This is a reflection on certain aspects of sociolinguistic and linguistic problems of French in West Africa, particularly in Senegal and the Ivory Coast. The sociolinguistic section discusses the role French has played in Africa and still plays vis-a-vis African languages and English. Conditions in which French is used and attitudes both of individual speakers of French toward that language and attitudes of social groups who might use it are discussed. In addition to these two topics, the following are also presented: (1) a typology of linguistic situations that includes contacts among the native languages themselves and contacts between native languages and English and French; (2) general considerations on varieties of French; (3) a discussion of linguistic norms and interference and of the relationship between norm and interference; and (4) an outline of varieties of French spoken in Africa as found in various authors. The second part of this study dealing with linguistic aspects of French as spoken in West Africa discusses: (1) the characteristics of varieties of French in Africa; (2) whether the varieties of French are dialects or different languages; (3) the character of popular French in West Africa; and (4) contact between the Akan languages and French on the Ivory Coast. The appendix contains transcriptions of narratives in French recorded by Africans. (AMH)