Portuguese vs Kimbundu: language use in the colony of Angola (1575 - c. 1845)

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Periodical article

Title:	Portuguese vs Kimbundu: language use in the colony of Angola (1575 - c. 1845)
Author:	Vansina, Jan
Year:	2001
Periodical:	Bulletin des séances = Mededelingen der zittingen
Volume:	47
Issue:	3
Pages:	267-281
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Angola Portugal
Subjects:	colonialism Kimbundu language language usage
External link:	http://www.kaowarsom.be/en/bulletin_2001
Abstract:	Although Portuguese was the official language in Angola, the locally born population, even in the capital Luanda which was founded by settlers from Portugal, began to loose mastery of this language in favour of Kimbundu, the use of which enjoyed considerable expansion in the 18th century. The use of Kimbundu came to be prohibited by 1772 and all publications in this language were destroyed. Nevertheless, the situation would only begin to change around 1830 when a growing number of children from Luanda were educated in Portugal. At the same time, however, began a trend to valorize the use of Kimbundu in Luanda. Thus the elites of Luanda became gradually bilingual, a situation that still exists today. Bibliogr., sum. in English, French and Dutch.