Abstract
After presenting the concept of " endangered languages " and the factors accelerating this phenomenon " naturel ", my talk will focus on the particular situation in Africa. The vehicularization of a language can lead to assimilation and, consequently, to the disappearance of languages. In this respect, Africa differs from other regions of the world. Historically, local languages acted as lingua francas for different populations, and the emergence of European languages and their subsequent establishment as official languages has never hindered their expansion. Furthermore, the vehicularization of a language and situations of multilingualism do not necessarily lead to assimilation. The relationship between languages in Africa shows that the use of another's language is common practice. Speakers have fairly rich linguistic repertoires. However, the " death of languages " on this continent remains a reality, and raises the question of how to safeguard this linguistic diversity. The situation in Senegal will be the regular reference point for this presentation. It offers different contexts and will enable us to position French in these different balances of power.
