Kingsly Fuchi Nsom
University of Buea, Molyko, Buea, Cameroon

Part of the book: Bilingualism and its Benefits

Abstract

This study examines the historical and contemporary methods of integration and belonging by migrants from the Anglophone regions of Cameroon to the Francophone regions of the same country. The two contact zone towns chosen in this study are Mbanga and Mbouda, which are all in the French-speaking part of Cameroon (Pratt 1991, 33-40). These towns had been witnessing an influx of a high proportion of Anglophones since both French and English Cameroons got their independence in 1960 and 1961, respectively from France and Britain. The English-speaking migrants crossing into the French-speaking areas had to struggle to adapt to their new settlements and their host too had to open up and accept them. One major difficulty had been the issue of language until a broken English and French language was adopted in what is commonly called “Mbouda French” or “Mbanga French” or “FrancAnglais” in contemporary Cameroon. Thus, this study seeks to evaluate the culture of belonging and integration among Francophones and Anglophones in these selected areas via the use of this social binder language that overshadows that of English and French as promoted by the government’s official bilingual policy.

Keywords: bilingualism, translingualism, migration, integration and belonging

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