Sense of Alienation Created by Hegemonic Use of European Languages: An Analysis of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s Decolonising the Mind

Abstract

This qualitative descriptive research paper focuses on Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s Decolonising the Mind and analyzes the sense of alienation created by the hegemonic use of European languages in African literature. The purpose of this article is to explore how the dominance of European languages, particularly English, has suppressed African languages, literature, and culture. This suppressive colonial attitude led to a cultural and psychological alienation among African writers and scholars. The study analyzes Thiong’o’s arguments against the imposition of European languages in colonial and post-colonial Africa. The findings suggest that while some African writers accepted European languages as their medium, others experienced alienation due to their exclusion from literary recognition. The paper emphasizes the necessity of African writers to embrace and elevate their native languages as resisting voices against cultural hegemony to nurture a sense of identity and unity among African peoples.