Language as a Vehicle of Identity Heritage An Analysis of Unity in a Context of Linguistic Diversity in Cameroon

Résumé

The linguistic context of Cameroon is very rich and diverse with a multitude of languages spoken throughout the country. These languages serve as a means of communication for those who share them and two neighbouring ethnic groups may not understand each other on this basis. This state of affairs is likely to create clea-vages linked to apparent differences based on language; yet it should contribute to shaping the common identity of ethnic groups that are part of a large group such as the Sawa or the Sudanese-Sahelians. This observation guides the following analysis through the following questioning: How does language contribute to shaping the identity of a group or community? And how can linguistic multiplicity be harnessed to facilitate cultural unity? The theory that will structure this analysis is the cultu-ral approach to language, drawn from the work of Diki Kidiri. Through this ap-proach, he encourages the development of languages and the elements of heritage that surround them in order to consolidate the cultural unity of communities that have common identity values. This article is therefore structured in two main parts. The first part presents language as a vehicle of identity and heritage that is transmitted from one generation to the next; the second part presents strategies for com-bining languages to maximise the construction of cultural unity in Cameroon.