Impact Of Colonization On Language Policy In Cameroon

Language policy in Cameroon has greatly been impacted by colonization.This impact is still visible as the official languages(French and English)of Cameroon are inherited from colonization.Cameroon is also a multilingual country with over 250 local languages and two Lingua Franca: Cameroon pidgin English and Camfranglais.The problem is that official bilingualism is more prominent and all the other languages are relegated to the second plan,which greatly affects cultural preservation as the local languages are dying.The author of the thesis adopts quantitative research method for the questionnaire survey conducted online.Twenty-six questions are designed for 112 participants from both the anglophone and francophone part of the country about the impact of colonization on language policy and the fate of official and local languages.The questionnaire survey is conducted via google platform in order to have the majority of Cameroonians able to participate because another platform can be a barrier to many.The results demonstrate that the impact of colonization on language policy is both positive and negative.We found out that local multilingualism struggles a lot in the official foreign bilingualism atmosphere,so much so that youths tend to value more foreign culture due to the fact that they are more exposed to it through these languages be in school or at home.We also found out that hybrid languages derived from the combination of foreign languages to local languages have gained ground in the country especially amongst the youths though these languages have not been officially formalized.The most devasting impact of Colonization on language policy in Cameroon is what is called today the Anglophone Crisis or the Ambazonian war.Many lives have been lost since 2016 and this civil war is still not over.This research derives its significance from the fact that the Language atmosphere in Cameroon being a conflictual one as a result of colonialism where official bilingualism largely dominates local multilingualism.This paper raises awareness to implement a sustainable language policy as it is urgent to protect the local languages from extinction and realize the national and cultural unity of the country.