Concept Of Bilingualism Research Articles

Agua-cuerpo-territorio/Water-body-territory

This paper applies cuerpo-territorio (body-territory) to aquatic space through the bilingual concept of agua-cuerpo-territorio/water-body-territory. Based on a 2018 article that I wrote in Spanish and titled “Espacios acuáticos desde una descolonialidad hemisférica feminista” [Aquatic space from a decolonial and feminist hemispheric perspective], I will further develop the concept of water-body-territory that brings together literature on cuerpo-territorio (body-territory) and agua-territorio (water-territory) resulting in a bilingual term agua-cuerpo-territorio/water-body-territory. This implies that I will translate parts of the mentioned article from Spanish to English while situating it within hemispheric debates on the individual and collective body autonomy in aquatic space. Agua-cuerpo-territorio/water-body-territory will further the conceptual discussions that cuerpo-territorio has garnered across the Americas in feminist academic and activist settings on embodiment and decolonial feminist geography methodologies, in particular the relationship between water and the embodiment of collective death. Moreover, as I will make the case in this paper, this translation process is a praxis of decolonial feminist geopolitics that can engage with debates on collective bodily autonomy for the Americas.

Україна як європейська країна, що потерпає від збройної агресії, в інтерпретації польського поета Гаррі Дуди (на матеріалі двокнижжя«На очах у світу»)

The poetry of renowned Polish poet Harry Duda, known for his deep Christian worldview, journalistic flair, and expansive thinking, has been significantly influenced by the events in Ukraine since 2014. His work, often imbued with elements of voluntarism and militarism, reflects the ongoing struggle of Ukrainians for freedom and statehood. This article examines a two-volume edition of Duda’s lyrical works with the bilingual concept, «Na oczach świata (In the Eyes of the World)», translated into Ukrainian by Viktor Melnyk. This edition conveys the essence of Ukraine’s fight for liberty. In two chapters, the poet contemplates whether individuals are truly protected in modern society amidst threats, political regimes, and hybrid aggression. The book’s title invites readers to consider whether the global community is fulfilling its role in safeguarding democracy and freedom, or if it is ignoring such pleas. Through his rhymed and non-rhymed poems, Harry Duda captures the atmosphere of the Russia-Ukraine war, spanning from 2014 to 2022 and beyond, depicting scenes of wandering, suffering, death, trials, and tribulations. Harry Duda’s portrayal of Ukrainians is informed by the vivid reports of global media, conveying the historical context of their struggle for freedom and pinpointing the perpetrators of war, high mortality, torture, and ecological disasters within Europe. The poet rightly identifies the war initiated by the North-Eastern intervention against Ukraine as a war with Europe and the entire civilized world. This research aims to analyze the character development, figurative and symbolic elements, stylistic expressiveness, and emotional tones in Duda’s poems about 21st-century Ukraine. It addresses the challenges Ukraine faces due to existing geopolitical threats and seeks to uncover the profound artistic meanings and significance of poetry about cataclysms, conflicts, and wars in the context of building a harmonious human civilization.

ADAPTATION PROBLEMS OF ETHNOLINGUISTIC MINORITIES FROM SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIETAL PERSPECTIVES

ABSTRACT: Aim: The aim of this article is to present adaptation problems faced by bilingual representatives of ethnolinguistic minorities – from a socio-psychological perspective. Methods: This text is a review of literature on the subject matter under discussion. Results: Referring to the results of research conducted in the field, attention is paid to the most common adaptation problems from a socio-psychological perspective experienced by representatives of various ethnolinguistic minorities in bilingual education. The text also discusses issues related to the concept of bilingualism as well as its typology, outlining the differentia specifica existing between additive bilingualism and subtractive bilingualism. Conclusion: Bilingual education is an active, creative process that draws on linguistic, communicative and cognitive resources of the developing child (F. Genesee 2003). For that reason, quite a few studies have been carried out on simultaneous acquisition of two languages; equally interesting would be research results conducted among representatives of ethnolinguistic minorities in trilingual or quadrilingual language acquisition. Originality: The issues described are important for practical applications in the second language acquisition process. Keyword: bilingualism, immersion, submersion, biculturalism, ethnolinguistic minorities, adaptation problems

Linguistic Contact and Portuguese-to-Spanish Document Translation During the Iberian Union

The present paper discusses document translation and analyzes the translation from Portuguese to Spanish of a report of the Council of Portugal, which describes the political-administrative situation of the Moluccas Islands. The concepts of bilingualism and diglossia (FISHMAN, 1967) are used to discuss the colonial translation scenario, and the taxonomic framework provided by Barbosa (2004) supports the translation analysis. The main research tools are the selection and editing of manuscripts, and the classification of translation procedures. Results indicate the historical study of document translation between Portuguese and Spanish as a new research field, mainly involving contact between languages; the tendency towards literality as the main feature of Iberian Union (1580-1640) administrative translation, as these are technical documents; punctual translator interference, with instances of source-text omission and rewriting; and the possible comparison between document translation in Asian and American Portuguese colonies.

CULTURAL BILINGUALISM AND LANGUAGES IN CONTACT IN TEXT PRODUCTION: EXPLAINING THE CASE OF PERMANENT INTERFERENCES IN WRITTEN BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE

A critical review of the nature of Education as a universal right in peripheral societies, based on the analysis of the social and cultural circumstances that permeate the learning experience of the written Portuguese language in Brazilian schools. The concept of cultural bilingualism is defended as necessary in facing the demand for subjectivation of the universal right to Education, supported by facts of written production among school subjects. It also justifies the overcoming of the classic concepts of bilingualism, listed exclusively from grammatical-functional aspects or issues of use that are restricted to linguistic facts. Situations of tension stand out in the contact between oral and written Portuguese of Brazil - symbolically considered the Brazilian national language - whose origin goes back to historical-cultural aspects that acted in the process of the implantation of the Portuguese Language in Brazilian territory. Derived from such aspects, there are situations of languages in contact that can only be properly explained by the concept of cultural bilingualism. Keywords: cultural bilingualism, linguistic rights, mother tongue teaching, public education policies, teacher training

A GALANCE AT BILINGUALISM AS A SOCIAL, LINGUISTIC AND EDUCATIONAL MATTER IN TURKEY

The purpose of this study is to highlight the versatility of bilingualism types in past and present time in Turkey and to examine the extent to which the concept of bilingualism finds its place in the related Turkish literature. The study also focuses on the status of immigrants considering the related sociological bilingualism elements in Turkish society and ethnicity. The data includes the books and articles in Turkish related literature and the the-ses available at the Higher Education Council Thesis Center. Thus, the study was carried out in a style close to meta-synthesis form, it doesn’t constitute a literature review. study serves to close the gap for a general reference article about the academic studies on bilingualism in Turkey by enabling readers to look at the bilingualism forms in Turkey from different perspectives.

"Madura is My Home, Java Is My Language" Javanese Cultural Acculturation in Bangkalan Regency, Madura Island

Language and identity are two interrelated things. As a means of active communication, language is used in the daily life of mankind, which functions and plays an active role in the process of cultural preservation in an area. This study aims to find out how the use of Javanese in the coastal area of Madura Island is mainly in the three villages that are the main research objects, namely the villages of Tajungan, Kauman, and Junganyar in the Kamal and Socah sub-districts, Bangkalan Regency, East Java Province. This research is in the form of descriptive qualitative research using Yin's research method based on 5 stages of research with a sociolinguistic theory approach that examines the concept of bilingualism applied in an area or community in the communication process. The results of the study revealed that 9 points of findings were related and able to answer the formulation of the problem related to the geographical factors of the border area of the three research villages, as well as the process and impact of cultural acculturation which were described in detail in the discussion points and conclusions of this study.

Code Mixing Analysis in Group Discussion Activitiy in Speaking Class

The aim of this research was to figure out the code mixing that existed in English communication among the students while doing group discussion and to classify the types of code mixing that occurred during this speaking activity. Actually, code mixing may probably happens while English is being taught as the foreign language since we have Indonesian as our first language so that the concept of bilingualism could be built among Indonesian students. For example, the English students of Universitas PGRI Sumatera Barat in 2021 Academic year, as the subjects of this research, used code mixing during the speaking activity although most of them are good enough in English. This phenomenon became the big concern for the researchers to do this research by using descriptive qualitative design, because the researchers need to analyze and to describe the types of code mixing. The data of this research are all utterances of code mixing used by the students during the discussion. The instruments were observation, field note and recording. After analyzing the data, the researchers found that there are three main types of code mixing; insertion, alternation and congruent, used by the students while doing discussion. It is hoped that the result of this research make all the teachers aware that the fluency of speaking English could not be obtain since the students allow their mother tongue interfere their English so that the teachers should find out the strategies to avoid code mixing among the students while doing speaking activities.

THE PHENOMENON OF BILINGUALISM IN UKRAINE THROUGH THE PRISM OF LINGUISTIC INTERFERENCE

The phenomenon of bilingualism is the main component and result of the interaction of different language systems, which may be related. This phenomenon contributes to the emergence of language contacts, which are manifested through the phenomenon of linguistic interference. The real language situation in Ukraine today is active Ukrainian-Russian bilingualism, which is due to long cultural and political ties between the countries. The long period of Ukraine’s stay, first as part of Russia, and then in the Soviet Union, led to the presence of bilingualism on its territory. Today, regardless of the place – on the street, in institutions, organizations, enterprises or even within the boundaries of the same family, you can hear both Ukrainian and Russian languages. Most citizens of Ukraine are bilingual, that is, people who speak both languages well. The linguistic situation in which two languages function in the same territory has both positive and negative consequences. On the one hand, such language contact contributes to the mutual enrichment of language systems, which leads to an increase in the vocabulary of each of them. However, on the other hand, the lack of conscious use of specific national words can lead to a violation of literary norms and negatively affect the quality of speech communication. The article considered the concept of bilingualism in Ukraine and its connection with linguistic interference. Examples of linguistic interaction occurring under conditions of bilingualism are given, as well as the consequences of this phenomenon for the linguistic culture and ethnic identity of the population are described. The article also analyzed the historical prerequisites for the phenomenon of bilingualism. There are ways to overcome the negative consequences of linguistic interference in the conditions of bilingualism, which include the development of speech culture, support of the Ukrainian language, the use of bilingual methods, the development of speech selfawareness and the reduction of interlingual informational competition. In addition to preventing the negative consequences of bilingualism, these ways can help preserve the literary purity of the Ukrainian language. It was determined that the state should stimulate the use of the Ukrainian language in all spheres of life, ensure its protection from the excessive influence of other languages, and promote its development.

Türkiye’de Okul Öncesi Dönemde İki Dillilik Üzerine Yapılan Lisansüstü Tezlerin ve Makalelerin İncelenmesi (2007-2021)

İki dillilik, tüm dünyada disiplinler arası çalışmalarla tüm hızıyla çeşitli açılardan araştırılmaya devam eden konuların başında gelmektedir. İletişim ve ulaşımın hızla yaygınlaştığı, ülkelerin ve milletlerin birbirleriyle hiç olmadığı kadar daha fazla iletişime girdiği bir dönemde iki dillilik araştırmacılar tarafından ilgiyle incelenmeye devam etmektedir. Jeopolitik konumu, Avrupa Birliği’ne giriş sürecine uyumlanma politikaları ve yoğun göç alması sonucu, Türkiye’de iki dillilik kavramı ana okulları için de çeşitli açılardan tartışılmaya başlanmıştır. Bu araştırmanın amacı, okul öncesi dönemde iki dillilikle ilgili az araştırmanın yapıldığı ülkemizde 2007-2021 yılları arasında okul öncesi dönemde iki dillilikle ilgili yapılmış lisansüstü tezlerin ve makalelerin kapsamlarını ortaya koymaktır. Bu doğrultuda, yirmi beş lisansüstü tezi ve yirmi bir makaleye ulaşılmış ve bu çalışmalar, “yıllara, yöntemlerine, konularına, örneklem/çalışma grubuna, veri toplama aracına, veri analiz tekniklerine, inceledikleri dillere ve lisansüstü tezlerin yapıldığı bölümlere göre dağılım” değişkenlerine göre incelenmiştir. Araştırmanın sonucunda, 2020 ve 2021 yıllarında daha çok çalışma yapıldığı, vaka incelemelerinin daha çok tercih edildiği, dil gelişiminin çeşitli açılardan incelenmesi konusunun daha çok seçildiği, en çok çocukların örneklem olarak ele alındığı, veri toplama aracı olarak en çok ölçeklerin tercih edildiği, veri analiz tekniği olarak en çok testlerin tercih edildiği, çalışmaların Türkçe-İngilizce dilleri arasında daha çok yapıldığı ve lisansüstü tezlerinde okul öncesi eğitimi bölümünde çalışmaların daha fazla yapıldığı tespit edilmiştir.

Milyen nézetekkel korrelálnak a kétnyelvűséggel kapcsolatos tévhitek? Preskriptivizmus és asszimilációtól való félelem felnőtt nyelvtanulók között Magyarországon

It has become such a widespread notion in Europe that bilingualism is an exceptional phenomenon (Bartha, 2009, p. 145) that it also determines the way we think about languages in Hungary. Moreover, in Hungary speakers typically judge bilingualism along the lines of standard linguistic ideology, that is, “the linguistic ideological concepts and beliefs about bilingualism are still being shaped and reinterpreted in various contexts, in tandem with the standard, normative linguistic concept of bilingualism, which excludes diversity” (Bartha, 2009, p. 149, translated by me). In my study I will elaborate on this issue based on my research among 18-24-year-old language learners, and show how linguistic ideologies about bilingualism are related to beliefs about the Hungarian language. I will also discuss the role of language learning motivation. In my quantitative research (n=507) I collected beliefs on Hungarian and language learning using a questionnaire, and after principal component analysis I looked for correlations by calculating the Pearson correlation coefficients. The results show that students’ beliefs about bilingualism are related to the extent to which they were taught their first language using a prescriptive approach, and to the extent to which they themselves subscribe to prescriptivism. In addition, students’ fear of assimilation and linguistic prejudice also correlated with their beliefs about bilingualism. Thus, misconceptions about bilingualism are still fueled by the prescriptive, purist and prejudiced linguistic attitudes associated with the standard language culture that are present in Hungary. My results show that even highly motivated language learners believe that “the only natural way to become bilingual is to learn two languages in one’s family from an early age” (one of the items of the questionnaire, based on Bartha, 2009, p. 147).In my study I highlight the role of teachers in maintaining language ideologies related to bilingualism, and argue that language learning motivation research should also pay more attention to language learning beliefs, because motivation is interlinked with and inseparable from them.

Nyelv (kétnyelvűség) és (kettős) identitás az alföldi szlovákok körében Magyarországon

The paper reflects on the findings and conclusions of our interdisciplinary research; it is partly theoretical, partly analytical and synthetic. Drawing on the theoretical and methodological principles and connections, as well as on the results of previous sociolinguistic research on bilingual communication, we provide a partial characterization of Slovak-Hungarian bilingualism and identity in the ethnically mixed areas of Hungary (the Great Plain). In the theoretical part, we give a brief overview of the research and the academic publications on Slovak-Hungarian bilingualism in Hungary, provide a concise interpretation of the concept of bilingualism, and outline some of the issues of ethnic and cultural identity. The sociolinguistic research is conducted from2018. The research sample is composed of respondents from Csongrád-Csanád and Békés counties from different age groups, education, and social backgrounds. The research material consists and questionnaires. In the analytical part of our study, we use both descriptive and comparative methods to examine the given topic in an interdisciplinary context, taking into account the interrelationship between language and identity (such as the issues of language choice and competence, questions such as which language speakers use more often; which language they prefer and with whom; in which language they express themselves more easily; which language they consider to be their mother tongue, i.e. what they understand by the concept of mother tongue; how they perceive the link between language and identity; when, why, and with whom they switch from one language to another in communication, etc.). Based on the analysis of the research material, we can conclude that the bilingualism of the Slovaks of the Hungarian Great Plain is characterized by collective bilingualism. This is also true when we talk about successive or bilingualism learned at school rather than natural bilingualism. Despite the predominance of passive, receptive bilingualism, it can also be stated that Slovak–Hungarian bilingualism still exists as a living phenomenon. A more dominant feature –than bilingualism –is Slovak–Hungarian dual identity and biculturalism.

Academic Studies on the Turkish Education of Turks in Bulgaria

Language is an integral component of identity, and for minorities the ability to use and receive education in the mother tongue is an important right that allows the transmission of culture, creates kinship, and strengthens identity. This article examines Turkish education access for Turks in Bulgaria by reviewing Turkish academic studies about this topic, in order to identify gaps. This research uses the literature review method to investigate published articles, Master’s and Doctoral theses, books, and reports. Within the scope of this literature review the issue is discussed within the framework of the concepts of bilingualism, mother tongue, education policies, and language policies. This article presents and discusses specific research topics that are not present in the current literature available in Turkish and identifies areas of study to close gaps in the literature.

The Metaphoric Perceptions of the Prospective Turkish Language and Literature Teachers, Taking Pedagogical Formation Education about “Bilingualism”

The concept of bilingualism is gaining prominence in our daily lives due to political and social reasons. The fact that bilingualism has become an undeniable fact requires investigation of it in educational sciences. How prospective teachers perceive the concept of bilingualism will fill a gap in the literature in terms of understanding educational practices. In this context, the purpose of this study is to determine the perceptions of the Turkish language and literature teacher candidates who have received formation education about the concept of "bilingualism" through metaphors. About 92 Turkish language and literature teacher candidates, studying at Çukurova University, form the research group of the study, for which qualitative research design is adopted. As a data collection tool, each student was given a guidance note with the expression of “bilingualism is like… because…” and the blanks in this guidance note were asked to be filled in. The metaphors obtained in the study were collected in different categories. Content analysis technique was used to analyze the data. According to the results of the research, it was determined that Turkish language and literature teacher candidates who received formation education had positive perceptions about the concept of bilingualism in a total of 12 concept categories.

İki Dillilik ve İki Kültürlülük: Göç, Kimlik ve Aidiyet

İki dillilik ve iki kültürlülük kavramları ilintili olmalarına karşın çoğunlukla farklı araştırma alanlarının konusu olmuşlardır. Oysa dil ve kültür, devamlı etkileşim halindedir ve birbirinin ayrılmaz parçasıdır. Dil ve kültür arasındaki bu devingen ilişki tek dilli bireyler ve toplumlar için geçerli olduğu gibi iki dilli bireyler ve toplumlar için de geçerlidir. Göçmenler söz konusu olduğunda bu iki kavramı birlikte ele almak daha da önemli hale gelmektedir. Bu betimsel çalışmada geleneksel tarama yöntemi kullanılarak bir alanyazın taraması yapılmıştır. Makalenin amacı: iki dilliliğin ve iki kültürlülüğün güncel tanımlarını ve sınıflandırmalarını ele almak, iki dillilik ve iki kültürlülük arasındaki ilişkiyi açıklamak ve özellikle göçmenlerde bu iki kavramın nasıl geliştiğini incelemektir. Bunun için, birinci bölümde ilk önce iki dillilikte var olan minimalist ve maksimalist tanımlar ele alınmıştır. Daha sonra iki dilliliğin farklı türleri ve iki dillilikte güncel yaklaşımlar açıklanmıştır. “Kimlik ve Aidiyet” başlıklı ikinci bölümde kimlik, kültür ve iki kültürlülük kavramlarına değinilmiştir. Bu bölümde Toplumsal Kimlik, Kültürel Kimlik, Etnik Kimlik, Kültürlenme ve Kültürleşme gibi kavramların tanımlarına yer verilmiştir. Sonraki bölümde iki dillilik ve iki kültürlülük arasındaki ilişkiye değinilmiş, Kültürel baskınlık, Kültürleşme yaşı, Kültürel Kimlik ve bireyin öz algısı, Kültürel ‘Rahatlık’ gibi iki kültürlülüğün, iki dillilik tanımlarıyla benzeşen unsurları vurgulanmıştır. Son olarak iki dillilik ve iki kültürlülük kavramlarının göç ortamında nasıl geliştikleri ayrıntılı şekilde ele alınmış, göçmen bireylerin azınlık ve çoğunluk dilleri arasındaki saygınlık ilişkisi çerçevesinde gelişen iki dillilikleri ve benimsedikleri kültürleşme stratejileri irdelenmiştir.

BILINGUALISM TYPES AND THEIR DIDACTIC POTENTIAL

Current article is dedicated to such types of bilingualism as the coordinating and subordinated, pure and mixed, their substantial didactic potential, as well as the necessary conditions for bilingual capacity realization through creating a functional environment. Authors of the research have studied theories and concepts of bilingualism, organizational experience of bilingual and multilingual education, along with linguistic directions, determining bilingualism basically as the ability to communicate with two languages. Due to the methodological background of our research, which is composed of the outcomes of the analytic-synthetic examination of scientific-methodological works, logic methods of notions analyzing, methodological modelling, surveys results and experts’ evaluations, we succeeded in identifying general concepts of the question and developing the methodological system for delivering new foreign language knowledge to bilingual students. Basic principles of bilingual education have been released, they included: didactic cultural rationality, problem-searching and problematic forms of education, priority of teaching cooperation through education and self-education, integration and interactivity of modelling multicultural bilingual education, didactic cooperation of traditional pedagogics and individuality-focused education, consideration of the educational rights of a person while modelling cultural training environment. Specifications of functional usage of native and new languages have been scrutinized. The cases of the interference, rising in the process of studying a second foreign language in the conditions of multilingualism, have been analyzed. Most frequent and possible mistakes of the respondents-leaners have been classified. Consequently, it has been concluded that the whole bilingual learning process ought to be composed in order to transfer communicative skills of the native and the first foreign language to the second one.

Bilingual Culture of a Future Translator – a Requirement of Modern European Education

The processes of globalization, modern educational trends, changing values, rapid development of science, increasing business and personal contacts with speakers of other cultures necessitate the education of bilingual culture of communication in future translators and other educators. The proposed article reveals the concepts of bilingualism, bilingual personality, bilingual culture of communication and its features, establishes the content characteristics and relationships. The peculiarities of the bilingual personality of the translator are substantiated, which promotes the assimilation of norms and values of another culture as important landmarks of intercultural communication and is the basis of successful adaptation to world educational and information processes. One of the possible ways of educating bilingual culture of communication in the process of preparing future translators for professional activity, which is to use the model of formation of communicative-linguistic bilingual skills, is presented. It is this system of bilingual training that allows to determine the specifics of bilingual communication by knowing the general laws of communication culture and specifying their basic provisions.

Educación bilingüe (español-inglés) en tres instituciones educativas públicas del Quindío, Colombia: estudio de caso

Esta investigación cualitativa describe la educación bilingüe en tres instituciones educativas públicas (IE) del Quindío, Colombia. Las fuentes de recolección de datos fueron: (1) Entrevista semiestructurada, (2) Análisis documental y (3) Observación. Los resultados indicaron lo siguiente: Las categorías Políticas institucionales de educación bilingüe, Prácticas de educación bilingüe, Prácticas interculturales y Modelo pedagógico convencional mostraron la necesidad de replantear el modelo pedagógico. La categoría Formación docente indicó que las actividades de formación docente tenían como sustento el modelo de entrenamiento del docente. La categoría Desarrollo de competencias en inglés mostró una relación directa con las categorías Políticas institucionales de educación bilingüe y Prácticas de educación bilingüe, dado que los conceptos de bilingüismo y competencia comunicativa bilingüe fueron reducidos al concepto de competencia alcanzada en inglés. La categoría Enseñanza mediada por las TIC indicó la integración de las TIC en la formación bilingüe en las tres IE. La categoría Recursos para el desarrollo bilingüe reveló que los docentes de las tres IE estaban formados en aspectos generales del ejercicio de la docencia. Se concluyó recomendar, a las tres IE, el tránsito de la educación bilingüe y bicultural hacia la educación bilingüe intercultural crítica e, igualmente, promocionar el desarrollo docente en pedagogía de la educación bilingüe e intercultural.

Letramento e Educação de Surdos

Neste artigo tematizamos o conceito de letramento a partir da sua retomada nos estudos sobre educação de surdos. Analisamos e argumentamos como esse conceito foi alçado para ressignificar o entendimento das práticas escolares desenvolvidas com alunos surdos, mais especificamente, o ensino da leitura e da escrita em português, num conjunto de textos pertencentes a três publicações – duas do início dos anos 2000, relacionadas a eventos científicos relevantes na área, e outra mais recente, do ano de 2018. Conforme pretendemos mostrar, esses trabalhos constroem, inicialmente, uma interlocução entre o conceito de letramento como prática social e o conceito sociolinguístico de bilinguismo (re)apropriado ao projeto de educação bilíngue para surdos. Nesse processo, instauram-se práticas de língua(gem) específicas a esse contexto, com repercussões diretas no modo como o letramento em sala de aula com alunos surdos vem sendo pensado até os dias de hoje.

The Push to Protect the Oneness of English as a Judicial Language in the Southern Cameroons Jurisdiction of Cameroon

The February 2015 crisis whether both official languages, French and English, be used in proceedings in the Anglophone jurisdiction practicing common law, was a reminder that the Cameroon concept of bilingualism still requires definition. At the simplest and most obvious level, the lawyers of the minority English-speaking jurisdiction were protesting against the introduction of a rival language, unfamiliar to their community. A second look unveils proofs of deeper malaise behind what is only the thin end of the wedge. In fact, there are conjoining components originating from misunderstandings traceable back to 1961 when the English-speaking Southern Cameroons and independent French-speaking Cameroon reunited. It is far from the dream that drove them to form a common entity. This article goes below the surface of these dissensions that amount to a veritable ‘Anglophone problem’, which if not properly understood and handled, and allowed to fester, can be the harbinger of disintegration.