Ivory Coast French Varieties

The "Ivorization" of the French spoken in Ivory Coast is discussed, with focus on the factors behind this process. The nature of the need for French is held to lead to a certain vernacularization, as do the absence of any other common language in the region & the economic development of the Ivory Coast since its independence. This last issue is detailed, with attention to the social changes accompanying economic development & their influence on the use of French. The characteristics of Popular Ivorian French (PIF) are considered, noting the language's precreole status & its various forms. It is contended that certain forms of PIF have been integrated into "cultivated Ivorian." The origins of cultivated Ivorian, as well as its phonological, discourse, & morphosyntactic aspects, are addressed. 24 References. D. Weibel