From: shemlon@occlusal.rutgers.edu (Shiyghan Shemlon)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: Re: soc.culture.african.french
Date: 12 Dec 92 00:35:38 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

In article <1ga8k4INNrmp@sbusol.rz.uni-sb.de>, olinga@sol.cs.uni-sb.de (Guy Francois Olinga) writes:
> Hi,
> 
> 	This is a call for discussion on the creation of a new newsgroup
> soc.culture.african.french. I think that many people from Africa don't
> speak English well enough to send articles in this "international" 
> language. Remember that our continent has not only anglophone but 
> also francophone countries (among others). 
> ...................(deleted).............
> Thanks.
> 
> Salut,
> 
>        Cet article a pour but de vous inviter `a une discussion en vue
> de la cr'eation d' un newsgroup soc.culture.african.french. I crois
> savoir que beaucoup d' africains ne ma^itrisent pas la langue anglaise,
> au point de pouvoir r'ediger des articles dans cette langue 
> internationale. Souvenons nous que notre continent est surtout 
> compos'e de pays francophones et anglophones.
> ...................(deleted).............
> 
> Merci.
> ----
> 
> Guy F. Olinga   Technische Fakultaet
> 		Fachbereich Informatik
> 		Universitaet des Saarlandes-FRG.

****************************************

Bonjour Mr. Olinga,

Unfortunately  I don't think your proporsal is a very good idea as Kauta
and Co. have already remarked. Many African countries have different
colonial pasts. Africans speak French, English, Portuguese, German and
what have you. We have had postings on this newsgroup in various
languages including African languages (something I would seriously
like to encourage). Some of the postings even pushed me to upgrade my
Swahili vocabulary. You should feel free to post in French. I assure
you there are many on this net who master that language perfectly and
would seriously engage discussions and debates if the topics are
interesting. I would advice you to perfect your English because this
would give you the opportunity to gain something from some of the
postings here. Your postings will also spur many to perfect their
French  in order to participate in any discussions in this language. I
don't see any problem with anybody reading an article in English and
responding in French or vice versa. I went to college in a bilingual
country where I could submit term papers in French or Englsih or
answer my exam question in French or English depending on how
comfortable my vocabulary was in the subject matter in a particular
language. I do agree however that since I was in Engineering and most
of the good texts were in English I often choose that language.
Factually I would have loved to have done it in an African language.
It is for this reason that I can only entertain such proposals only in
an African language. I would "HATE" to promote English or French
hegemony. I hate both because of the destructive effects their
colonization left on my country. For the moment I have no choice but
to use them, but I have vowed to change the status quo and I am
looking for disciples.

------------------------

D'ailleurs Mr. Olinga, je peux dire que vous etes soit Camerounais ou
Gabonais par l'eppelation de votre nom. Si vous etes Camerounais, vous
devez plutot encourager un "net" aussi bilingue que votre patrie. Les
Camerounais sont fier de leur heritage belingue et le leader
camerounias de demain que vous seriez si vous etes Camerounais, devez
bien se preparer approfondement, en parfaitionnant son Francais et son
Anglais. Donc, cher compatriot si je peux le dire, je vous conseillerai
de profiter de l'occassion. 

Hasta Pronto Senghor.......

SHEMLON WO WAN WAN VIBAN 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>