Sewoenam Chachu

Several middle class francophone Africans have migrated to Ghana for economic, political and social reasons. This research project aims at exploring how this category of francophone migrants in Accra, the capital city, manages their language repertoire and the reasons underlying their choices. Several studies in migration have focused on migration outside the African continent (Billiez, 1985; Dustmann, 1999; Haque, 2011). These have mainly been carried out within the domains of sociology, geography and economics with little attention given to the linguistic and sociolinguistic aspects. However, research shows that language plays an important role in the migration process as it contributes to identity, adaptation to a new environment, and even the economic success of the immigrants. In this study, we will explore the language practices of parents and their children and their language choices in the various linguistic spaces (school, work, home, religious and social environments, etc.).