The African writer between two languages: reflections of a toubab

The choice of language for literary creation is not a simple one, especially for African writers. Having grown up in a naturally multilingual environment and exposed to European languages, they often express themselves in the language of former colonizers. However, this is neither obvious nor shoul...

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Main Author: Ewa Kalinowska
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Vilnius University Press 2023-11-01
Series:Literatūra (Vilnius)
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/literatura/article/view/33688
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author Ewa Kalinowska
author_facet Ewa Kalinowska
author_sort Ewa Kalinowska
collection DOAJ
description The choice of language for literary creation is not a simple one, especially for African writers. Having grown up in a naturally multilingual environment and exposed to European languages, they often express themselves in the language of former colonizers. However, this is neither obvious nor should it remain a definitive choice for authors from various African countries. We will present different motivations, attitudes, and decisions of several writers; from the most radical, rejecting the European language, to others who hold onto it – either exclusively or accompanied by African languages.
format Article
id doaj-art-c527c2c7365c47e6932f26afe06b91ca
institution Kabale University
issn 0258-0802
1648-1143
language deu
publishDate 2023-11-01
publisher Vilnius University Press
record_format Article
series Literatūra (Vilnius)
spelling doaj-art-c527c2c7365c47e6932f26afe06b91ca2025-02-11T18:16:35ZdeuVilnius University PressLiteratūra (Vilnius)0258-08021648-11432023-11-0165410.15388/Litera.2023.65.4.3The African writer between two languages: reflections of a toubabEwa Kalinowska0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8251-2696Université de Varsovie The choice of language for literary creation is not a simple one, especially for African writers. Having grown up in a naturally multilingual environment and exposed to European languages, they often express themselves in the language of former colonizers. However, this is neither obvious nor should it remain a definitive choice for authors from various African countries. We will present different motivations, attitudes, and decisions of several writers; from the most radical, rejecting the European language, to others who hold onto it – either exclusively or accompanied by African languages. https://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/literatura/article/view/33688African literaturelanguage of artistic expressionAfrican languagesEuropean languages
spellingShingle Ewa Kalinowska
The African writer between two languages: reflections of a toubab
Literatūra (Vilnius)
African literature
language of artistic expression
African languages
European languages
title The African writer between two languages: reflections of a toubab
title_full The African writer between two languages: reflections of a toubab
title_fullStr The African writer between two languages: reflections of a toubab
title_full_unstemmed The African writer between two languages: reflections of a toubab
title_short The African writer between two languages: reflections of a toubab
title_sort african writer between two languages reflections of a toubab
topic African literature
language of artistic expression
African languages
European languages
url https://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/literatura/article/view/33688
work_keys_str_mv AT ewakalinowska theafricanwriterbetweentwolanguagesreflectionsofatoubab
AT ewakalinowska africanwriterbetweentwolanguagesreflectionsofatoubab