Language policy, use and attitudes: towards a model for a supranational language policy for the East African community.

This study is sociolinguistic survey of the current language policies, language use and language altitudes in the EAC partner states (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi). A critical examination of the current language policies, a description of language choice and use in various situation and contexts and attendant language attitude were done. The empirical information gathering on these variables was to be used as a basis for the formulation of a language policy that promote EAC integration and the linguistic diversity attendant in the region. The guiding objectives were: To critically analyse the present language policies of the EAC partner states. To study and describe the language use patterns in the EAC partner states: To study the language altitudes in the EAC partner slates; To develop a framework for supranational language policy for the EAC. Apart from critical content analysis, survey data was collected from a sample of 371 respondents that comprised of language specialists, educational personnel, students, government officials and the general public using a Questionnaire and an interview. The SPSS programme was used in the management of quantitative data. The interpretation was largely qualitative. The major findings of the study are: The current language policies of the EAC partner states, formally adopted after independence are largely a continuation of colonial' language legacies whose development was dominated by ideological, sectarian, and selfish interests resulting into monolingual dispensations that disregarded the linguistic situation in the counties exalted European languages while giving no meaningful status to African Indigenous languages. This kind of language policy and l£ language planning has further expressly shaped language policy at the EAC level. The rich tapestry of languages (mainly MTs, Kiswahili, English and French) in the EAC region is vibrant and in daily use by people of all generations in various contexts, situations and in the media. In most contexts, a combination of languages is preferred. The use of all these languages ensures that effective and mornin.uhl communication is achieved; All languages are valued as important for effective and all inclusive communication. Instrumental reasons form the strongest need for European languages while various combinations of languages provide the greatest integrative value; Based on the findings above and the multilingual policies in other supranational organizations, this study proposes an alternative language policy for the EAC along its management framework. The study argues that it is such a policy that would enable civil society participation and inclusion: and ultimately, mutual development of the region. The overall conclusion is that the formulation, adoption and implementation of language policy ought to be based on sociolinguistic scientific knowledge of the speech community which can only be availed through research and consultation of the public. To be rational and inclusive, the Macro-language policy of the East African community and its management must spring from such endeavour. This is the only way the policy would achieve meaningful development that preserves the multilingual and multicultural diversity of the region.