The Significance of Language and the Use of English in Chinua Achebe’s Writings
The Significance of Language and the Use of English in Chinua Achebe’s Writings
Chinua Achebe’s decision to write in English, rather than in his native Igbo, was a controversial and pivotal choice in the development of African literature. In works like Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease, and Anthills of the Savannah, Achebe explores the complex relationship between language, identity, and culture in postcolonial Africa.
Achebe defended his use of English, arguing that it allowed African writers to reach a wider audience and engage with global literary traditions. However, he also worked to adapt the English language to reflect African experiences, blending it with elements of African languages, particularly Igbo. His writing is infused with proverbs, idioms, and local expressions, which give his works a distinctive African flavor, even though they are written in English.
Achebe’s use of English reflects the broader postcolonial dilemma: how to use a colonizer’s language as a medium for self-expression and cultural identity. By making English “his own,” Achebe resists the notion that African writers should abandon their native languages to conform to colonial norms. At the same time, his works challenge the Western literary canon and introduce new ways of storytelling, drawing from Africa’s oral traditions and rich cultural heritage.
In Things Fall Apart, for example, Achebe’s integration of proverbs and Igbo idiomatic expressions into the English narrative helps preserve and promote African languages, even while writing in a European tongue. Achebe’s ability to navigate between languages and cultures has made his work both a bridge and a resistance to colonialism, establishing him as a key figure in postcolonial literary studies.
