Seven?
Chapter Seven evaluates Cameroon's official bilingualism policy, analyzing its effectiveness, shortcomings, and proposing a way forward with suggestions for improved bilingual education.
What are the key terms used in this study?
Key terms include Francophone English, Cameroon, bilingualism, language education, language acquisition, sociolinguistics, phonology, lexicon, morpho-syntax, French influence, and official language policy.
- Quote paper
- Jean-Paul Kouega (Author), 2019, The English of Francophone Speakers in Cameroon, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/505457
