Il a coupé la petite-là −A Linguistic Study of the Language of Sexuality in French-Speaking Cameroon

Abstract

The language of sexuality in French-speaking Cameroon is characterized by a lexico-semantic creativity which can pose a problem of intelligibility to language users who are not familiar with this code.  So, drawing data from a corpus of close to 200 entries obtained from questionnaire, magazines and participant observation, this paper sets out to decipher this code and study the structure of its lexicon. Besides, it accounts for the factors which can provide hints for the understanding of this code. Basing the analysis on an eclectic framework which encompasses psychoanalysis, structuralism and functionalism, it is found that the language of sexuality in French-speaking Cameroon is characterized by a lexico-semantic creativity which can be discussed under the following lexico-semantic categories: compounding and reduplication, affixation, coinages, borrowing, conversion, clipping, initialisms, collocational extension and change in verb valency, idiomatic formation and stereotyped sentences. A thematic analysis of this language shows that these lexico-semantic constructions can be classified under the following domains: sex organs, accessories and functions, sexual intercourses, sexual partners, relationship and intercourses, sexual orientation and body image, sexual activities and toponyms, sexual experiences, fantasies and diseases. Besides, the findings indicate that the language of sexuality in French-speaking Cameroon draws its lexicon from English, Cameroon Pidgin-English, Camfranglais, home languages and unknown sources. The paper further argues that a semiotic, psychoanalytic and sociocultural analysis can provide insightful tools to the understanding of this code. The study concludes that though sexuality is a phenomenon which is universal, each society develops its lexicon to refer to its practice.