Centre de linguistique appliquée de Dakar

Centre de linguistique appliquée de Dakar
Name	Centre de linguistique appliquée de Dakar
Native name	Centre de linguistique appliquée de Dakar
Established	1963
Type	Research and training institute
City	Dakar
Country	Senegal

Centre de linguistique appliquée de Dakar is a Senegalese research and training institute founded in the mid-20th century focused on linguistics applied to African languages, literacy, and language planning. The center engages with national and international bodies such as Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, UNESCO, African Union, and collaborates with universities including Cheikh Anta Diop University, Université Gaston Berger, University of Dakar, and research institutes like CNRS and SOAS. Its work intersects with projects tied to UNICEF, World Bank, Ford Foundation, and regional bodies such as ECOWAS.

History

The institute originated during post-colonial reforms influenced by figures associated with Léopold Sédar Senghor and policy debates that included actors from Institut fondamental d'Afrique noire and scholars like Cheikh Anta Diop. Early milestones involved partnerships with UNESCO missions and exchanges with École Normale Supérieure networks and researchers from Université Paris Diderot and Université Paris-Sorbonne. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the center worked alongside programs supported by Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and bilateral cooperation with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (France) initiatives. The 1990s and 2000s saw renewed engagement with African Development Bank, USAID, and collaborations with scholars connected to SOAS, Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Pennsylvania.

Mission and Objectives

The center’s mission aligns with mandates propagated by UNESCO declarations and frameworks promoted by Organisation internationale de la Francophonie to support language rights and multilingual policies. Objectives emphasize development of orthographies for languages such as Wolof, Pulaar, Serer, Jola, Mandinka, and documentation efforts akin to initiatives at Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and Smithsonian Institution. Strategic aims include training language planners similar to programs at University of Cape Town and producing resources comparable to outputs from Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs collaborations.

Academic Programs and Courses

The center offers certificate courses and professional training modeled after curricula at Cheikh Anta Diop University and exchange modules parallel to those at Université Laval, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. Course topics reflect strands found in programs at SOAS, University of California, Los Angeles, and McGill University: sociolinguistics, phonology, orthography development, bilingual education, and language documentation. Short-term internships attract trainees from Organisation of African Unity-linked institutions and trainees funded by African Union Commission scholarships or grants from European Commission instruments.

Research and Publications

Research themes echo comparative projects seen at Max Planck Society and publish working papers and monographs like outlets associated with Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press. Publications include orthography manuals, grammars, lexicons, and applied studies comparable to reports from UNICEF and World Bank literacy evaluations. The center has hosted conferences with participation from delegations linked to UNESCO, African Development Bank, Institut de recherche pour le développement, and universities such as Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Université de Paris, Columbia University, and Stanford University. Its periodicals and technical reports circulate among networks including African Academy of Languages, Association for Computational Linguistics, and archives similar to Endangered Languages Archive.

Community and Language Development Projects

Fieldwork initiatives mirror community engagement programs run by SIL International and Summer Institute of Linguistics while collaborating with local partner organizations like Direction de l'alphabétisation and municipal authorities in Dakar and regions such as Casamance. Projects target literacy campaigns modeled after UNESCO adult literacy drives and bilingual education pilot schemes inspired by Ministry of Education (Senegal) reforms and programs supported by UNICEF and Save the Children. Work includes development of school primers, radio programs akin to efforts by BBC World Service, and digital resources similar to projects from Google’s language teams.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Institutional partners span regional and global organizations: Cheikh Anta Diop University, Université Gaston Berger, SOAS, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, UNESCO, Ford Foundation, African Development Bank, ECOWAS, Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, and USAID. Collaborative projects have included consortia with CNRS, Institut de recherche pour le développement, University of Ibadan, Makerere University, University of Ghana, University of Lagos, and international research centers such as Columbia University and University of Oxford.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Faculty and alumni have included linguists and educators who have engaged with institutions like Cheikh Anta Diop University, Université Gaston Berger, SOAS, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, and policy positions at Ministry of Education (Senegal), UNESCO, and Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. Several have participated in regional bodies including African Union language programs and contributed to publications alongside scholars affiliated with Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Cambridge, and Université Paris-Sorbonne.

Category:Linguistic research institutes Category:Education in Senegal