In this article, the topic of Cameroonian English will be addressed from different perspectives, with the aim of delving into its importance and relevance in today's society. Cameroonian English has been the subject of interest and debate in various areas of knowledge, and its influence is felt in different aspects of daily life. Throughout the article, various research and testimonies will be examined that will shed light on Cameroonian English, providing the reader with a broader and more detailed understanding of this topic. In addition, different approaches and opinions about Cameroonian English will be analyzed, in order to enrich the panorama and present a global vision of its scope and impact.
Cameroon English | |
---|---|
Region | Cameroon |
Native speakers | 17 million Anglophone Cameroonian (2011) |
Early forms | |
Latin (English alphabet) Unified English Braille | |
Official status | |
Official language in | Cameroon |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-1 | en |
ISO 639-2 | eng |
ISO 639-3 | eng |
Glottolog | came1256 |
IETF | en-CM |
Part of a series on the |
English language |
---|
Topics |
Advanced topics |
Phonology |
Dialects |
|
Teaching |
Cameroon English is an English dialect spoken predominantly in Cameroon, mostly learned as a second language. It shares some similarities with English varieties in neighbouring West Africa, as Cameroon lies at the west of Central Africa. It is primarily spoken in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon.
It is a postcolonial variety of English, long in use in the territory (Southern Cameroons, now split into Northwest and Southwest). Over the years, it has developed characteristic features, particularly in lexis but also in phonology and grammar. Those characteristics were once regarded as errors but are now increasingly accepted as distinctive Cameroonian contributions to the English language.
The phonemes /ɔː/, /ʌ/ and /ɒ/ tend to merge to /ɔː/, making "cot", "caught" and "cut" homophones. Similarly, "lock" and "luck" are pronounced alike. And "white-collar worker" sometimes becomes "white-colour worker" in Cameroon.
Characteristic turns of phrase in the country or local coinages:
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)