This is Randi Hacker with another Postcard from Abroad from the KU Center for East Asian Studies and the Kansas African Studies Center.

How are you? Hujambo? Oli otya? With over 2,000 spoken languages spoken, Africa is a veritable cornucopia of linguistic diversity. Considering that the continent is geographically larger than the US, China, Europe, and India combined, this linguistic diversity should come as no surprise. Neither should the fact that multilingualism is common or that polyglots abound. In the West African country of Nigeria alone, there are more than 500 languages and most Nigerians speak at least two or three, if not more. Take Lagos, for example. A casual eavesdropper here in Nigeria’s largest city, would hear not only English, which is the official language, but also Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Ibibio, Edo, Fulfulde, and Kanuri. Wow! Chaị! Iro ohun!

With thanks to Mackenzie Jones for this text, from the KU Center for East Asian Studies, this is Randi Hacker. Wish you were here.