Applied Linguistics in Africa

This article reviews the main issues surrounding applied linguistic work in Africa in the 21st century, moving from a consideration of the ideological positions underlying language policies, to the practical problems of implementation. It examines multilingualism in relation to the role of the excolonial languages, and the implications this holds for African language development. It also considers various initiatives taken by African governments and organizations to foster language development. The article also considers the status quo in the learning and teaching of both African and Western languages, including the question of standards. This leads to a discussion of academic literacy at tertiary level, and, finally, to the crucial question of basic literacy.