The position of foreign language in African literature

Abstract EN

No critical issue has influenced so much the theory and practice of African literary studies than the issue of foreign language.

Language choice is a moot and miscellaneous arena.

Initially confined to the analysis of literature, culture and identity, the choice of English, French or Spanish languages has been proliferated extensively and speedily in the last two decades.

The present paper sheds light on the unstable and wobbly position of the colonial language in African literature.

This scrutiny explores the origins of the African debate on language choice and identifies its legitimacy.

The nub of the study is the demonstration of the ongoing debate while it is hoped to argue that issue betrays a sense of aporia.

The study heavily relies on the arguments of Kenya's gifted author Ngugi wa Thiong'o and Nigeria's prolific author Chinua Achebe.

It also captures some evidences and reasonable arguments from the literary works of contemporary Francophone writers from Algeria to strengthen the different views.