The future of French in Africa: a complex and promising development
French, the language of Molière and symbol of the Francophonie, is experiencing remarkable development in Africa. According to data from the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF), two-thirds of French speakers are today on the African continent. This exponential progression is largely explained by demographics and schooling in French.
Indeed, with a constantly growing population, African children are quickly exposed to French from a very young age. In so-called French-speaking African countries, where French is the language of instruction, this early exposure promotes learning and mastery of the language. However, it is important to note that not all African countries have an entirely French-speaking population. Some countries, such as Senegal and the Central African Republic, have a majority local language, such as Wolof or Sango, which is spoken by a large part of the population.
The coexistence of multiple languages in Africa gives rise to a situation of multilingualism. In countries like Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Gabon or Cameroon, where several languages coexist, French becomes the lingua franca, the vehicular language to facilitate communication. Children learn French at school, but they also acquire some fluency in French within their home environment, particularly in urban areas.
However, the exclusive teaching of French has led to neglect of local languages. This led to a reflection on the importance of promoting and enhancing these national languages. The OIF thus initiated the “school and national language” (ELAN) program to integrate the mother tongue of the populations into the school system. The results of bilingual learning experiences in French and the local language show that learners benefit more from this approach than when they learn only in French.
The future of French in Africa therefore rests on a balance to be found between the promotion of local languages and that of French. Countries like Senegal have managed to integrate Wolof into education, thus giving equal importance to local languages and French. This approach promotes a better understanding and appropriation of the French language, while preserving the linguistic and cultural identity of the different communities.
It is also important to emphasize that French in Africa is constantly evolving. It is enriched by the influences of local languages and contacts with other languages of the continent. This linguistic diversity makes French a living language, capable of adapting to different contexts and meeting the communication needs of African populations..
In conclusion, the future of French in Africa is promising, but complex. It requires taking local languages into account, valuing linguistic diversity and adapting French teaching to meet the specific needs of African learners. With this balanced approach, French will be able to continue to flourish on the continent, thus contributing to the strengthening of cultural, economic and political ties within the African Francophonie.