Abstract
This study investigates how French and English are used along the Benin–Nigerian border, where two distinct colonial languages intersect in everyday communication. The aim is to compare the roles and functions of these languages within social, educational, and commercial interactions across the region. Data for the study were drawn from both primary and secondary sources, including interviews with local residents, traders, and teachers, as well as existing studies on cross-border language practices. The research adopted a qualitative approach, relying on purposive sampling to gather information through semi-structured interviews and direct observation of interactions in markets and schools. Content analysis was employed to interpret the data, allowing patterns of language choice, code-switching, and preference to emerge. Findings reveal that while English dominates in Nigerian border communities, French maintains strong influence in Beninese contexts, with both languages often coexisting in trade and informal communication. Multilingualism, code-switching, and pragmatic borrowing were observed as strategies to overcome communication barriers. The study recommends the promotion of bilingual education in schools, improved cross-border language policies, and the establishment of community language centers to strengthen mutual intelligibility and foster regional integration.
Keywords: English, French, Border, Translanguaging, Code -Switching, Cross –linguistic accommodation
