The Little Dictionary of the Nkpàg (Bafia) Language

A people or ethnic group defines itself, identifies itself, and is recognized among other peoples by its language, among other things. The sense of belonging to a social group, the perpetuation of its roots, and the development of its cultural identity begin with the acquisition of the mother language, a fundamental element and pillar of culture. Françoise Dolto, the famous French pediatrician and psychoanalyst who revolutionized the approach to childhood, said in 1985 that "for children, learning their mother languages means both establishing themselves as distinct individuals and identifying with a cultural space. "

 Mother languages in Africa are essential because they structure thought, reinforce identities, transmit cultures and traditional knowledge, and promote unity and social cohesion.

 Cameroon has historically adopted two official languages: French and English, which are taught in schools and enable communication between the different ethnic groups, each of which has a so-called “mother languages,” numbering approximately two hundred and forty (242) for the entire country.

 The demands of modern life and work pose a risk of abandoning these mother languages, which form the foundation of every people's cosmogony. Indeed, it is through mother languages that ancestral cultural values, traditions, and customs are faithfully transmitted, as certain words, expressions, and proverbs are difficult to translate and interpret with the same spiritual force.

 Young Cameroonian in general, and Nkpàg in particular, are abandoning their mother languages and some even feel ashamed to use them to express themselves. Some parents, on the other hand, consider themselves to be progressive and modern by speaking only French, English or any other foreign language to their children. If this phenomenon persists, to mention only the Nkpàg language, it, like many other African languages, is heading towards gradual extinction. This disappearance would mean the loss of what the Nkpàk fundamentally are : their history, their wisdom, their know-how and way of life, their pharmacopoeia, their visual and culinary arts, their philosophy of life ; in short, the loss of themselves : beings without roots. This observation does not only concern the Nkpàg  but most ethnic groups in Cameroon.

 The Cameroonian government has made the teaching of “National Languages and Cultures” compulsory in primary and secondary school curricula throughout the country, effective from the start of the 2016-2017 school year.

 The objectives of this government measure are to enable young people caught up in the whirlwind of Western cultures not to cut themselves off from their roots, to preserve their cultural heritage in the face of the threat of the disappearance of certain local languages, and to use this heritage as a lever for greater openness to other national cultures with a view to social cohesion.

 These objectives are undermined by :

 •         The lack of teaching tools ;

•         French and english, the two official languages that are prioritized for education ;

•         Parents who do not always have a good command of their mother languages, particularly those from the 1960s generation ;

•         The large number of living languages (242) in cameroon ;

•         The lack of training for teachers and their insufficient numbers.

 The Nkpàg language is not homogeneous. It varies greatly among the different sub-tribes that make up the Nkpàg people. One of these sub-tribes, the Koro, does not pronounce the letters “k” and “r,” for example. In the Kiki sub-tribe, the emphasis is on “i” rather than “e.”

 These differences are taken into account in the “small dictionary.” Each Nkpàg word or example is written using two spellings, the first using phonetic characters derived from the codification of Bantu languages and the second using French as the basis for the writing alphabet, to which most young Cameroonians are already accustomed.

 Much more than just a list of words, this project aims to be an immersive and lively experience:

 ·         Trilingual : To enable everyone, whether native speakers, researchers or curious individuals, to navigate with ease between the local and international spheres;

·         Illustrated : Because a picture is worth a thousand words, the illustrations pay tribute to the visual reality of Nkpàg culture, everyday objects and the natural environment;

·         Audio : The addition of audio support is essential. It allows you to hear the rhythm, tones and exact musicality of speech, thus ensuring accurate pronunciation.

 ‘The Little Dictionary of the Nkpàg Language’, the first module of the Nkpàg Platform, provides an initial response to the lack of teaching tools needed to learn and use the Nkpàg language. It is neither perfect nor complete. The editorial team expects Nkpàg children to correct it where necessary and to enrich it so that the Nkpàg language continues to be spoken by current and future generations.