Language ideologies in contexts of small-scale multilingualism - Repertoires, language attitudes and use in Lower Fungom (Cameroon)

Aug 27, 2026

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The sociolinguistic study examines language ideologies—beliefs about language and social relationships—and how they shape repertoires, language attitudes, and language use in Lower Fungom, a setting of small-scale multilingualism in Northwest Cameroon. It addresses gaps in prior urban-focused work and in rural research methods, including adaptation of sociolinguistic instruments such as questionnaires and matched-guise tests. Using ethnographic approaches and mixed tools (questionnaires, matched-guise test, documentation, participant observation), data from Lower Fungom villages clarify interlinked patterns across multiple levels of analysis.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages349

Reading Time14 h 39 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Dedication and Acknowledgements

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Abstract

Research focus

Methods and data collection

Findings

Language ideologies in contexts of small-scale multilingualism: Repertoires, language attitudes and use in Lower Fungom (Cameroon) By Angiachi Demetris Esene Agwara A thesis submitted to the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS), University of Bayreuth, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Dr. Phil.) in African Linguistics Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Gabriele Sommer Mentor: Dr. Pierpaolo Di Carlo Mentor: PD. Dr. Anchimbe Eric Dedication and Acknowledgements Dedication To my parents: Agwara Godfred Esene and Anyangwe Regina Anwi for their selfless support. To my children: Ryan Esene and Zayne Esene, you motivate me. Acknowledgements This work was funded at various stages. The Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies mainly for field research, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) through a Doctoral Research Scholarship, and the National Science Foundation Grant for fieldwork and conferences. Special thanks go to Mr. Simon Njing, Evelyne Chu, Scholarstica Meh, and Christopher Ikom for their immense assistance towards logistical challenges, introductions to chiefs and consultants of the LF villages. Evelyne assisted greatly in preparing meals and fetching water. I would also appreciate the one-hundred and ninety consultants who facilitated my work by making themselves available for data gathering. They have greatly contributed to this work. Heartfelt thanks to my mentors: Prof. Dr. Gabriele Sommer, Dr. Pierpaolo Di Carlo, and PD. Dr. Eric Anchimbe for their guidance and support. To my main supervisor, Prof. Dr. Gabriele Sommer, for your patience, understanding, support especially during the corona pandemic and helpful suggestions for improvements in this work. To Dr. Pierpaolo Di Carlo, knowing you for over eight years created a platform for discussing ideas as well as ensuring a steady academic growth. He provided hundreds of suggestions and literature that was indeed helpful for the advancement of this project. In addition, to PD. Dr. Eric Anchimbe for providing me with literature and counsel in handling cultural differences once I arrived in Germany. I needed mental stability to push forward this thesis. A word of thanks equally to Prof. Dr. Atindogbé Gratien for his pertinent advice. I also thank my collaborators Nelson Tsongnam, Marius Kum Angela Nsen Tem for creating a cordial atmosphere in an environment that was quite foreign to us. At the end of the day, we will retire to our base in Abar and share jokes while transferring our files recorded for the day. I remain grateful to my statistician, Philip Aboluwade for taking out time to explain some statistical notions and generating some inferential statistical results. To Claduis Ebaneck, Anga Esene, Ambu Esene, Nelson Esene, and Herbert Ngayi, I appreciate your constant calls to keep body and mind moving. Adama Drabo, Larissa Mbobda, Adeyemi Balogun, Oladapo Ajayi and Yvette Ngum thank you for the stimulating academic conversations we had during lunch breaks, summer outings etc. There are so many other people to thank, and I just know I will forget someone… Abstract The present sociolinguistic study focuses on language ideologies, which are any set of beliefs about language and social relationships. It investigates how language ideologies shape repertoires, language attitudes, and language use in the Lower Fungom area, said to be a context of small-scale multilingualism in Northwest Cameroon. Moreover, the vast majority of studies conducted in urban spaces and outside Africa obscures a fuller understanding of sociolinguistic dynamics in rural areas that also enjoy considerable linguistic diversity and individual multilingualism. For instance, there is a lack of prominence concerning more rural-oriented research methods and data types, particularly in the adaptation of sociolinguistic tools, such as questionnaires and the matched-gui

FAQs

What does the study investigate about language in Lower Fungom?

It investigates how language ideologies shape multilingual repertoires, language attitudes, and language use in Lower Fungom.

Which research tools were used to collect data?

The study used questionnaires, a culturally adapted matched-guise test, sociolinguistic documentation, and participant observation within an ethnographic approach.

What was revealed about multilingual repertoires and language attitudes?

Multilingual repertoires develop beyond diglossic models and reflect speakers’ relationships with others; language attitudes are shaped mainly by considerations rather than stereotypical categorisations.

Aug 27, 2026

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