| Abstract: | The French language is in decline in America and Asia and stagnating in Europe; its last bastion in the world may be Africa. Emphasizing Africa's importance to the French-speaking world, Ali Mazrui (2004) argues that “without Africa, the French language would be almost provincial.” However, French is faltering in most of its African strongholds due to ideological, sociolinguistic, political, and geostrategic changes taking place. This article examines the factors contributing to the decline of French in Africa south of the Sahara and identifies its outlooks in a continent undergoing profound change. |
