English in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Bibliographic Data

ID2269094
AuthorsLuanga Adrien Kasanga
Year2012
Volume31
Issue1
Pages48-69
Publication date2012-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueWorld Englishes (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0883-2919 • E-ISSN: 1467-971X
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-971x.2011.01732.x
OpenAlexW2144417067
LanguageEN
Citations received14
References cited45

D R Congo is an Expanding Circle space where English as a foreign language, mainly a school subject, has been used for special-purpose needs. However, spurred by the irrepressible globalization wind and the influx of foreign multinationals and fortune-seekers, its prestige has increased significantly. One result is its high visibility in the French-dominated linguistic landscape, mainly in advertising. While English in D R Congo's linguistic landscape is a growth area, its use in the main domains of socio-economic and political life remains infinitesimal. This paper discusses this apparent paradox and attempts to explain the motivations for the surging presence of English in one specific domain. It is a contribution to the study of how languages interact in their relevant social contexts and how they are selected for use. It also offers a glimpse into the under-documented presence of English in a strongly Francophone space of the African Expanding Circle

Democracy · Foreign language · Geography · Geopolitics · Globalization · Linguistic landscape · Linguistics · Political science · Politics · Prestige · Sociology · Subject (documents · Visibility · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Law · Multilingual Education and Policy · Second Language Learning and Teaching

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