Africans urged to celebrate Linguistic Diversity at the 11th World Congress of African Linguistics

Africans urged to celebrate Linguistic Diversity at the 11^th World Congress of African Linguistics

The 11^th World Congress of African Linguistics (WOCAL) drew to a close on Friday 9^Th, marking the end of a week-long exploration of the rich tapestry of African languages. The conference, hosted by the University of Nairobi, brought together leading linguists, scholars, and policymakers from across the globe to discuss the latest research, challenges, and innovations in African linguistics.

The week-long event was a gathering dedicated to investigating and promoting the subject of African linguistics, with a special emphasis on language policy, the use of technology, and the promotion of diversity within the discipline. A key focus was the devoted session on sign language, which served as a powerful reminder of the significance of diversity in linguistic studies. It served as a forum for African sign language community members to share their experiences, challenges, and hopes.

The conference also featured a rich program of plenary sessions, workshops, parallel sessions, series of keynote speeches, and cultural activities throughout the week, with key themes centered on preserving linguistic diversity and innovative methodologies for documenting and revitalizing endangered African languages.

The key themes included language documentation and preservation, phonetics and phonology, and computational linguistics. The discourse was on the documentation of endangered languages and innovative methodologies to preserve Africa’s linguistic diversity. Researchers also discussed the phonological aspects of African languages and the opportunities and challenges of using computational methods for less-resourced languages.

As it drew to a close, there was a palpable sense of achievement among the participants as the conference not only served as a platform for sharing research and ideas but also reinforced the urgent need to protect Africa's linguistic heritage in the face of globalization and technological advancements.

“WOCAL11 has been a reminder of the incredible linguistic diversity we have in Africa and the work we still need to do to ensure these languages thrive for generations to come.”  Prof. Margaret Hutchinson, Ag Vice Chancellor, UoN, noted in her closing remarks.

The 11^th World Congress of African Linguistics conference served as a dynamic platform for sharing ground-breaking research, fostering intellectual discourse, and exploring the pivotal role of African languages in society and development.