Revista de Investigaciones Universidad del Quindío,

34(S2), 13-19; 2022.

ISSN: 1794-631X e-ISSN: 2500-5782


Esta obra está bajo una licencia Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 4.0 Internacional.


ANALYZING THE EFFECT OF INTERFERENCE ON THE UTILIZATION OF FRENCH IN IVORY COAST: SOCIAL AND LINGUISTIC ASPECTS


ANÁLISIS DEL EFECTO DE LA INTERFERENCIA EN LA UTILIZACIÓN DEL FRANCÉS EN COSTA DE MARFIL: ASPECTOS SOCIALES Y LINGÜÍSTICOS



Jerome Baghana1 *; Yana A. Glebova 2; Tatiana G. Voloshina 3; Yuliya S. Blazhevich 4; Jana Birova 5.


1. Belgorod State University, Russia. baghana@yandex.ru

2. Belgorod State University, Russia. glebova_ya@bsu.edu.ru

3. Belgorod State University, Russia. tatianavoloshina@rambler.ru

4. Belgorod State University, Russia. blazhevich@bsu.edu.ru

5. University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius Slovakia, Trnava, 91701, 2 Nimestie lozefa Herdu. birov.jan@hotmail.com


* Corresponding author: Jerome Baghana, email: baghana@yandex.ru



ABSTRACT


The current study intends to recognize the various sorts of interference in French in Ivory Coast, a West African nation. The current article mainly concentrates on a propound examination and investigation of the linguistic procedure that demonstrates itself in the survey in the impression of Ivorian native tongues and a complicated range of elements and factors. This study focuses on the impacts of grammatical, phonetic, and lexical interference, occurring to various levels on basilect and mesolect French variants and are not in line with the French speech norms in France. The methodology is on the basis of investigating the cases of grammatical, phonetic, and lexical interference, revealing the particular characteristics of Ivorian French. Based on the analysis, lexical interference tends to be clear in alterations in the meaning of the original lexeme and the words borrowing from Ivorian tongues, exposing cultural realities. Based on that, grammatical and phonetic interference is greatly pronounced in the tongue of basilect-dominant talkers.


Keywords: Ivory Coast; language contact; indigenous languages; French; interference.


RESUMEN


El estudio actual tiene la intención de reconocer los diversos tipos de interferencia en francés en Costa de Marfil, una nación de África Occidental. El presente artículo se concentra principalmente en un examen e investigación profundos del procedimiento lingüístico que se demuestra en la encuesta en la impresión de las lenguas nativas de Costa de Marfil y una gama complicada de elementos y factores. Este estudio se enfoca en los impactos de la interferencia gramatical, fonética y léxica, que ocurre en varios niveles en las variantes del francés basilecto y mesolecto y que no están en línea con las normas del habla francesa en Francia. La metodología se basa en investigar los casos de interferencia gramatical, fonética y léxica, revelando las características particulares del francés marfileño. Con base en el análisis, la interferencia léxica tiende a ser clara en alteraciones en el significado del lexema original y de los préstamos de palabras de lenguas marfileñas, exponiendo realidades culturales. Basado en eso, la interferencia gramatical y fonética es muy pronunciada en la lengua de los hablantes dominantes de basilecto.


Palabras clave: Costa de Marfil, contacto lingüístico; lenguas indígenas; francés; interferencia.


INTRODUCTION


The French spread in what is nowadays called Ivory Coast started throughout the period of colonization and now French has an essential element of a sole entity named la Francophonie. The social and linguistic condition in the Coast of Ivory is featured by the outstanding situation of French and the more confined usage of the Ivorian tounges, of which there remain above 70 (Ahoua, 2006; Comhaire, 2020).


The oddities of Francophonie in the nation are essentially exposed in the particular relationship between French and the indigenous tongues, as well as in the particular characteristics that the French tongue, operating in the Coast of Ivory. (Kouamé, 2007; Lafage, S. 2003; Zherebilo, 2010).


This current study attempts to recognize the influence and effects of the varied kinds of interference over the French tongue in the Coast of Ivory and also to define the reason for that notion. Furthermore, the study considers the features of the French tongue employed in the Coast of Ivory, affected by native languages.


METHODS


This study provides a more profound examination on the basis of traditional and conventional techniques of sociolinguistic research (a comprehensive functional analysis of linguistic units in speech, an observation,a descriptive-analytical procedure), Besides, the study makes use of the interdisciplinary approach (Mirskij, 1980; Tagard, 2004; Rubenfeld & Sowinski, 2022).


RESULTS AND DISCUSSION


The primary features of linguistic position in the Coast of Ivory includes its linguistic heterogeneity. The problem of linguistic diversity initially drew the scholar Delafosse, mentioning sixty dialects and languages (Ayewa, 2016). Linguists’ perspectives over the precise entity of native tongues in the nation differ because of the presence of extralinguistic standards marking their definition, in addition to linguistics. For instance, in the studies of Delafosse, vernacular tongues were recognized based on their ethnic group membership (Comhaire, 2020).


In an article named “Ivory Coast: Language Situation” F. Ahoua recognizes fifty tongues according to linguistic standards. All of the tongues of Ivory Coast are in possession of the Niger-Congolese tongue family and are able to be nearly split into four big sections on the basis of linguistic standards: Mande, Kwa, Gur, as well as Kru. The Kru and Kwa are focused in the southern part of the nation, whereas the Mande and Gur are focused in the northern parts (Ahoua, 2006).


Ivorian tongues seem oftentimes portrayed or marginalized adversely in the press and media (Samb, 2008). native tongues hold little or no emergence in the audiovisual media and printed press. just some tongues could be fairly utilized for conveying messages (informational) on the radio or national TV. Nonetheless, despite this, Ivorian tongues persist to hold a substantial role to play in the everyday lives of the residents of the nation and this tendency is specifically obvious in the town as well as villages (Rubenfeld & Sowinski, 2022).


In the prevailing era, linguistic diversity also seems demonstrated in the oddities and features of the last Ivory Coast representation’s Constitution, in Article 29 the law set up the circumstances for the development and promotion of domestic tongues (Comhaire, 2020).


Based on the perspective of Kouamé, native tongues symbolize belonging to a particular native group and are a emblem of defining their commonalities. As pointed out earlier, vernacular tongues hold no official state and are essentially utilized for intra-ethnic conversation. Merely some of the most prevalent tongues are able to satisfy the interethnic communication function in towns and cities (particularly in markets) (Kouamé 2007).


In spite of the languages multiplicity for intra-ethnic conversation, not any of the native tongues is the intermediary tongue or the majority of the population language. As a results, French functions as the interethnic conversation language.


French is regarded as the country’s official language and is educated at all levels in the educational systems of the Ivory Coast. Significance of French can’t be overlooked since it is the tongue and communication means of administration, science, diplomacy, government, education, media the industry and.


Having said that, many people converses a French variant, Ivorian French precisely, differing from French in France and is quite flexible relying upon the processes of interference.


Let’s clarify further the cause of that substantial exposure to interference and also the excluding of a particular variant of French performing in the arena of Ivory Coast.


The major extra-linguistic cause is attributed to the Ivorians’ education levels. The nation’s literacy status is low compared to the regional average and way low compared to the global level on the whole. A colonial past, tough financial conditions, and the civil war beginning in 2002 aren’t conducive to a qualitative enhancement in Ivory Coast’s educational systems.

Primary education is deemed free and mandatory. Secondary education is granted access to Ivorians at some colleges placed near the big cities of Yamoussoukro and Abidjan. Higher education in the Coast of Ivory is demonstrated by 3 universities: the Cocody University, the Bouaké University (Mundt), the Abobo-Adjamé University. That position adversely affect the rate of Ivorians’ French proficiency and the interference of the native tongues with the French.


As a consequence, most populace is not able to excel at the acrolect variant of French for several different beyond-linguistic caused.


That variant is so close and similar to French in France and there exist no meddling impact of native tongues or Ivorian French. Over the Ivory Coast territory, the acrolect variant is utilized in diplomatic, formal, academic settings and conferences. It should be mentioned that African people speaking the French’s acrolect variant have a tendency to change to mesolect variation while needed (Daff 1998).


The mesolect tongue variant is concerned by some portion of the populace who have gotten the adequate education level: students, civil servants, and so forth. The French’s mesolect variant is subjected to interference essentially at the lexical level. Nonetheless, its grammar and phonetics are nearly identical to French in France.


Inadequately educated people uneducated ones or residents of the Coast of Ivory converse the basilect. The mentioned French variant is subjected to a huge interference degree at a different level: the number of variations with French in France is considerable (Tjahjan & Jinanto, 2021).


While talking about the variants of baselect and mesolect of French in the Coast of Ivory, we are referring to Ivorian French. Our perspective is that the often interference occurrence, in spite of the sole nature of that matter, has succeeded in establishing itself in the Ivorian tongue. As a result, Krysin and Belikov mention that interference is regarded as a notion odd to the person, however, in the mass bilingualism the same kind of interference processes features the majority of populace speech, and, having fixed in the idiolect tongue process, they start to have an effect, and also the monolinguals’ linguistic competence, resulting in linguistic alterations. Shortly after interference gets recognition in a tongue, it is no longer understood in that code as something strange and alien, in other words, it ends to be like that for all except linguists...” (Belikov, 2001).


Interference phenomenon is regarded as a multi-dimensional one. Some renowned linguists have made valuable assists in examining that notion and determining the interference essence (Tjahjan & Jinanto, 2021).


The notion of “interference” is regarded as strongly connected to the bilingualism issue, as each language shapes a particular figure of the globe in the human’s perception, demonstrated by a network of concepts particular to the tongue. As a consequence, 2 images of the globe and two tongues systems are blended in the human’s consciousness (Zavyalova 2001).


Considering the reality that the functional structure is varied in various tongues, the procedure of the formation of speech in a nonnative tongue is perplexed by the rules of grammar, and also by the utilization of linguistic tools of the indigenous tongue. To put it another way, there stands an overlap of the 2 methods in the procedure of speech, resulting in the interference phenomenan (Bagana, Khapilina 2010).


The initial explanation for “interference” was first suggested by U. Weinreich: “ deviations cases from norms, occurring in the bilinguals’ speech stemming from them understanding more than one tongue. This is a results of tongue contact” (Weinreich 2000).


V.A. Vinogradov deciphers the notion of interference as “the language systems’ interaction in bilingualism, via the contact of language or via a nonnative tongue acquisition. That is explained in deviations from the system and norm of the second tongue on the impression of the indigenous tongue” (Vinogradov 2007).


This article inspects the linguistic interference manifestation in French in the Coast of Ivory relying upon the language level:



Phonological and phonetic interference is clear and visible while there stand variations at this contacting tongues level. The interference of phonetic implies “ sounds mispronunciation and sound combinations of a non-native tongue (on the whole or in a particular situation in a word), substituting them with the native tongues’ sounds “ (Dictionary of Linguistic Terms, 2010).


Undoubtedly, and the French’s phonological systems and the indigenous native tongues in the area of Ivory Coast differ greatly. As a consequence, the pronunciation of acrolect-dominant and mesolect-dominant speakers is affected to a lesser or greater extent by the native tongues which are their mother language.


It is worth stressing that the next key features amongst the most prevalent instances of that kind of interference regular for Ivorian French:


- Substituting the sound [ɑ̃] with the more familiar [ɑ] at the start of a word,

- Rhythmic alterations prevalent to native tongues,

- Issues with the execution of the sounds of [ʒ] and [ʃ],

- Issues with the recognition of sounds substantially varied from those of the native tongue (Lafage 2002).


Lexical interference is deemed as a prevalent and understandable kind of interference notion. Often, the interference alters the original lexeme’s meaning. For instance, the word commerce (m) in French in France holds the meaning ‘trade, business’. In contrast, Ivorian French determined that noun as ‘a shopping street, an area where multiple malls and shops are positioned and trade occurs’. That instance illuminates a kind of alteration in lexical meaning, including the word’s meaning narrowing.


Through altering the definition of the initial word, the explanation aller au commerce is shaped, in Ivorian French meaning “to go shopping in the city centre”.


Le dimanche, elle va toujours au commerce. – On Sunday, she always goes shopping downtown.


étage (m) (a noun), implying “floor” in French in France. However, in Ivorian French it can be observed an expansion of the word’s definition and meaning. In the mesolect and basilect French variants, that word is normally utilized to explain a multi-story or single flat building (Lafage 2002).


A considerable portion of the instances of lexical interference is demonstrated by the lexicon from the native tongues performing in the area of the nation. For instance, the word cracro (claclo /karakoro), despite being vastly utilized in Ivorian French, is a loan word from Baoulé tongue (klâklo), Mandinka tongue (karakoro). The noun cracro retook its primary meaning and mentions to a kind of doughnut, created from a particular diversity of flour and bananas, roosted in the oil of palm.


It can be wondered that, the lexical interference manifestations, in addition to nominating dishes and food, are oftentimes seen to be utilized in arenas of national cultural particularly as ideas, fauna and flora. For instance, the word nété (néré) derived from Mandinka tongue is regularly utilized to refer to “ Parkia biglobosa or African locust bean “. Countrymen oftentimes maintain it in their crops since they utilized the floury pulp that covers the seeds and the seeds themselves as food.


Grammatical interference takes place as “a grammatical category, including gender, is existent in the aim tongue yet is nonexistent in the mother language, or as various structures are employed in both tongues to pass down grammatical relations” (Molodkin 2001).


U. Weinreich recommends recognizing 3 kinds of interference in the arena of grammatical relationships:



Nearly all kinds of grammatical relationships are essentially subjected to interference. Considering the case of French in Ivory Coast, grammatical interference is almost more pronounced in agreement and word order. Besides, grammatical interference is able to be recognized:



CONCLUSION


In conclusion, the native tongues performing in Ivory Coast hold a substantial interference impact upon the lexical, syntactic, phonetic, and morphological levels of the French tongue. Based on results, it appears doubly tough to analyze and identify all of the interference causes. Having said that, amongst the major causes are absolutely the appearance of several native tongues, the somewhat low education level of the Ivory Coast populace, and, as a result, the low knowledge level of the French tongue. It is worth pointing out that the interference degree is deeply dependent on the French proficiency level (mesolect, acrolect, basilect language variations).


The effect of the native tongues is most perceptible at the lexical level and is orevalent in both the basilelect and mesolect French variants. Lexical interference tends to be obvious in alterations of of the meaning of the original lexeme and the words borrowing from Ivorian tongues, demonstrating cultural realities.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


The current study has been supported by Belgorod State University to support the humanitarian and social grants, project № 826 – OD.


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