D1 abstract the issue of language in the expression of african literature has been an agelong debate. The african writer and the english language chinua achebe in june 1962, there was a writers gathering at makerere, impressively styled. African languages and african literature 116 language. Potential studies in african language might include afrikaans, amharic, igbo and sudanese arabic, as well as swahili, tigrinya, twi, wolof, yoruba and zulu. Therefore, he finds it necessary to produce writings in african languages alone. African literature, the body of traditional oral and written literatures in afroasiatic and african languages together with works written by africans in european languages. In this unprecedented anthology, some of the most prolific and widelyread african novelists are analyzed by some of the most advanced african linguists from two divergent but mutually illuminating perspectives. While an african language would be extremely useful, the course focuses on material written in english which is the only language you will need to enrol in our courses.
Language and literature have both been considered as important attributes of national identity. In 1991 and 1992, two most prestigious african literary journals, african literature today no. Jul 22, 2018 in 1991 and 1992, two most prestigious african literary journals, african literature today no. The legacy of colonialism has left the african writer with a dilemma with regard to the language choice in writing. Some people most notably noam chomsky also call this the human language capacity. African literature drama and the language issue 51 it is imperative, therefore, to assess the views of different scholars on this issue, to properly foreground, to some extent, earlier submissions on the matter in order to be able to accentuate a position. The language of african literature the following is mainly based on the first chapter of ngugis decolonising the mind. Besides, the nationality of any literature is, at least partly, determined by the language in. One popular form of traditional african folktale is the trickster story, in which a small animal uses its wits to survive. He asks, how writings produced in the language of the colonizer can be considered as african literature. An undergraduate degree in african literature and languages will require several semesters of coursework in african language, as well as an introduction to african linguistics. For example, literature in english is the subject of five chapters, and french the subject of three, while literature in portuguese is confined to a single chapter. Ngugi wa thiongo and chinua achebe on the politics of language and literature in. Excluding writers who wrote in african tongues, it proceeded to discuss questions of what african literature is or could be, while accepting that it must be in english.
African literature drama and the language issue adeseke, adefolaju eben ph. The department of african literature was established in 1983 under the headship of eskia mphahlele. His popular weep not, child 1964 was the first major novel in english by an east african. Based on that, there is a serious argument among african critics about which languages would be authentic in writing african literature. Ancient egyptian scribes, early hausa and swahili copyists and memorizers, and contemporary writers of popular novellas have been the obvious and crucial transitional figures in the movement. Today, some postcolonial african writers have decided to move beyond this debate by calling for a linguistic hybridity. T he language of african literature cannot be discussed meaningfully outside the context of those social forces which have made it both an issue demanding our attention, and a problem calling for a resolution. The following is mainly based on the first chapter of ngugis decolonising the mind. Due to its strong literary value and paperback format, the african writers series is well designed for the classroom and is mainly used as set work material for learners.
Even if you really want other africans to read the work, you are probably going to have to publish it in english or french not least because. As he became sensitized to the effects of colonialism in africa, he wrote in the bantu language of kenyas kikuyu people. Despite this sonorous and rather solemn title, it turned out to be a very lively affair and a very exciting and useful experience for many of us. Ngugi wa thiong o, a kenyan writer, says that african writers should write in their mother tongues, not in the old colonial languages of english, french and portuguese. Free the language debate in african literature essay. Just like ngugi, obi in his essay, dead end of african literature. In his discourse on the language of african literature, ngugi wa thiongo makes the call to african writers to begin writing literature in their own languages, and to make sure that literature is connected to their peoples revolutionary struggles for liberation from their neocolonial contexts. However, after modern imperialism, language alone cannot be the sole definer of a peoples literature. As he became sensitized to the effects of colonialism in africa, ngugi adopted his traditional name and wrote in the bantu. South african language literatures by ntongela masilela the writing of african literature s in the african languages, rather than in the imperial and hegemonic english, was a historical project undertaken by the new african movement in the process of constructing modernity in south africa. Pl901998 korean language and literature pl901949 korean language pl950998 korean literature pl950.
Language written with a capital l is the part of the mind or brain that allows you to speak, whereas language with a lower case l also known as e language is an instantiation of. Oral literature or orature may be in prose or verse. Due to its strong literary value and paperback format, the african writers series is well designed for the classroom and. Kwaku asantedarko, language and culture in african postcolonial literature page 3 of 7 critical approach to foreign values indicates that the acceptance of those western values some of which have become the center of protest was partly as a result of a conscious selection and free. The predominant african languages used are amharic, zulu, hausa, and swahili. While a few argued that african languages were suitable for african literature, many argued in the contrary.
What are the characteristics of african literature. African literature refers to literature of and from africa. Based on that, there is a serious argument among african critics about which language s would be authentic in writing african literature. New approaches is the result of several years of reassessing african literature from multiple perspectives, including the interdisciplinary, ethical, and scholarpoet traditions. H english miranda house, university of delhi notes on ngugi wa thiongos decolonising the mind. African literature african literature oral traditions and the written word. Against this opposition, there are also some african writers who view the use of european languages in african literature as very beneficial and argue for their embrace. The basic characteristics of african english literature are 1 written in both african and european languages. African literature is literature of or from africa and includes oral literature or orature, in the term coined by ugandan scholar pio zirimu as george joseph notes in his chapter on african literature in understanding contemporary africa, whereas european views of literature often stressed a separation of art and content, african awareness is inclusive. Ngugi is not alone in this fight for the adoption of african languages in writing african literature.
However, because of the impossibility or difficulty for some african writers to write in their mother tongues, there arose the need for these writers to write in the. African literature, the english language and the nation. The language of african literature decolonising the mind is ngugi thiong os contribution to the debate on the choice of language in a postcolonial country. In the modern western sense, it means an imaginative writing.
On the one hand is, let us call a spade a spade, imperialism in its colonial and neocolonial phases continuously. Thiongo ngugi wa, the language of african literature, nlr i. The criticism of african literature awakened and grew by means of controversy during the 1970s and 1980s, with some of the critics taking the view that african literature can only competently be. Jun 17, 2018 although it was obi wali who first made the problem of colonial language use a big issue in african literature, it was in fact frantz fanon who in 1952 examined the role of foreign tongues in the. Because the library of congress classification system classifies the various literatures of africa by the language in which these literatures were originally written, it scatters them throughout subclasses pjpz. Resistance to repression in neocolonial kenya, 1983. I am interested in how ngugis literature in his own language has developed that language by pushing its linguistic boundairies or questioning traditional genderroles embedded in heritage folktales and proverbs. African literature oral traditions and the written word. The following is mainly based on the first chapter of ngugi s decolonising the mind. Cultural identity, language identity, gender identity michael williams language and identity randolph quirk african literature explore african literature journals with this collection of free articles handpicked by our editors and written by leading authors. Apr 03, 2016 african literature is literature of or from africa and includes oral literature. Ngugi wa thiongo and chinua achebe on the politics of. Language literature individual authors or works firdaws2i h. In ethiopia, there is a substantial literature written in geez going back at least to the fourth century ad.
African literature article about african literature by the. Homecoming 1972, writers in politics 1981, decolonising the mind. A conference of african writers of english expression. Despite popularity for this collection of literature growing in the 1950s, its history goes back to ancient egypt. What do we mean by the concept of an african language. Ngugi wa thiongo, a kenyan writer, says that african writers should write in their mother tongues, not in the old colonial languages of english, french and. The politics of language in african literature 1986. Traditional written literature, which is limited to a smaller geographic area than is oral literature, is most characteristic of those subsaharan cultures that have.
Ngugi refers to the 1962 african writers conference at makerere university college in kampala, uganda. It has attracted lots of arguments and counterarguments and is yet to be laid to rest. Although it was obi wali who first made the problem of colonial language use a big issue in african literature, it was in fact frantz fanon who in 1952 examined the role of foreign tongues in the. While literature generally has always been informed by other disciplines, more than ever before it now carries so many is. Ancient egyptian scribes, early hausa and swahili copyists and memorizers, and contemporary writers of popular novellas have been the obvious and crucial transitional figures. In his article 1, obi wali challenges that any true african literature has to be written in an african language and that uncritical acceptance of english and french as the inevitable medium for educated african writing, is. He used to write in english, but now he mostly writes in gikuyu.
Ngugi wa thiongo, kenyan writer who was considered east africas leading novelist. African literature consists of a body of work in different languages and various genres, ranging from oral literature to literature written in colonial languages french, portuguese, and english. African literature article about african literature by. Examples of precolonial african literature are numerous. My research sojourn in cambridge was intellectually productive and. The prose is often mythological or historical and can include tales of the trickster character. For those familiar with ngiugs writings, these essays are equally welcome in that. Ngugi wa thiongo, a kenyan writer, says that african writers should write in their mother tongues, not in the old colonial languages of english, french and portuguese. African literature is literature of or from africa and includes oral literature. Thiongo ngugi wa, the language of african literature, nlr. Echoing fanon, he claims that this amalgam makes writers most.
Doc the language debate in african literature nyauma. Pdf notes on ngugi wa thiongos decolonising the mind. Generally, prior to 1800, literature in the european languages meant any writing or book knowledge culler 21. African literature, literary works of the african continent. While the european perception of literature generally refers to written letters, the african concept includes oral literature or orature, in the term coined by ugandan scholar pio zirimu. Pl80008844 african languages and literature pl80008009 languages pl8009. Dec 28, 2011 the following is mainly based on the first chapter of ngugi s decolonising the mind.
African literature written in english is not only a literature of great variety and power it is also a literature of world importance, entitled to the most detailed and advanced linguistic and stylistic analysis. These writings have been collected in various publications. African literature has a long history stretching back over thousands of years. Obi wali has also come out strongly in his espousal of the use of african languages in the writing of african literary work. Within the framework of literature, the immediate advantage that writing offered to the african was the means to participate in the development of the prevailing literary genre. Simply click on the article titles to read the articles online for free until 30 june 20.
The politics of language in african literature, 1986. As literary works are cultural artifacts, the basic thinking is that, the use of colonial languages in african literature is a willing perpetuation of imperialism. African literature written in these european languages as an extension of european literature. In decolonizing the mind, ngugi wa thiongo discusses the. The essays gathered together in this book meet that demand by scrutinizing the language structures and narrative conventions used by some of the most prominent authors. Oral and written storytelling traditions have had a parallel development, and in many ways they have influenced each other. Beyond the language debate in postcolonial literature. Literature is a major art form through which people can exhibit their culture. South african language literatures by ntongela masilela the writing of african literatures in the african languages, rather than in the imperial and hegemonic english, was a historical project undertaken by the new african movement in the process of constructing modernity in south africa. He terms this category as afroeuropean literature that is, the literature written by africans in european languages, in the era of imperialism.
South african language literatures by ntongela masilela. Towards a multiplereading approach by nanga raymond raselekoane submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of doctor of literature and philosophy in the subject african languages at the university of south africa promoter. There are so many languages in africa, and most of them are not spoken by a very large number of people. The paradoxical primacy of european languages in african literatures necessitates another anomalythe inclusion of a separate chapter on literature in african languages.
He has also written extensively on the role of language and the relationship between literature, culture and politics. African literature and the politics of culture ix professor biakolo for allowing me to get away from teaching and from my position as chair of the mass media and writing department even when this was a difficult decision. Language as a cultural issue in africa today by ntongela masilela. The 1962 conference of african writers was a demonstration of this. Ngugis diverse body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, articles, essays, and poems, which. What is african literature history of african literature. African languages and african literature 118 was heated argument over the appropriate language of african literature. Ngugi wa thiongo is a worldrenowned kenyan writer, scholar, and social activist. Eric ej089935 the classification of african literature. Feb, 20 in his discourse on the language of african literature, ngugi wa thiongo makes the call to african writers to begin writing literature in their own languages, and to make sure that literature is connected to their peoples revolutionary struggles for liberation from their neocolonial contexts.
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