UB: Could PhD thesis proffer solutions to end Anglophone crisis?
By Nchendzengang Tatah
How interpreters can promote peace by curbing hate speech is the core of a PhD thesis that Sylvanus Akwa Ewi defended on May 4 at the University of Buea.
The PhD thesis titled Interpreting Speech Acts in Aghem into English for Peace Building used the Aghem community in the Northwest Region as a case study and proposed ways in which interpreters can help reduce hate in the discharge of their duties as interpreters.
“I think if policymakers have a listening ear, they can use the work because we have tested in my community, Aghem. We realized that when you change a paradigm even somebody who is supposed to be angry with you, tends to be happy because of the way you speak and what you convey” Akwa Ewi said.
For over three hours, he presented and defended his findings before a six-man jury comprising various language experts from the University of Buea.
Prof. Sakwe George, Director of the University of Advanced School of Translation and Interpretation (ASTI) noted that the thesis is of great importance as it addresses hate speech which he said is increasingly becoming one of the difficulties Cameroonians are facing especially in the context of the Anglophone Conflict in the Northwest and Southwest.
“Many conflicts come from a misunderstanding because people don’t appreciate the way other people talk,” he said. He then approved the work of the candidate.
The jury which constituted of authorities of the University of Buea, deliberated and concluded that the topic is pertinent and challenging, especially with the ongoing war in the Anglophone regions which is also partly fueled by hateful rhetoric. According to the jury, the theoretical framework and data analysis were in line with the objectives of the study. They also noted that the defense was lively and informative, and Sylvanus Akwa Ewi has been recommended for an award of a PhD in Interpreting Studies.
