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Accepted Paper:
Constraints in the digitization of African languages: a case study of two selected Nigerian languages.
Godwin Iwuchukwu
(University of Calabar, Nigeria)
Idongesit Eyakndue
(University of Calabar)
Rita Iwuchukwu
(University of Calabar, Nigeria)
Global scholars in African Studies aim to utilize the current global interest in African cultural productions to boost the digitalization of African languages. This paper highlights constraints, focusing on two indigenous Nigerian languages
Paper long abstract:
There is a burning desire by scholars of African studies as well as other global scholars of African descent to leverage on the recent cultural productions from Africa enjoying unprecedented level of attention globally, to increase the digitalization of African Languages.There has been concerted efforts in this direction in different countries and institutions across Africa. This no doubt is without serious constraints that have hindered the actualization of these goals. This paper seeks to draw from the case studies of two indigenous Nigerian languages to reveal a number of such constraints. The objective is to draw global support and collaboration to increase the access of at least official African languages by all users and learners We shall adopt quantitative and qualitative methods to show the challenges controlling the African languages in the process of their being digitalized as well as current efforts in the process. Insights will equally be drawn from relevant works of scholars on other African languages. Seeing the place of Africa in the global affairs as well as her languages being among the most widely spoken in the world, the work tend to reveal that digitizing African languages is one way of closing the linguistic gap or in balance between Africa and the rest of the world. It is one way of tackling linguistic imperialism which Iwuchukwu (2005) have shown to be among the basic reasons of Africa's undevelopment.It further shows that better understanding of Africa may also be achieved through the digitalization of her indigenous languages.