Mother Tongue ICT Instruction in Cameroonian Languages

This article presents the feasibility of conveying Information and Communication Technology (ICT) content in Mmɛn, a Bantu Grassfields language of Cameroon; a process which would imply a modernisation of the language, with a view to increasing its scientific knowledge base. It explores the processes used to create ICT terminology in this language in a bid to make such concepts relevant to the community. The focus is placed on the translation of a computer science manual used in primary schools within Cameroon’s language teaching project. Issues raised relate to translation, lexical innovation and mother tongue ICT instruction. Some solutions are proposed to problems inherent to official language into mother tongue translation, and the lexification of new phenomenon where adequate terminology is currently lacking. The results obtained highlight the role of translation and terminology in developing our languages, and indicate how ICT instruction in our languages justifies the claim that an idea expressed in one language can be expressed in any other. If well harnessed, this instruction will ensure access to innovative educational resources for rural and semi-urban Cameroonians alike, and will improve literacy and standards of living within a context of globalisation.