Helping Communities Examine their Language Vitality Using a Practical Guide

Abstract: The country of Cameroon is home to a wealth of languages: 283 according to Ethnologue (Eberhart, Simons and Fennig 2019). Until now, the vast majority have enjoyed healthy vitality, considering that 274 are still living languages and only nine are considered extinct. Of the living language...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Kathy Cummins
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: CRAC, INSAAC 2023-06-01
Series:Akofena
Online Access:https://www.revue-akofena.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/09-HS-Kathy-Cummins_115-122.pdf
_version_ 1797420668045754368
author Kathy Cummins
author_facet Kathy Cummins
author_sort Kathy Cummins
collection DOAJ
description Abstract: The country of Cameroon is home to a wealth of languages: 283 according to Ethnologue (Eberhart, Simons and Fennig 2019). Until now, the vast majority have enjoyed healthy vitality, considering that 274 are still living languages and only nine are considered extinct. Of the living languages, 270 of them are indigenous languages, so, on the surface, that sounds like a robust palette of African languages being used in Cameroon. However, could language vitality be an issue in Cameroon? This author has become convinced over the last three years that many Cameroonian languages ARE becoming less vital – that is, they are losing speakers or richness or functions, often all of these together. 
first_indexed 2024-03-09T07:05:56Z
format Article
id doaj.art-0813533f6e5949c788193259c10ca942
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2706-6312
2708-0633
language deu
last_indexed 2024-03-09T07:05:56Z
publishDate 2023-06-01
publisher CRAC, INSAAC
record_format Article
series Akofena
spelling doaj.art-0813533f6e5949c788193259c10ca9422023-12-03T09:33:51ZdeuCRAC, INSAACAkofena2706-63122708-06332023-06-01HS0510.48734/akofena.hs05.09-2023Helping Communities Examine their Language Vitality Using a Practical GuideKathy CumminsAbstract: The country of Cameroon is home to a wealth of languages: 283 according to Ethnologue (Eberhart, Simons and Fennig 2019). Until now, the vast majority have enjoyed healthy vitality, considering that 274 are still living languages and only nine are considered extinct. Of the living languages, 270 of them are indigenous languages, so, on the surface, that sounds like a robust palette of African languages being used in Cameroon. However, could language vitality be an issue in Cameroon? This author has become convinced over the last three years that many Cameroonian languages ARE becoming less vital – that is, they are losing speakers or richness or functions, often all of these together. https://www.revue-akofena.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/09-HS-Kathy-Cummins_115-122.pdf
spellingShingle Kathy Cummins
Helping Communities Examine their Language Vitality Using a Practical Guide
Akofena
title Helping Communities Examine their Language Vitality Using a Practical Guide
title_full Helping Communities Examine their Language Vitality Using a Practical Guide
title_fullStr Helping Communities Examine their Language Vitality Using a Practical Guide
title_full_unstemmed Helping Communities Examine their Language Vitality Using a Practical Guide
title_short Helping Communities Examine their Language Vitality Using a Practical Guide
title_sort helping communities examine their language vitality using a practical guide
url https://www.revue-akofena.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/09-HS-Kathy-Cummins_115-122.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT kathycummins helpingcommunitiesexaminetheirlanguagevitalityusingapracticalguide