JOURNAL ARTICLE

The Creation of a Pan-Nigerian Typeface: A Postcolonial Episode in the Evolution of Nigerian Languages.

  • Published In: International Journal of African Historical Studies, 2023, v. 56, n. 2. P. 243 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Hurlbut, David Dmitri 3 of 3

Abstract

Samuel Crowther's efforts to standardize Nigerian languages in the late-nineteenth and earlytwentieth century are well known to scholars. This research note discusses a lesser-known postcolonial episode in the history of Nigerian languages--the 1983 Pan-Nigerian typewriter project of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Education's National Language Centre. Drawing on a "shadow archive" of documents, it explores the efforts of linguists, civil servants, and printers to design and then implement a unified typeface for Nigerian languages between the 1980s to 2000s. This article argues that the absence of widespread adoption of the Pan-Nigerian typeface showcases the negative impacts of neoliberal policies and corporate colonialism and the enduring influence of religious organizations on African language policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:International Journal of African Historical Studies. 2023/05, Vol. 56, Issue 2, p243
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:0361-7882
  • Accession Number:173885034
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of International Journal of African Historical Studies is the property of Trustees of Boston University, acting through its African Studies Center and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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