Resuscitation of African Languages

This book argues the case for indigenous African languages, which have been stripped of their importance and are now often overshadowed - both officially, through governmental language policies, and informally, through attitudes and ideologies - by former colonial languages. The authors present case studies from a range of countries in the region, arguing that languages tell us peoples’ identities, and that by dropping their own languages in favour of foreign and imperialist languages they lose their culture, history and identity as well. The book addresses many of the challenges currently associated with African languages, with the intention of influencing policy and practice in favour of their resuscitation. This book will be of interest to policy makers, academics and tertiary students in fields including Language Policy and Planning, Language Revitalisation, Heritage Language Learning, Indigenous and Endangered Languages, and Language Attitudes and Ideologies. 

Isaac Mhute is an Associate Professor in the Department of Language, Literature and Culture Studies  at Midlands State University, Zimbabwe. His research interests are in both theoretical and applied linguistics (language policy and development, syntax and semantics, onomastics as well as language and strategic communication issues in education, among others).

Zilibele Mtumane is the head of the School of Languages in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. She holds a Doctor of Literature and Philosophy in African Languages from the University of South Africa.

Vimbai M. Matiza is a senior lecturer in the department of Languages, Literature and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Midlands State University, Zimbabwe. Her research interests are on the interface of orality and cultural studies.