Abstract:

The strong multilingualism of many African states makes unfeasible the officialization and planning of many of these languages (even though regional or vehicular languages are promoted). Apart from economic obstacles, the choice of these languages presents considerable political difficulties. On the other hand, being the official language either French (or other European language) or an African language, the great problem of its large-scale spreading among the population always arises, who, if they don't know that language, will be deprived of their right to use it and also of access to human development. In this sense, the audio-visual space represents a means of high importance for language planning, conceived in connection with development and within the respect to linguistic rights, because it allows the coexistence—inside the same territory and through different media (radio, television, video)—of several languages, at the same time that it avoids the great part of planning problems and costs, bound to language spelling and exploitation. Likewise, it allows a total adjustment to a wide variety of functions and audiences. The audio-visual space represents, in short, a means of development specially effective and adapted to African countries.

Author: Robert Chaudenson