Abstract
Ghana is a multicultural country with more than sixty indigenous languages.1 Most Ghanaians are at least bilingual, many are multilingual2 and interact freely in more than two languages. On the one hand, multilingualism and multiculturalism may be viewed negatively, as such a pluralistic situation could retard development by breeding disunity and conflict. This may be because language ‘is an aspect of the soul and a constructive self-identification’ (Fishman, 1972: 44–5) and the most effective means of maintaining ethnic identity. On the other hand, ‘language barriers need not necessarily engender antagonism’ (Amonoo, 1989: 36): language can also promote unity in cultural diversity. This chapter firstly examines the policies which have hitherto been formulated to promote Ghanaian languages and whether this promotion has had, or can have, an impact on national unity and development. Secondly, it presents a case study of the achievements and conflicts surrounding these language policies with respect to the Dagara language.
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Bemile, S.K. (2000). Promotion of Ghanaian languages and its impact on national unity: the Dagara language case. In: Lentz, C., Nugent, P. (eds) Ethnicity in Ghana. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-62337-2_10
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