Decolonization and questions of language

The case of Senegal

Abstract

Language remains the domain in which Senegal is slow to decolonize. French, the tongue of the colonizer, continues to be the official language. This option was favored by the first president, Léopold Sédar Senghor (1960-1980), a Francophile. His successor, President Abdou Diouf, attempted to distance himself from this policy. He began by introducing local languages and creating a language institute, but reforms were limited by lack of finances. The accession to power of President Abdoulaye Wade in 2000-who has a real fondness for the French language-has introduced a dilemma, as French remains the language of administration and education but is strongly challenged by Wolof, a local language spoken by the majority of the Senegalese population. The broad usage of Wolof has a negative impact in schools and universities, as students and teachers are forced to use a language that is not their own. This explains the urgency for the Senegalese government to work toward the "decolonization" of language despite the technical and financial difficulties this poses.