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Ugandan English: Its sociolinguistics, structure and uses in a globalising post-protectorate
Edited by Christiane Meierkord, Bebwa Isingoma and Saudah Namyalo
[Varieties of English Around the World G59] 2016
► pp. 51–72

A social history of English(es) in Uganda

As is the case with the other countries that linguists have discussed under the name East Africa, i.e. Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda, English came to the area that makes up Uganda today relatively late. This chapter traces the history of English in the country. It describes where speakers of English initially came from and who the users of English have been until today to provide a basis for a full appreciation of the sociolinguistics of present-day Uganda and of the differences from its East African neighbours Kenya and Tanzania. It will also discuss how the protectorate status, the lack of a settler strand, and the circumstances of the 1960s, 70s and 80s set Uganda apart from more prototypical postcolonial countries and seem to provide challenges to existing models.

Keywords: Asian settlers, British settlers, English in post-protectorates, history of English in Uganda, missionary education
Published online: 20 October 2016
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https://doi.org/10.1075/veaw.g59.03mei
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