Les pratiques langagières des familles d’origine francophone à Accra

Abstract

This paper reveals the language practices of families in which the parents are francophone migrants who have settled in Accra, Ghana. We observe the interplay of languages in four selected families and the linguistic choices made by the parents, as well as the effects of these linguistic choices on the children. Beyond the language practices in the home, we consider the effects of the other linguistic spaces that the members of the family have to deal with on a daily basis. This study is not one to be generalised but the aim is to present a conscientious observation of the particularity of each family concerning linguistic convictions, language and identity and the perception of the importance of pre-migratory and post-migratory languages. We observe that the families act differently with regards to maintaining pre-migratory languages and often the ‘Mother Tongue’ is sacrificed for the English and French languages which are considered to have economic value, while the local languages are rather seen to have an emotive value.