Language and Related Stumbling Blocks to Effective Participatory Development

This article focuses on the role of language in development communication. This is achieved by looking at literature in the areas of development and development communication as well as an analysis of language use of development workers and beneficiaries in two villages in Northern Ghana. Two views of development are discussed, resulting in the conclusion that development implies improvement on existing living conditions by collective effort. The language(s) used and language related issues such as power and participation are also discussed. The methodology was mainly the use of questionnaires and participant - observation. It concludes by calling for a closer look at language issues in multilingual societies since language is one of the major means by which people can truly participate or not. Ghana Journal of Development Studies Vol. 4 (21) 2007: pp. 90-10