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Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science

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ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2023.11.004

Valorization of Linguistic and Cultural Heritage Through Teaching: Case Study of the Wolof Language, Senegal

Adjaratou Oumar Sall

Laboratoire de Linguistique, IFAN-CAD, Senegal.

*Corresponding author: Adjaratou Oumar Sall

Published: December 21,2023

Abstract

In Senegal, as in most African countries, multilingualism is common. However, multilingual contexts vary from one geographical area to another and also differ in terms of stability. Languages never have the same status. Some languages are dominant in relation to others, and dominant languages can pose a threat to less dominant ones, potentially leading to their extinction. The loss of language is not only the loss of grammatical expressions and vocabulary, but also the loss of an entire cultural heritage. For several decades, strategies have been implemented to ensure the preservation of our language and cultural heritage. Unfortunately, many people do not take ownership of this heritage. On one hand, they may not fully understand what heritage is and its significance. On the other hand, information about our heritage is often communicated and written in foreign languages. Our languages are not only considered to be part of our heritage, but they must also serve as the tools through which speakers can embrace this heritage to ensure its preservation. Heritage elements must therefore have their rightful place in literacy materials for African languages. The purpose of this study is to advocate for a pedagogical shift away from the past by reviewing and ending a long tradition of education that has completely disregarded Senegal's cultural plurilingualism and our cultural and linguistic heritage. It emphasizes the importance of plurilingualism and the incorporation of students' languages into the school environment, along with their impact on the formation of cultural identity and creative potential. The study also emphasizes the significance of education in reinforcing identities in an increasingly diverse world.

Keywords

Intangible cultural heritage, didactisation, plurilingualism, cultural identity, sociocultural education

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How to cite this paper

Valorization of Linguistic and Cultural Heritage Through Teaching: Case Study of the Wolof Language, Senegal

How to cite this paper: Adjaratou Oumar Sall. (2023) Valorization of Linguistic and Cultural Heritage Through Teaching: Case Study of the Wolof Language, SenegalJournal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science7(11), 2166-2174.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2023.11.004