Robert Mensah

Publishing in African Languages: the Case of Ghana Robert Mensah

Africa?s underdevelopment, it is believed, could be solved by using the catching-up process. That is, imitating the West through the transfer of information and knowledge concerning scientific; technological; social and economic development strategies into Africa, using education and its associated publication of reading materials. The transfer of the majority of these information and knowledge are, however, done in the adopted foreign languages that the majority of the people are not proficient in, thereby slowing the pace of development on the continent. It has been established that people understand information better when communicated to in a language that they are more proficient in- their indigenous language. The publication of reading materials in indigenous languages will, therefore, facilitate learning in Africa. However, the poor economic and complex language situation of almost all African countries makes it difficult for them to successfully educate their masses in their indigenous languages. This book stresses the history and current situation of indigenous language publishing in Ghana, and the benefits and challenges of publishing in native African languages.