Record Details

The problem of language in contemporary African philosophy: some comments

Inkanyiso

 
 
Field Value
 
Title The problem of language in contemporary African philosophy: some comments
 
Creator Kazeem, Fayemi A.
 
Subject — language; African philosophy; thought; reality
Description A critical discussion of the contentious problem of language in contemporary African philosophy is attempted in this paper. The problem centres on whether or not African languages can be used in ‘doing’ contemporary African philosophy, where ‘doing’ means teaching, writing and researching. It also revolves around the question of the extent to which words and concepts in use in traditions of philosophy outside Africa can be translated into indigenous African languages without loss of content meaning. Two camps are delineated in this paper as reactionary views to the language question: the conservatives and the progressives. In taking sides with the conservative position, a critical discussion of the relationship existing between thought, language and reality is given. On the basis of the nexus established, as well as the conviction, that the challenges occasioning the irresistibility of doing African philosophy in non-African indigenous languages are surmountable, the paper defends the prospects of doing contemporary African philosophy in African language(s).
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor —
Date 2013-12-30
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ink.v5i1.248
 
Source Inkanyiso; Vol 5, No 1 (2013); 11 2077-8317 2077-2815
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://inkanyisojournal.org/index.php/ink/article/view/248/354
 
Coverage — — —
Rights Copyright (c) 2025 Fayemi A. Kazeem https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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