How did colonization affect languages?

During colonization, colonizers usually imposed their language onto the peoples they colonized, forbidding natives to speak their mother tongues. Many writers educated under colonization recount how students were demoted, humiliated, or even beaten for speaking their native language in colonial schools.

Why do so many African countries have French as an official language?

The French language was brought to the African continent through colonialism. During the 1950s and 60s, France and Belgium lost control of their African colonies, however, French is still spoken in at least 29 African countries. There is so much to learn about this magnificent continent!

When did Africans start speaking French?

As a result of French and Belgian colonialism from the 16th century onward, French was introduced to new territories in the Americas, Africa and Asia. Most second-language speakers reside in Francophone Africa, in particular Gabon, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritius, Senegal and Ivory Coast.

Why do you think nations rarely went back to their original language after being colonized?

Two factors have especially protected the indigenous languages from being driven out by European languages: 1) the indigenous populations have remained numerically quite superior to the colonizers; 2) the overwhelming majority of them have formed a proletariat that has barely assimilated the external values brought by …

How European colonization caused the spread of European languages?

European languages are spoken across the globe, thanks mostly to a history of imperialism. As European empires conquered regions of the world, they introduced their tongues both as languages of administration and as parts of cultural conquests meant to convert native peoples into Europeans.

Why are there so many francophone countries?

Many colonies gained independence after World War One and France still had a strong influence in some countries in Africa and South East Asia up until the 1960s. A result of the colonial era is that many countries still use French as a national language, even though they are no longer ruled by France.

How many francophone countries do we have in Africa?

French in Africa: 29 Countries Where French is Spoken. French is the official language of 21 countries in Africa.

How many francophone countries are there?

29 countries
The 29 countries are, in alphabetical order: Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, the Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, France, Haiti, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Monaco, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo and Vanuatu.

How many francophone countries are there in the world where French is the official language?

French is recognized as an official language in 29 countries around the world, listed below in descending order of the number of people speaking the language. Most of the French-speaking countries are part of La Francophonie, and many of them are former French colonies.

Why are there so many Francophone countries?

How many countries are francophone?

Which countries in Africa have French as their official language?

For example, France and Belgium controlled large parts of West Africa, and consequently those nations now have French as one of their official languages.

Where do most French speaking countries come from?

Geographically, a large chunk of French speaking countries come from West and Central Africa. This high number in West Africa is explained by the history of colonization in Africa. For example, France and Belgium controlled large parts of West Africa, and consequently those nations now have French as one of their official languages.

Why are there so many languages spoken in West Africa?

This high number in West Africa is explained by the history of colonization in Africa. For example, France and Belgium controlled large parts of West Africa, and consequently those nations now have French as one of their official languages.

Is French-speaking South Africa lagging behind in SSA?

French-speaking SSA is lagging behind English-speaking Africa, even without the weight of South Africa.