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International Journal of English & Translation Studies

Journal homepage: http://www.eltsjournal.org

Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in [PP: 11-22] Fonka Hans Mbonwuh PK Fokam Institute of Excellence, Yaounde, Cameroon

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article History Anglo-Saxon campuses in the Francophone section of the country instruct The paper received their learners in . This paper examines the language used out of on: 30/04/2014 class by learners after receiving instructions in English in the classroom. Two Accepted after secondary and one higher institutes of learning, which have English as the peer-review on: language of instruction, were sampled. From the observation, which was 15/05/2014 conducted by silently monitoring pairs or groups of learners conversing with one Published on: another, it was discovered that the most spoken language by learners is French. 01/06/2014 French is just a subject in some of these institutions. The reason for French being highly spoken language on Anglophone campuses is the fact that more Keywords: Francophones attend these schools than Anglophones and Anglophones struggle Anglophones campus, to speak French rather than English since they believe that it is already their Francophones, language. The consequences of “frenchifying” the Anglophone campuses is that Language decline, spoken French is on the steady rise while spoken English is on the steady decline English language even among Anglophones on these campuses. This paper therefore proposes that learners, the use of English, out of the classroom, should be encouraged through Pidgin and Creole sensitization and rewards.

Suggested Citation: Fonka Hans M. (2014) Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in Cameroon. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 2(2), 11-22 Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org IJ-ELTS Volume: 2 Issue: 2 April-June, 2014

importance attached to English language in 1. Introduction almost every aspect in life is becoming so Depending on the context in which alarming as that used to be in education is carried out, students can start command, in some countries around the school already having two or more languages world, are losing to or sharing their authority in their linguistic repertoire. In a monolingual with English language. English language is situation, a situation which is not evident in commonly referred to as the global language any nation in the world, children may start (Crystal 2003; Zhu 2003:36; Smith 2005:56), school with only one language common to all the world’s lingua franca (Ngefac and Sala of them involved in the study. This is not the 2006:218; Mauranen 2009:1; Sewell 2009:37) case in multilingual situations where students because it is the widely, most spoken already command a number of languages language in the world today and a language before beginning school. The language used that links people with diverse languages. in school may not always be the language the Being the language of globalization, it also students used at home. This is the serves distinctively local needs and is used, in commonest linguistic scenario in countries various forms, as a local language among where English is used as a . locals (Higgins 2009). The study of English is Most children, who go to school, speak their not for the same purpose everywhere by vernaculars and only an insignificant different individuals. The reason for which it proportion of them speak English they are is studied determines the manner in which it expected to use on a daily basis in school. is studied. English, especially in the This view is elaborated by Schlepeggrell developing world, is used as a key to (2004) as follow: academic success, as a means of obtaining Language use is always socially and international job opportunities, as a way of culturally situated. What we learn and how facilitating international communication and we learn it depends on the contexts in as a medium for achieving global education which we learn. Not all students come to leading to global understanding (Ngwi school with the same background and ways 2001:2). of using language. School language tasks The use of language in Cameroon, are not familiar to all students from their especially in the school milieu is becoming experiences in their homes and more and more complex with many communities. For some children, the francophone Cameroonians embracing socialization contexts in which they have English education at the detriment of French participated have prepared them well for the ways of using language they encounter that was hitherto the rule. With this new at school. For many other children, trend, many schools that are opened in however, this is not the case. (P.04). cosmopolitan cities of Cameroon like This actually means that in the same Yaounde and Douala are either bilingual or class, one can find students who already can purely English to meet the growing demand. use the school language while others in that When one gets into a new locality, the most very class may not. If the students who have a significant thing that convinces one that the command over a particular language are environment has changed is the change in more than those of the other language, the language. In some cases, it may not be a tendency is that those who have command change in language but a change in the variety will control social discussions in school. The of language used. This used to be the case in Cite this article as: Fonka, Hans M. (2014) Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in Cameroon. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 2(2), 11-22 Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 12

IJ-ELTS Volume: 2 Issue: 2 April-June, 2014 the academic setting in Cameroon where one respectively. That in itself could be could immediately know that he was on the considered motivation for many students who campus of an anglophone school or would not have done the bilingual course had francophone school from the language it not been for the fact that they would move spoken around. New trends have set in out of the country. Given that it was never today, making it impossible to use Campus thought that English Medium schools would language as the identifying mark of the kind be of such great interest to francophones and of school one is in. French-medium schools of interest to It is generally understood that, unlike anglophones some day in the future, the rule today where schools do not reflect the for anglophone children was to attend regions in which they are found, schools in English-medium schools where they took up Cameroon, some ten to fifteen years ago, French as a compulsory subject, and very much represented the regions in which francophone children to go to French- they were situated linguistically. In the medium schools where English was a francophone regions, francophone schools compulsory subject (Kouega 2005:1201). were found in which French was the language In Cameroon today, Anglophone of instruction and a subject and English was schools can be found in the francophone used only as a class subject. In the regions as many as francophone schools, anglophone regions, anglophone schools although the reverse is not true for were found with English being the language francophone schools in the anglophone of instruction and a class subject and French regions. Only very few francophone schools only as a subject. Exceptionally for the are found in anglophone regions because promotion of bilingualism, bilingual schools anglophones are not embracing French with could be found in either section. There were the same spirit in which francophone really no pure French schools in the embrace English. The cities of Yaounde and anglophone regions and pure English schools Douala, being the political and economic in the francophone regions. Such schools at capitals respectively, are beaming with that time would not have yielded much increasing number of English schools as the because English, for example, was considered demand for English is steadily on the rise as the language of the “anglo” (a derogatory among French-speaking Cameroonians. term for anglophone), who were In terms of languages spoken in constitutionally equal to francophones but Cameroon daily for social interaction and for practically second class citizens in Cameroon. official purposes, English language is said to French, however, wielded a lot of influence be facing a great competition at both the since it was considered the language of higher front and the lower front (Kouega power. The advantages, ripped from 2002:93). At the lower front, it is competing language use, were looked at only within the with an English-based Cameroon pidgin that circumference of Cameroon. To perfect the is the most widely used language of social language of those in bilingual schools, interaction (Wolf 2000, Mbangwana 2004, especially in professional institutions like the Atechi 2011, Ubanako 2013) and at the Higher Teachers’ Training Schools (Ecole upper front, it is competing with French as Normale), which train bilingual teachers, described by Kouega (2002): students at the final year went to France and the other official language, which is Britain for anglophones and francophones dominant in tertiary level education, in the Cite this article as: Fonka, Hans M. (2014) Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in Cameroon. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 2(2), 11-22 Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 13

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media (where most newspapers as well as the study examines the decline of spoken most foreign radio and cable television English on the campuses of anglophone programmes are in it), in public places schools situated in the francophone regions (where respondents report overhearing of Cameroon. talks and reading notices in tongues other than English), and in the civil service 2. Literature Review (where most official correspondences are initiated in it). (P.93). 2.1 Linguistic Situation of Anglophone The dominance of French, in almost Schools in Cameroon every aspect of live in Cameroon, indicates The linguistic situation of schools in that it is the language of power in the context Cameroon is as complex in its of Cameroon and naturally had to attract multilingualism as that of the whole country. anglophones who would want to actively Ngefac (2011) adds his voice to that of Atechi participate in the life of the country. But the (2006) and others who have discussed the situation today is the contrary as the multilingual situation of Cameroon. He francophones are becoming more interested believes that “besides French and English as in English than anglophones do for French the country’s official languages, there are (Fonka, 2013). This shows that some approximately 280 indigenous languages” languages are naturally powerful such that (P.43). He equally makes mention of speakers, even of other languages, are Cameroon Pidgincreole, which he refers to attracted towards them. as Kamtok and . Anchimbe With this background, the present (2006) also reports that “in Cameroon, the paper investigates the language used on official languages, French and English, dictate anglophone campuses in Yaounde, using the standard for all education-related jobs, three schools, one University and two government employment, the media, secondary schools as a case study. The education, and are continuously encroaching schools here include PK Fokam Institute of into other spheres hitherto reserved for the Excellence, a University; Mario academic other languages"(P.97). This explains why the complex and English High School, secondary use of local languages is not common both in schools. All these schools have English as the anglophone and francophone schools in their language of instruction and French as a Cameroon. Even in situations, where the subject. In all of these schools, the use of local languages are considered important and other languages brought from home by the are taught in certain institutions or student, are not allowed in the classroom but departments like in the linguistic departments on campus. Exceptionally, Cameroon Pidgin in some Cameroon’s state Universities, no is banned from some of the campuses like particular local language is taught. Only issue Mario Academic complex because it is related to these local languages are taught in considered destructive to the use of English English or French, depending on the language. Most anglophone schools in lecturer. Thus, the language situation in Cameroon either directly or indirectly ban anglophone schools in Cameroon today the use of pidgin on their various campuses reflects the language trends in Cameroon in for the same reason already given terms of the use of official and local (Mbangwana 1983; Sala 2006; Fonka and languages and their perception. Atechi 2007; Simo Bobda 2001, 2009; Chia 2.2 Language use in school 2009; Fonka 2011; Atechi 2011). Therefore, Cite this article as: Fonka, Hans M. (2014) Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in Cameroon. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 2(2), 11-22 Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 14

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Language performs different functions especially in the case where they are from the including a means of communication, same village. He states that in anglophone expression and conceptualization (Seyoum schools in the cities, some children already 1997). These functions of language, as have English as their first language; some indicated here, do not seclude its use in have it as a second language while others, school. Seyoum further says that “once the mostly the francophones, have it as their functions and importance of languages are foreign language. With this kind of recognised, the choice of languages of multilingual setup, not everybody is education is often made on historical, comfortable with the language of school that political (nationalistic) and cultural grounds is not very familiar to all. Many continue as much as on the basis of pedagogical and using the languages brought from home for linguistic ones”(P.02). This works with the social interaction and use the school language language of the classroom that is regulated by only in class for academic purposes. This institutions and not the language of the presents a parallel situation to the one in campus that is determined by the speakers Malaysia where “those whose experience of themselves. Schlepeggrell (2004) defines English is confined to the school system school as a unitary construct that each rarely go on to use it in their daily life” classroom and each school has its own (Benson 1990:20). Although Benson (ibid) subculture and its own ways of using language terms those Malaysians, who speak English as for learning. She further points out that speakers by inclination and speakers of “school can also be conceptualized broadly English as a foreign language, their use of as the institutional framework in which English can be considered higher as they do children are socialized into ways of formal not only read English language newspapers, learning in our society”(P.05). The idea of listening to the English language 'Blue each school, having its own subculture and its Network' radio, watching English television own manner of using language, is quite clear news broadcasts, but equally use it in in anglophone schools in Cameroon where, conversations with friends and family. in most cases, classroom language is not The linguistic situation on campus language. Anglophone schools in the anglophone campuses in the francophone cities have a different linguistic setup to regions of Cameroon is determined by the anglophone schools in the villages. ratio of the population of the students who Fonka (2013:87-91) patently depicts speak which language as their primary this when he presents the use of English language of communication. Davis (1865), as language in anglophone schools in cited by Fairman (1999:24), advocated this Cameroon. He states that in anglophone rule when he asserts that, “the art of speaking schools in villages, English is commonly used and writing correctly is founded upon rules ... in conjunction with vernaculars whose usage [which] ‘may be altered at any time if the is encouraged over the use of Cameroon majority of literary persons so decide.’” This Pidgin. This is because most children start explains why the increasing population of school without any acquaintance with the students from the French-speaking school language which is English. The background, on the anglophone school language on campus, in such a case, is campuses in francophone regions, has undoubtedly the indigenous language that is changed the linguistic setup as examined in spoken by a majority of the children, the statistics on the different tables in this Cite this article as: Fonka, Hans M. (2014) Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in Cameroon. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 2(2), 11-22 Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 15

IJ-ELTS Volume: 2 Issue: 2 April-June, 2014 paper. The next section of this paper handles 3.2 Data Analysis, Results and Discussion data presentation and analysis. Many The data collected indicated that in the researchers hold that francophone three anglophone schools sampled; three Cameroonians are becoming interested in languages were dominant on campus - English language than ever before (Simo English, French and Cameroon Pidgin Bobda 2010), but no one has investigated the (Henceforth CPc). No vernacular and no language used on these anglophone Camfranglais (a mixture of English French, campuses today though subjective statements indigenous language and pidgin spoken by have been made stating the dominance of youths) were found. The absence of these French. two languages, especially Camfranglais, which is said to be common among youngsters 3. Methodology (Kouega 2003, Echu 2007), can be attributed 3.1 Data Collection to the following: The data for this study, as mentioned  Students are from diverse backgrounds earlier, was collected from three anglophone and therefore do not possibly have a schools in the central region; one of the eight common vernacular. French-speaking regions of Cameroon.  Some may be ashamed to speak their These schools include the lone Anglo-Saxon indigenous languages since students are in University in the French-speaking part of the habit of jeering when they hear a local Cameroon- PK Fokam Institute of language in a situation where it is not a Excellence and two secondary schools- Mario recognized school language. Academic Complex and English High Camfranglais is very common among School. All these schools are located in francophones and not the anglophones. Yaounde, the capital city of Cameroon and Though most of the students are of the one of the cosmopolitan cities in the country. francophone background, they are not In each school, a pair or a group of students francophones because they have carried out were monitored during recreation. In each all their studies in English and not French case, a student was tutored to move round and they spend much of their time with with an already prepared sheet of paper and anglophones who do not speak camfranglais. note the language used in interchanges by Since the students, collecting the data, did fellow students. A student was used because not have to stay for long with a group, they students have the tendency of switching to a did not take notice of camfranglais since it is recommended school language when they highly made up of French lexifiers. see a teacher, especially if the language they From the survey carried out, it was were using is considered not good for the found that at PK Fokam Institute of school environment. This was done without excellence, the only anglophone University in drawing the attention of the students to the this survey, out of the thirty groups exercise so as to avoid pretentious habits that monitored, only English and French were the are common, especially on campuses where languages on campus. However, English is some languages are not allowed. In order to almost inexistent as almost all the students have a balance study, thirty groups of carry out their discussions in French. This is students were examined in each school, contrary to the classroom scenario where giving a total of 90 pairs or groups of English language is both a subject and a students. language of instruction. One would have Cite this article as: Fonka, Hans M. (2014) Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in Cameroon. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 2(2), 11-22 Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 16

IJ-ELTS Volume: 2 Issue: 2 April-June, 2014 expected English to dominate the scene. This for the majority to speak the language of the directly indicates that the University itself is minority if strict measures are taken. Of the an anglophone institution in theory but thirty groups or pairs of students monitored, francophone in practice as students seem six were observed discussing in English, resistant to change. sixteen in French and eight in CPc making Table: 1 Language use on the campus of PK Fokam up 20% , 53.33 % and 26.67 % respectively. Institute of Excellence English, which is the language of instruction, Language French English Pidgin Total is the lowest of the spoken languages on /Creole Pairs 26 04 / 30 campus while French is first. It should be /groups of noted that in this school, pidgin is out rightly students banned with placards such as “No pidgin on Percentage 6.67 13.33 / 100 campus” found at strategic corners of the Out of the thirty groups or pairs of school. The continuous presence of CPc, students monitored, four used English and however, shows that posters are not padlocks twenty six used French, giving 13.33% and that obstruct people from speaking the 86.67% respectively. The high rate of spoken language they are most comfortable with. French on the campus of this school is Table: 2 Language use on the campus of Mario indicative of the ratio of French students to Academic Complex English students. Though an anglophone Language French English Pidgin Total /Creole school, where all the lectures are in English, Pairs 16 06 08 30 the language on campus presents a picture of /groups of a francophone campus. This is very true in students the sense that a crushing majority of the Percentage 3.33 20 26.67 100 students in this University come from the The appearance of French, as the most francophone background, a common scene spoken language on the campus, shows that in anglophone schools in the major English language, which is used to be the Francophone cities in Cameroon (Fonka norm on Anglophone campuses, has 2013). No trace of CPc was found on the declined, giving its position to French. campus of this school because there are very The situation at English High School, few anglophones who can initiate the use of the last case study, presents nothing divergent pidgin. It should be noted that Pidgin is not a from what has been already examined in the day-to-day language among francophones but two cases. The language situation on campus a bridge language to create intelligibility. is quite analogous to that obtained at Mario The second case study was at Mario Academic Complex where three languages, Academic Complex which is a secondary English French and CPc are in use. Though school that is purely English-speaking with all a colossal sign board with the inscription staff anglophones. Fonka (2013) found out “English High School” welcomes you as you that in this school, there are more approach the campus, the language that francophones than anglophones in terms of welcomes you first or that you will hear student population, but what he did not frequently is French as indicated in table investigate was the language use out of the three. classroom. Although the language use on Table: 3 Language use on the campus of English High campus is greatly influenced by the School, Yaounde population of students, there is a possibility Cite this article as: Fonka, Hans M. (2014) Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in Cameroon. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 2(2), 11-22 Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 17

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Language French English Pidgin Total CPc. This does not mean that francophones /Creole speak only to francophones while Pairs 18 06 06 30 anglophones speak only to anglophones. The /groups of students following situations can be brought out Percentage 60 20 20 100 resulting to the language spoken on English language is spoken by six out anglophone school campuses: of the thirty groups of students monitored,  Anglophones in these schools, who French by eighteen and pidgincreole by six, understand and speak French, will speak giving 20 per cent, 60 per cent and 20 per in French with those from the French- cent correspondingly. Interestingly here, speaking background. The advantage the English language and CPc are used equally latter has over the former is that they can on campus while French maintains the lead speak both French and English when they as the most spoken language. want to, but they are comfortable in 3.3 Findings French, giving rise to the high percentage It should be noted that francophones of French on campus. are not found only in the few schools used as  Anglophones, who cannot speak French, sample. All anglophone schools in the will communicate with francophones in francophone zones, especially in English since the latter can speak both cosmopolitan cities are experiencing rapid English and French. rise in the population of students of French  Anglophones and anglophones, that is, all expression. Though this looks good as it from anglophone backgrounds will be at increases the number of bilinguals, it does ease in Cameroon pidgincreole and in not go well with spoken English because it is English. compellingly giving its place to French. In The chart below presents the linguistic general terms, French is the spoken language situation on the campus of anglophone on the campuses of anglophone schools in schools in the francophone region. It shows the francophones regions in Cameroon as that when two francophones meet, they speak table four shows. French, a francophone and an anglophone Table: 4 Language use on Anglophone school will speak either French or English while two campuses anglophones will speak either English or Language French English Pidgin Total CPc. Logically, the percentage of students, /Creole Pairs 60 16 14 90 who speak English, and those who speak /groups of Pidgin/creole give us an idea of the students population of students from the anglophone Percentage 66.67 17.78 15.55 100 background and those from the francophone A total of ninety groups or pairs of background. Though some anglophone students were monitored as they spoke with students from the anglophone background one another on campus and the results speak French with those from the indicate that sixteen groups spoke in English francophone background, the number, in my language, 60 in French and 14 in CPc. This, observation, is not large. of course, shows that 17.78 percent of Figure: 1 Linguistic situation on anglophone campuses students, who attend anglophone schools, in Francophone regions communicate in English out of the class, 60 per cent in French and 15.55 per cent in Cite this article as: Fonka, Hans M. (2014) Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in Cameroon. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 2(2), 11-22 Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 18

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The study of English in anglophone schools in the urban cities of Cameroon has actually confronted changing realities of life. This has brought with it the following implications:  The linguistic situation in anglophone schools, that use to be highly CPc and The chart shows that more English and then English language, is now French, French is spoken than CPc. However, the English and CPc. Other languages like the English and the French spoken are vernacular and Camfranglais, not asymmetrical because students of French- mentioned in this study, are spoken to a speaking background make up a majority of less significant degree. the school population. This kind of linguistic  English language moves from a day-to-day situation is not without implications. The language to a situational language among next section examines the implication of this those who consider themselves new linguistic trend in Cameroon. anglophones.  The francophone variety of English risks 4. The Implications of French Dominance being the norm in Cameroon with their on Anglophone campuses huge population. If this happens, it means anglophones have no commanding power English, as pointed out earlier, is a in the linguistic setup of Cameroon since global language which is steadily growing in they are not studying French. influence as many countries, especially those  Anglophone schools in the francophone of the extending circle, are embracing it. In regions of Cameroon have become Cameroon, francophones are learners of anglophone schools of French expression. English as a foreign language thus, according This, however, does not result to attrition to Kachru’s (1986) concentric circle; they are which, in De Bot’s (2001) words, as cited members of the extending or expanding in Clyne (2003 :5), is “language knowledge circle. Their interest in learning English loss over time… decline of language skills language has not been the result of any force in individuals and groups”. or special motivation by the government; they Anglophones still have their skill to speak have simply been caught by the global fever  their language though French, by virtue of of English being the language of its greater number of speakers, opportunities in the world. This is certainly is overshadows English. the reason Haggins (2009) holds that: On the one hand, language studies need to This situation may also mean that confront the changing realities of urban these students are simply forced by their life, with mobility, shifting populations, parents to learn a language they do not feel social upheaval, health and climate crises, comfortable with. They would probably have increased access to diverse media, chosen French schools if their opinions were particularly forms of popular culture, and sought before sending them to anglophone new technologies. On the other hand, schools. Cameroon Pidgin/creole, which language studies are confronted by the used to be the major rival of English language growing concern that we need to rethink on anglophone campuses, has also declined, the ways in which language has been giving its place to French which is now the conceptualized. (P: ix). main language of communication. Cite this article as: Fonka, Hans M. (2014) Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in Cameroon. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 2(2), 11-22 Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 19

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out of the class also such that if other 5. Conclusion languages should be used, which is always the This study examined the language case, the main language of instruction should used on the campuses of anglophone schools dominate. in Cameroon. It is very clear that English About the Author: language is gradually leaving the anglophone Fonka Hans M. is a lecturer at PK Fokam schools and giving its place to French as Institute of Excellence, Yaounde – Cameroon more and more students from the and a visiting lecturer at Madonna University- francophone background become interested Okija, . He holds a PhD in in anglophone schools in Cameroon. Sociolinguistics from the University of Yaounde. Something needs to be done to reverse this His research interest includes studies in contact trend as anglophone schools cannot, at the languages, especially Pidgins and creoles and same time, become French campuses. This language learning and teaching. does not mean stopping students from the francophone backgrounds from attending anglophone schools; it simply has to do with Works Cited enforcing the language meant for the Anchimbe, E. (2006). Functional Seclusion and anglophone institutions to be used both in the Future of Indigenous Languages in class and out of class. This should be done Africa: The Case of Cameroon. In John by encouraging and not by forcing or Mugane et al, eds. Selected Proceedings punishing. This has been going on in an of the 35th Annual Conference on African Linguistics. Somerville, MA: increasing measure because it is considered Cascadilla Proceedings Project, 94-103. normal and nobody really cares about the Atechi, S. (2006). Intelligibility of native and non- language used out of the classroom. Research native English speech: A comparative has proved that speaking and listening allows analysis of Cameroon English and children to ‘organise and rehearse ideas in American and . Göllingen: advance of putting them on paper’ and it is a Cuvillier Verla. key factor in securing successful learning” ______. ( 2011). Is Cameroon Pidgin (Scott 2009:4). The speaking aspect, which is flourishing or dying? English Today. missing in these students, should be 27(3), 30-34. encouraged since it affects even performance Atechi, S. and Hans, F. (2007). Pidgin English as in class. Students, especially those from a Lingua Franca in Cameroon. In Papers in English & Linguistics (PEL), Vol. 7&8, French backgrounds, who make good use of 40-55. spoken English, should be rewarded so that it Benson, P. (1990). A language in decline? In can serve as motivation to others. It should English today 24. Cambridge: Cambridge be borne in mind that their different out-of- University Press, 19-23. school experiences with language affect their Chia, E. (2009). “Further developments in knowledge about expectations for language Cameroon Pidgin English. In Annals of use at school (Schleppegrell 2009:24). There the Faculty of Arts Letters and Social is increase in this trend because French is Sciences”. Festschrift in Honour of one of the official languages in Cameroon Professor Paul Mbangwana. Yaounde: and it is considered normal for it to be used Les Grandes Editions, 39-50. anywhere and anyhow. To sum up, the Clyne, M. (2003). Dynamics of Language Contact: English and Immigrant languages used in class should be encouraged Cite this article as: Fonka, Hans M. (2014) Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in Cameroon. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 2(2), 11-22 Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 20

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Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge Cohen, Kara T. McAlister, Kellie University Press. Rolstad, and Jeff MacSwan, eds. Crystal, D. (2003). English as a Global Language. Proceedings of the 4th International 2ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Symposium on Bilingualism. Somerville, Press MA: Cascadilla Press, 1201-1210. Echu, G. (2006). Cultural Dynamism and Mauranen, A. (2009). Introduction. In Anna Language Contact. In: TRANS. Internet- Mauranen and Elina Ranta, eds. English Zeitschrift für Kulturwissenschaften. as a Lingua Franca: Studies and Findings. No. 16/2005. WWW: Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge http://www.inst.at/trans/16Nr/01_5/ec Scholars Publishing, 1-7. hu_bericht_16.htm. Accessed on Mbangwana, P. (1983). The Scope and Role of February 13, 2011 Pidgin English in Cameroon. In Edna, Fairman, T. (1999). Schooled and open Koenig et CHIA, Emmanuel and Englishes. In English Today 57, Vol. 15, POVEY, John, eds. The Sociolinguistic No. 1. Cambridge: Cambridge University Profile of Urban Centres in Cameroon. Press, 24-30. Los Angeles: Crossroads Press, 79-92. Fonka, H. (2011). Cameroon Pidgin English: ______. ( 2004). Pidgin English in Evolution in Attitudes, Functions and Cameroon: a veritable linguistic Menu. Varieties. An unpublished PhD In Echu, George and OBENG, S. G., Thesis. University of Yaounde I. eds, .Africa Meets Europe: Language in ______. ( 2013). A Second and Foreign . Nova Science Publishers, Language Class: a New Challenge to Inc, 23-44. Teachers of English as A Second Ngefac, A. (2011). When the Blind Lead the Language in Cameroon. In Labang, Blind: the Fallacy of Promoting Standard Oscar, ed. Journal of English Language British English Accent in Cameroon. In Literature and Culture (JELLiC). Vol. 2, Journal of Language Teaching and No. 1. Miraclaire Publishing LLC : Research, Vol. 2, No. 1. Finland: Kansas City, 81-104. Academy Publisher, 40-44. Jeff, G. (1997). Global English Invades Poland. Ngefac, A. and Sala, B. (2006). Cameroon Pidgin In English Today 50, Vol. 13, No. and Cameroon English at a confluence: Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, A real-time investigation. In English 34-39. World-Wide 27:2. John Benjamins Higgins, C. (2009). English as a Local Language: Publishing, 217–227. Post-colonial Identities and Ngwi, G. (2011). Student Perceptions of English Multilingual Practices. Salisbury, UK: as a Developmental Tool in Cameroon. Techset Composition Ltd. In Hywel Coleman. ed. Dreams and Kachru, B. (1986). The Alchemy of English. Realities: Developing Countries and the Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. English Language. London: British Kouega, J.P. (2002). Uses of English in Southern Council,1-25 British . In English World- Sala, B. (2006). Does Cameroonian English have Wide 23:1. John Benjamins Publishing grammatical norms? In English Today Company, 93–113. 88, Vol. 22, No. 4. Cambridge : ______. (2003). Camfranglais: A Novel Slang in Cambridge University Press, 59-64. Cameroon Schools. In English Scott, C. (2009). Teaching Children English as an Today 74, Vol.19, No. 2. Cambridge: Additional Language. New York: Cambridge University Press. Routledge. ______. (2005). The Effects of French on Schleppegrell, M. (2004). Language of English L2 in Cameroon. In James Schooling: A Functional Linguistics Cite this article as: Fonka, Hans M. (2014) Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in Cameroon. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 2(2), 11-22 Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 21

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Perspective. Mahwah, New : ______.(2010). Cameroon: which language, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates when and why? In A. Kirkpatrick, ed. Sewell, A. (2009). , English as a The Routledge Handbook of World Lingua Franca, and the case of Hong Englishes. London &New York: Kong English. In English Today, 97. Roudledge, 653-670. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Smith R. (2005). Global English: gift or curse? In 37-43. English Today 82, Vol. 21, No. 2 Seyoum, H. (1997). The Language of Education Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, in Africa: The Key Issues. In Language, 56-62. Culture and Curriculum, Vol. 10. No. 1, Ubanako, V. (2013). Ownership of Pidgin 1997, 1−13. English in Cameroon: Evidence from an Simo-Bobda, A. (2001). Verifying Statuses and Informal Setting. In Akinmade Akande Perceptions of English in Cameroon: A and Rotimi Taiwo, eds. Contact Diachronic and Synchronic Analysis. In Linguistics in Africa and Beyond. Nova TRANS. Internet Zeitschrift für Science Publisher, 101-114. Kulturwissenchaften. N° 11. Wolf, H G. (2001). English in Cameroon. Berlin: www.http://www.inst.at/trans/11Nr/bobda Mouton de Gruyter 11.htm. visited on 22nd August 2006. Zhu, H. (2003). Globalization and new ELT ______. (2009). “Keynote Paper”. In Annals of challenges in China. In English Today the Faculty of Arts Letters and Social 76, Vol. 19, No. 4. Cambridge: Sciences. Festschrift in Honour of Cambridge University Press, 36-41. Professor Paul Mbangwana. Yaounde: Les Grandes Editions,17-26.

Cite this article as: Fonka, Hans M. (2014) Decline in spoken English on Anglophone campuses in the Francophone Regions in Cameroon. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 2(2), 11-22 Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 22