摘要
A great deal of research has been conducted on public language usage in Cameroon （Echu, 2003a, 2003b; Chumbow, 1996; Wolf, 2001） but very little has been done on advertising. Focus has been on administration, education, and politics. Unlike in South Africa where the 11 official languages are accorded equal status and used in major sectors of the economy, in Cameroon, English and French dominate the landscape. Consequently, there is discontent among the speakers of the marginalized languages, who argue that the exclusive use of English and French accords these European languages unfair advantage. Leaving out their tongues denies them access to information and participation in economic development. This qualitative study examines the current state of advertising in Cameroon and South Africa using a questionnaire, interviews, and observations for data collection. The findings suggest that in order to improve relations between speakers of the indigenous languages in Cameroon, especially those who speak neither English nor French, and speakers of the official languages, advertising should include the use of the major indigenous languages, and perhaps Cameroon Pidgin English too. To affect equity, the hegemonic Cameroonian advertising should take a leaf from the dynamic multilingual practices of South African advertising.
