Narrating Identity Using The Colonizer’s Language: The Case Of African Literature

Résumé: Literature is about people, their society, their culture and their institutions. But it is also, and especially, about language, the medium through which the people’s society and culture are expressed. Hence, to talk about literature is to talk about language; however, this simple assertion becomes problematic when it is applied to the situation of African literature written in European languages. For this reason, this form of literature occupies a unique position.The present paper shows the role that language plays, has played positively or negatively in an attempted contribution, maintenance and strengthening of national cohesion and identity. Language as a communicative system varying among different populations is commonly acknowledged to function as an important symbol of group identity, stimulating a sense of solidarity among communities sharing a single variety of speech; and is sometimes deliberately manipulated to create feelings of belonging.

Publié dans la revue: مجلة علوم اللسان