Digital Media And The Preservation Of Indigenous Languages In Africa

Digital Media and the Preservation of Indigenous Languages in Africa: Toward a Digitalized and Sustainable Society presents cutting-edge epistemological debates, academic case studies, and empirical research from African scholars on the intersection of digital media technologies, artificial intelligence, and the preservation of Indigenous languages in the continent. This edited collection provides a methodology for African researchers, practitioners, and marginalized communities to integrate digital technologies into their lives to foster innovation, advance the documentation and preservation of underrepresented languages, and promote African-centered epistemologies. Contributors to this edited volume argue that African societies should acknowledge and embrace digital media platforms. Despite these platforms’ potential as sites of epistemic colonialism, they are essential for promoting ways of life that reflect the diversity and importance of Indigenous cultures. For Indigenous languages and local epistemologies to flourish in this rapidly evolving technological era, African communities must employ a variety of contemporary practices and strategies to document, protect, and preserve ways of being that have formerly been relegated to the periphery.

While some academic attention has been paid to the impact of new digital technologies on African media in the colonial languages of English, French and Portuguese, there is a dearth of research into African language digital communication. This book analyses the online presence of African language media. The chapters in the book focus on the speed, structure, content, navigation and interactivity, operations and performance, and audience of the online media. They also pay particular attention to how social media such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp have been appropriated by African language media. Using a wide range of case studies, the contributors assess the challenges of adopting digital technologies by the media, and how the technologies have impacted journalistic practice and media operations. Examining the ability of the African language press to adopt new technologies, this book will be of interest to scholars of media, journalism, communication, social media and culture in Africa.

This volume is an important exploration of Africa’s rich linguistic diversity. The chapters delve into the complexities of linguistic research, preservation, and cultural understanding, with a regional focus covering indigenous African languages. It honours often-overlooked sign languages, making it a trailblazing work in its combination of signed and spoken languages within the African environment. This book is a must-have for anybody interested in African languages, providing new perspectives on language preservation, cultural identity, and the lasting spirit of linguistic diversity. The individual chapters present an invitation to discover, appreciate, and preserve Africa’s indigenous languages. This volume, intended for linguists, policy makers, and graduate and undergraduate students, presents a practical approach to deciphering the complexity of indigenous African languages, both signed and spoken.

Essay from the year 2016 in the subject Communications - Mass Media, grade: B, , language: English, abstract: The Mass Media are considered principal institutions with the mandate to facilitate dialogue and provide relevant information to the citizenry. Through news and messages provided by these media members of the public get a better understanding of their society (McCombs and Shaw, 1993 cited in Browne, 2008). Dialogue carried out by humans especially through the instrumentality of the mass media mainly include exchange of information in a language understood by the people involved in the communication process. For this reason, effective, persuasive communication can only take place if a common language is used. Communicating in indigenous languages, it has been noted, enhances social cohesion, which facilitates the preservation of African cultures (Salawu, 2006).

The book contributes to the sparse academic literature on African and minority language media research. It serves as a compendium of experiences, activities and case studies on the use of native language media. Chapters in this book make theoretical, methodical and empirical contributions about indigenous African language media that are affected by structural factors of politics, technology, culture and economy and how they are creatively produced and appropriated by their audiences across African cultures and contexts. This book explores indigenous African language media about media representations, media texts and contents, practice-based activities, audience reception and participation, television, popular culture and cinema, peace and conflict resolution, health and environmental crisis communication, citizen journalism, ethnic and identity formation, beat analysis and investigative journalism, and corporate communication. There are hardly any similar works that focus on the various issues relating to this body of knowledge. The book provides a valuable companion for scholars in various fields like communication, media studies, African studies, African languages, popular culture, journalism, health and environmental communication.

With increasing numbers of computers and diffusion of the internet around the world, localisation of the technology, and the content it carries, into the many languages people speak is becoming an ever more important area for discussion and action. Localisation, simply put, includes translation and cultural adaptation of user interfaces and software applications, as well as the creation and translation of internet content in diverse languages. It is essential in making information and communication technology more accessible to the populations of the poorer countries, increasing its relevance to their lives, needs, and aspirations, and ultimately in bridging the 'digital divide'.

This book outlines how African language media is affected by politics, technology, culture, and the economy and how this media is creatively produced and appropriated by audiences across cultures and contexts. African language media can be considered as a tool for communication, socialization, and community that defines the various identities of indigenous people in Africa. This book shows how vernacular media outlets including radio and television, as well as native formats such as festivals, rituals and dance, can be used to influence all facets of local peoples’ experience and understanding of community. The book also explores the relationship between African language media sources and contemporary issues including the digitalization conundrum, peace and conflict resolution, identity formation, hate speech and fake news. Furthermore, it shows how local media can be used for development communication purposes during health and environmental crises. The book includes cases studies demonstrating the uses, experiences and activities related to various forms of media available in African languages. This book will be of interest to scholars in the field of communication and media studies, health and environmental communication, journalism, African studies and anthropology.

"This book captures contemporary debates around indigenous languages and social change communication. Contributors bring together voices from the margins to engage in dialogue about common social change issues in Latin America, Africa, and Asia"--