Language Use in the African Union(AU): A Sociolinguistic Study

This research is a sociolinguistic study of language use in the African Union(AU). It has four chapters. Chapter one attempted to briefly discuss the profile of African and foreign languages in the Union. Here, it is shown that African languages have been at a great disadvantage from becoming the media of continental affairs while foreign languages are enjoying their linguistic expansion. In the past, slave trade, colonial occupation, neo-colonial interference and now globalization have all played against the development of African languages and cultures. In chapter two, an attempt is made to observe the language use situation of the AU historically. Though the question of language use has become central after the establishment of OAU, it was not of course satisfactorily recognized and answered. In chapter three, data analysis and discussion are presented. The data is interpreted based on the attitudes of: African Union officials and workers, Embassy personnel of African countries in Addis Ababa and African intellectuals. Finally, the conclusion, the summary of major findings and recommendations are represented in chapter four.