Senegal is a country where three great civilizations came together: black

African, Arab-Islamic and western French. This situation leads to a cultural and
a linguistic diversity, a melting pot of people and languages which impacts
daily life, administration and education within the country.
The first people living in Senegal were of various ethnicities that formed small
and large
kingdoms. The arrival of Arabs in the fifth century marked the beginning of a
new
communication channel and the trans-Saharan trade. With Arab traders, Islam
was spread
out in the country and Arabic became a language of worship. Its geographical
situation on
the Atlantic coast explains how the first European adventurers landed since
the fifteenth
century. The country has got such a big linguistic diversity with different
ethnic groups, each
with their own language. As of today, twenty languages have the status of
national
language, including the six most widely spoken languages and most
important are the
Wolof, Fulani (Al-pular), Sereer, Diola, Malinke, and Soninke. (Leclerc, 2003;
Berdal-Masuy,
1998).
The most spoken language is Wolof, which is the lingua franca of the country,
spoken by at
least 90% of the population. Originally, Wolof (ethnic group) were agricultural
people, the
Murid (*) from the north representing around 40% of the total population. Also
Lebous (7%),
another ethnic group from the north, populated by fishermen, are now quite
"wolofisés" (*).
After independence in 1960, these ethnic groups, mostly Muslims, have
managed to gain
power and impose Wolof as the national language. We find that this explains
in part the
success of Wolof today in the country. (ref)
The origins of language policy in Senegal today are in the country's history.
Senegal, a
melting pot of different peoples and languages, was unified into a single state
bit by bit by
the Europeans. French, then worked as a unifier in order to facilitate
communication
between them and indigenous.
After its independence, Senegal has chosen French as the official language of
the country,
keeping its high status of being the language of administration, media,
education,
international communication, ect. (Leclerc, 2003).
However, the first President of Senegal, Leopold Sedar Senghor, writer, poet
and first
African at the French academy worked for the maintain of indigenous
languages as part of
the linguistic heritage of the country. (La documentation francaise, 2004).
Through him,
national languages are codified nowadays and taught in school as part of an
education
curricular. In 1971, he gave official national status to six languages: Wolof,
Sereer, Pulaar,
Diola, Mandinka and Soninke to go along with the official language French. In
2001, the
constitution revised this law including any other language using a
standardized alphabet
(Leclerc, 2003).
1/8
"La langue officielle de la République du Sénégal est le Français. Les langues
nationales
sont le diola, le malinké, le poular, le sérère, le soninké, le wolof et toute autre
langue
nationale qui sera codifiée." («The official language of the Republic of Senegal
is French,
National languages are diola, malinké, pular, sereer, soninké, wolof and any
other codified
language ") – Article 1, January 7th, 2001 – Senegal Government.
English is considered as a foreign language in the country. It is often used in
the private
sector, in business and in cultural activities in the country (music and art).
English is taught
formally from high school to university. It is also taught in several private
language centers
that are emerging every day in Dakar and in major cities.
Code switching phenomenon and language practise
in
Senegal
Code switching is a common phenomenon in everyday conversations of
Senegalese
people. Considering the linguistic aspect of the way the population
communicates each
other can be a main point for a research curious to know the reason why
people use two
languages within a single speech. Actually knowing more than one language
has nothing
mysterious or exotic in our context because many Senegalese are bilingual.
However using
different codes in a same speech, in one sentence seems to be interesting,
raising
questions about the motivation of the choice of language.
We can recognise that the discourse of the population is used with several
ssegments of
words in French. Therefore, we are dealing with the code switching
phenomenon between
two different languages: Wolof and French, that John J. Gumperz defines as
followed: " the
juxtaposition within the same speech exchange of passages of speech
belonging to two
different grammatical systems or subsystems" (Gumperz, 1982, p.59)
Conversations, SMS (Text Messages), email patterns, and chat forum will be
used as
analysis field in order to explain and clarify the code switching method used
through the
ICT tool devices. Some people will use casually French because they have
heard it or
studied it before and never mastered which means they are more exposed to
Wolof or any
other language, while others will use it frequently and correctly in their
speech.
This phenomenon is especially observed in urban environments where many
languages
meet up, up, as well as different people from different cultures and different
social
backgrounds. Introducing mother tongue in the speech is common even
though French is
the official language of the country, which makes the code switching method
more
interesting. Wouldn’t it be a way to promote the usage of mother tongue or
native language
more and more intstead of a borrowed language? Also, the heterogeneity of
the speakers
in a specific group or determined area will make us understand and interpret
their language
practices, just like Uriel Weinrech defines it as the place where languages get
into contact
do not depend on the place but the bilingual person himself. (Weinrech, 1954,
p 280)
Would the codeswitching strengthen up the value of exchange or casual
discussions?
Would the speaker use it in order to better communicate his/her message or
express the
most with very few words an idea or thought? Does Wolof get into the
conversation
2/8
because of a lack of French language knowledge? We will answer those
questions through
data collection, observations, interviews and facts. We will analyse as well the
social
factors that plays a determinative role in the choice of language.
Top of Form
Use of Languages and communication technology
tools
As far as native languages are concerned, its usage is mostly oral while
French is written.
However those native languages are mostly used in text messages to
communicate. Wolof
will be my area of study for this section.
Based on data collection and observations, it will be interesting to examine
the motivations
of linguistics choices and functions of languages in communication, based on
Carol Myers-
Scotton‘s theory (1993) about code switching.
We notice a domination of French, wolofisation which is the informal "parallel"
to the official
nation-building attempt (smith, 2006, p.1), and a rising speech style mixed
with French and
Wolof representing the three main features of the sociolinguistic situation of
the country.
Mastering spoken and written French contributes to the social mobility of
individuals, such
as in other sub-saharian countries previously colonized by France. Wolof is the
franca
lingua of the country, the national language is as a spoken medium
throughout the nation
by over 50% of the population (Poore, 2004, p.4), and its usage keeps on
doubling despite
the background or ethnic group one is from since it is considered to express
the national
culture and the identity of Senegal. Concerning the oral communication,
language
standards tend to use a mix of French and Wolof, called urban Wolof (named
by Swigart) or
Dakar Wolof.
According to Carol Myers-Scotton’s theory, any choice of language is linked to
a set of
rights and social obligations and intra-individual between the interlocutors.
The speaker
wants certain rights and obligations that are in force in the communication
and chooses
language of his/her choice.
The principle of negotiation as Carol Myers-Scotton explains implies that any
choice of
language is actually linked to a set of right and social obligation as well as
intra-individual
between speakers. At some point the speaker requires himself certain rights
and
obligations in the exchange then finally makes his own choice of language.
(Scotton, 1983,
p.116)
Each speaker has got a markedness metric (*) to measure a marked code or
unmarked one
depending on the context. The codeswtiching may be either unmarked which
means that it
can assert a set of rights and obligations in a conversation, either marked,
which may seek
to change the balance of rights and obligations, or exploratory, which is used
to find the
code pointing the set of rights and obligation when the code is unclear.
This theory will allow us to examine the motivations of the choice and
functions of
languages in communication medium using French and Wolof.
3/8
The choice of the language sometimes is random, which may be indeed the
case, however
can as well mean that the choice is unintentionally done depending on the
context. This
metric is relative to the social context with the speaker. Spoken French is
reflected through
text messages as well as other communication technology medium, and
French is an
unmarked code (default language). It could be the same thing with any other
borrowed
language (not a national language, i.e. English). (See table 1)
Communicating with older people tends to be very different because we
should show
respect towards them, therefore, the role of text messages is different: French
written in a
correct manner, no abbreviations and figures without replacing the code
letters shows the
unmarked qualification of the language, whereas in oral communication we
would probably
have used Wolof. Observations show that communication can be in the Wolof
language,
even if respect and distance characterize the relationship between the
speakers. Also,
observations have shown that the rule of a correct writing style might not be
applied at all
time. (See table 2)

Text messages, emails, chat and forums messages are written in a pattern of
French,
Wolof, and English using code switching by Senegalese people living in
Senegal or abroad.
Missing your native language might be the reason why someone would prefer
writing words
down in Wolof rather than French and/or English, although this person is well
educated.
Individuals speaking in their own language bring up deep confidence and
characteristics in
their personality. Therefore emotion might explain the behaviour of those
individuals use
more a native language (Wolof) in their speech and less French or English.
(See table 3)
The other interesting side of the code switching is the emerging use of writing
through the
linguistic freedom that characterizes text messages, emails, instant messages
and chat
forums; some people do not master French and mostly have a very low level
educational
background but still communicate using the Wolof language. (See table 2,
messages 2, 3
and 4). In those messages, the interlocutor maintains the rights and
obligations while
speaking Wolof to me: when I send them text messages, I make sure to write
my message
down in Wolof, and while reading it will be very easy for them to understand
my message.
It seems that through the use of Wolof in different communication technology
tools, people
dwell themselves into written communication. This practice provides an
opportunity in
written communication for people that do not master enough the language
mostly used for
writing, as well as people that are often left aside from this communication
channel. We can
find in communication by using communication technology tools, a potential
sustainability
of knowledge gained through literacy, and may also represent some
motivation, since the
usage of writing in these languages (i.e. native languages, mother tongues) is
extended to
a wider popular usage and modern, reachable to anyone. Going into a long
term situation
that can lead to an increasing usage of writing in general in order to integrate
those people
who are excluded.
Top of Form
4/8
The marked code in the different conversation medium may vary. However,
code switching
can sometimes indicate a shift to the marked code, therefore willing to
change across rights
and obligations defining communication. This change can affect the privacy
between the
speakers: when speaker 1 wants to show how sincere he/she is regarding
something,
speaker 2 changes code, and allow the joke into the conversation. The use of
Wolof as the
marked code indicates most of the time a very close relationship between
both speakers.
(See tables 4 and 5)
Text messages between me and people of the same group of age (20-35
years) – Table 1
Original text message
Translation
Comment
fish.jpg1
Your friend T. has displayed such beautiful silk dresses! OMG Awesome!
KMT! This thief!
Oh dear if you’ve seen the different styles, very colorful, trust me!
Lol! Anyway that won’t make me go there! She’s a big thief!
Hey Girl, watch the show later you tell me what happened
We can notice on theses message the choice of language is widely French and
Wolof.
Urban Wolof is actually used mostly in these conversations even though the
default
language which is French is the marked code. However it does not have a big
impact in the
conversation as long as both speakers are comfortable exchanging that way.
mireil.jpg2
Kid I was calling you. Give me a shout when you get this message. Aisha Sy
Hey sweetie I was sleeping, call me
Girl what’s the plan? Still didn’t hear from you…
Sweets, I miss you, what’s up out there? I’m taking care of the business, don’t
worry, we’re
same! XOXO
xuba.jpg3
I miss you too..[…] you are really having fun […]
Ha stop teasing your sister! Lol I’ll wait for your call
5/8

[…]
I’ll call you tomorrow before I leave Insha Allah(God’s Will)
No big deal! […]
Text messages between me and older people (35-50 years and up) – Table 2
Original text message
Translation
Comment
kady.jpg 1
Text already in English
This interlocutor is an old person and I made sure I wrote down correctly my
message in
one language without shortcuts, only one single word at the beginning of the
conversation
is different.
bay.jpg 2
Were you calling me this morning?
Non, I called you yesterday
Ok
I will call you tomorrow I’m tired at the moment
Call me
I’m praying
While using the Wolof in here, I make sure that my interlocutors understand
my message
so I do not put them in an embarrassing situation when I make the decision to
speak
French otherwise.
However we can see one example on these 3 ones where we have the use of
French, but it
will affect at all the person I’m speaking with because he understands French
but cannot
speak it, which is not the case with the two others
diop.jpg 3
Good morning (in Arabic) Diop (name of my interlocutor) it’s Aisha. I wanted
to tell you I’m
not going to work tomorrow
pam.jpg 4
6/8
Don’t you call me please?
Ok give me a sec
I’m at the hospital, will call you when I’m home
Good night I’m going to bed
Call me
Where are you what are you up to didn’t hear from you
Table 3
Image 1
Image 2
The first image is a screenshot from a Senegalese Forum (www.seneweb.com)
where the
Senegalese Diaspora opens up and exchanges virtually. This page is about
Senegalese
jokes; anyone in the forum can join and post a joke in Wolof, hence the
expression "Mayee
Wolof" or Tell a joke in Wolof.
The second image of the table is an email screenshot between me and a
friend back in
Senegal, where I’m asking for his services regarding a shipment. Again, we
notice a code
switching in the exchange; a mix of Wolof French and English sometimes. As a
matter of
fact, Wolof has more its place in this exchange between both of us even
though we are
educated.
To conclude this linguistic behavior in Senegal, comparing other
manifestations of the
writing of african languages in Senegal (as we studied here, Wolof),
communication
through communication technology tools represents modernity, popularity
and at some
level, the extension of writing. The assumption that communication
technology in African
languages may widespread the usage of these written languages in other
areas of
communication, seems to be strengthened. It remains to see whether or not
the spread of
the corpus and further analysis can consolidate this idea.
Text messages between me and friends - Table 4
Original text message
Translation
Comment
chim.jpg1
I don’t want to go to work tomorrow 
Just don’t go, I’m taking care of it, whoever wants to bully you, call me
7/8
Aw that is fantastic! Are you going to work at my place?
Yes , I’ll do that for you darling
Then sleep in tomorrow!
1 and 2 is male
3 and 4 female
Observations show that interlocutors are very close to each other. As a matter
of fact, they
carry very casual conversations by teasing each other, showing affection,
care, love, hate,
ect.
Those feelings are expressed using code switching most of the time using
French Wolof
and very few English words. The communication is going on this way because
of the
background we all are coming from (education, ethnic group, ect.).
chim3.jpg2
Young girl what are you doing?
Young girl is fine, chilling 
I’m coming to your house to take a nap
No problem I’ll put the mattress for you lol
fish2.jpg3
I’m home, come over
Make some tea
Lol you pay for your cup, thousand per cup
Lol you cheeky! Don’t even think about it
When are you coming? Tea is finishing!
Is there any remaining?
fish3.jpg4
Oh yeah? How is Ramadan? Are you even fasting? You don’t seem to
Go away! My fasting none of your business!
8/8