Cameroon is home to two Nilo-Saharan languages and four Ubangian tongues. I think it’s always interesting to look at the origins and interconnections of a country’s languages, and the language spoken in Cameroon is no exception. Many more are under threat (7% of Cameroon’s total languages) while others are neglected (10%). Languages such as Ekung and Mbiame simply have no native speakers left, having been usurped over the years by other tongues. According to the country’s national institute of statistics, 4% of the languages of Cameroon have become extinct since 1950. The country is classed as having a distinctive cultural density on the UNESCO linguistic world map, due to the 260 languages spoken by its 25 million inhabitants.Īs we’re seeing happen around the world, many of those indigenous languages are being lost. Language in Cameroon is an interesting topic of study. Putting the Languages of Cameroon Under the Microscope Between 19, the French and British ruled Cameroon as a colony divided between them, following a period of German colonial rule that stretched back to the 1880s (and during which time German was the official Cameroon language).ĭespite fighting fiercely for independence – and gaining it from the French in 1960 and the British in 1961 – Cameroon still maintains French and English as its only official languages. Why are the Cameroon official languages French and English? Due to colonisation. Suffice it to say for now that eight out of Cameroon’s ten regions are French-speaking, while just two are anglophone. I’ll talk more about the history and politics of that below. French is spoken by more Cameroonians than English is. What is the official language of Cameroon? There are actually two official languages: French and English. Shall we dive in? Is There an Official Cameroon Language? I’ll be answering all of the above and providing plenty more interesting Cameroon language facts along the way. That’s right, this week we’re putting the languages of Cameroon under the spotlight. What language do they speak in Cameroon? Is a Cameroon native language among the country’s official tongues? How many languages are spoken in Cameroon altogether?
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