What
role does multilingualism play in a globalised world?
Editor’s note: This essay was contributed
to the United Nations towards fostering plurality of tongues. Enjoy your reading
and be sure to write back
BY MUSYOKA NGUI
Naturally, human beings are diverse.
Their skin colour is different. They also have different languages and cultures.
Therefore, it is only natural that a speaker of one language can embrace others
and speak them competently as a native speaker would. Multilingualism in
today’s world is not only normal but necessary.
However, multilingualism has been dealt a blow by political
interests that do not necessarily serve the global interests. (Thangw’a, 2014)A
case in point is that currently Kenya is grappling with whether or not to teach
primary school children in vernacular. The children especially those who live
in cities have been learning in Kiswahili and English. Political opinion is
divided about if teaching children in mother tongue will boost their academic
performance or it will entrench negative ethnicity. The Kenya National Union of
Teachers (KNUT) and Kenya Parents Association have opposed teaching primary
school children in vernacular. As things stand now, the children know and
understand rudimentary Swahili and little English. Their literacy levels have
dipped if the recent Kenya National Examination Council examination results are
anything to go by.
Multilingualism is the ability to speak in many languages. For
example if a person can speak in their first language plus other acquired
secondary languages they are termed as multilingual. I speak in Kikamba,
Kimeru, Kiswahili and English. A globalised world is one which is enabled by
modern changes in technology to converge in an international platform such as
the internet and share ideas and experiences.
Thesis
statement: Multilingualism has more benefits than disadvantages
Multilingualism has contributed both positively and negatively in
shaping the languages spoken in the world today. However, let me say from the
outset that the benefits of multilingualism far outweigh the drawbacks. As such
it is advisable for the world to embrace multilingualism so long as it
preserves the minority tongues from extinction due to the looming threats of
world lingua franca like English.
The
positive roles of multilingualism
The most basic function of any language is to communicate. A
language that facilitates effective communication should be encouraged to grow,
so should other languages that are also used to communicate. This will help
individuals and communities achieve linguistic diversity. Pluralism of
languages is strength.
People who are multilingual go beyond borders. They are able to
live, work and play anywhere in the world comfortably. Multinational companies
offer such persons jobs as they can speak different languages in the workplace
competently. They are unlimited.
Multilingualism makes them carve out a competitive edge over those who speak in
only one language.
Language is a key cultural component. When we study and speak
languages of others we learn their cultures. We become multicultural. This
makes us appreciate other people’s ways of life. This further nurtures
tolerance, understanding and respect among cultures. These enduring values help
us to live in peace with others because we are connected by common languages.
In my country, Kenya most students speak at least three languages.
First, they acquire their mother tongue from birth and learn it throughout
early childhood up to Standard Three. But this is more prevalent in rural areas
than in urban areas. From there they specialise in Kiswahili and English which
are both the national official languages. Thus Kenyan students are
multilingual.
However, Kenya is haunted by the ghost of tribalism. Nevertheless,
people can maintain their ethnic languages alongside speaking in one common
language. In a way, there is ethnic profiling which compromises our sense of
identity and nationhood. Kiswahili remains the only African language that
unites us without evoking ethnic hatred (Thangw’a, 2014). Majority of Kenyans
speak Kiswahili and English in addition to their ethnic languages. Kiswahili is
the glue that binds us together.
Multilingualism boosts pride and a sense of belonging between and
among different speakers. Across East Africa, people communicate in Kiswahili
as well as their ethnic languages. When a Congolese greets a Tanzanian by
saying: “Jambo!” ,(How are you?) the two suddenly realise that they are
one. Tourists visit on holiday and learn Kiswahili and make the locals proud of
their indigenous languages. This cements friendship with international
visitors.
On the global stage, world citizens communicate effectively in
lingua franca such as English. English catalyses globalisation as people from
all over the world understand each other. On the part of students, they are
able to share ideas and experiences with their counterparts in other countries over
the internet. Need I say that multilingualism is a catalyst for technological
innovation? New inventions are spawned by scholars after interacting on the
internet via research papers and correspondence.
The global citizens unlock their potential of imagination and
creativity by speaking in many languages. They think critically about how to
provide solutions to international challenges such as terrorism and
environmental degradation. It is for this reason that multilingual speakers
share some attributes that are dear to them. These include interest in global
current affairs. They are curious to know the latest technological, cultural,
political, economic and geographical trends. They are constantly informed.
Multilingual speakers are adaptable to various environments. They
embrace and appreciate different cultures and are willing to try new things. On
the contrary, monolingual people tend to be closed and conservative. They doubt
and suspect new trends. They are an impediment to development. Multilingualism
fosters change of attitude among world citizens to embrace change. They are the
generation of today and tomorrow. The future is multilingual, multiethnic and
multicultural. Monolinguals risk being isolated. They better start learning
other languages.
The
negative roles of multilingualism
Multilingualism has brought along great challenges too. There are
genuine concerns that the sweeping adoption of some languages as the dominant languages
for communication in a globalised world threatens minority languages. Minority
speakers feel left out. If this is left unchecked the endangered languages will
soon become extinct. These languages include those which are spoken by few
people or whose speakers are elderly and the youth have not embraced them.
Scholars draw parallels between languages and ecology (Crosnier,2012).For example; scientists contend that ecological diversity makes the
world more beautiful, lively, inhabitable and colourful. Likewise, linguistic
diversity makes the world more interesting, creative and conserves the heritage
of the various speakers. If species in the ecosystem fade the world loses the
niche occupied by that species. If a language dies due to the need to adopt
multilingualism, the world suffers from decreased diversity (Crosnier,2012).
Multilingualism is expensive. To support many languages a lot of
infrastructure is supposed to be put in place. We need learning resources like
books, teachers and computers. As much as we want to reduce the world to a
global village we are held back by shortage of resources.
The coming of multilingualism has brainwashed those who speak local
languages (Thiong’o, 1986). Here in Kenya and Sub Saharan Africa at large
native speakers shun their own languages and go for foreign languages such as
English, Spanish, French and Arabic. They abandon their own indigenous
languages. A Kiswahili proverb says mwacha mila ni mtumwa (He who
abandons his culture is a slave). This wisdom is trashed and Africans rush to
adopt exotic accents at the expense of their own languages. They are ashamed of
native tongues and wish that they “speak through the nose” like the foreigners.
Unfortunately we are yet to make speakers take pride in our own languages and
develop them. I firmly believe that adoption of international languages is not
in itself bad at all. But those who speak minority languages should nurture
their own languages too as they try to learn new ones.
Language policies fail when the stakeholders are not involved in
the process of making language policies. (Abagi, 2014) Nations should negotiate
with their citizens in coming up with agreeable language policies and laws. To
this end, the Kenyan government recognises English and Kiswahili as the
official languages. As mentioned earlier, the other local languages are taught
at the early stages when the children are growing. This helps prevent
discrimination against some languages and favouritism of others.
Some
solutions to multilingualism challenges
Language is a serious tool for development. It communicates
development agenda and supports feedback from the population. Adoption of
languages which many speakers from different ethnic backgrounds are proficient
and competent in ensures maximum development results. Our government is
encouraging use of local languages in the newly formed counties as it rolls out
devolution. County radios, newspapers and televisions ran in local languages,
Kiswahili and English are coming up. People are embracing them since they offer
unlimited employment opportunities and will ultimately reduce the burden of
poverty. Local languages complement Kiswahili and English.
Minority languages can be protected by education and legislation.
Teaching children and even adults who did not get the opportunity to learn
their local languages will go a long way in preserving the endangered
languages. Governments should also recognize various languages and dialects by
enacting laws to protect them.
Research is crucial in managing linguistic diversity. Governments
should partner with Non-Governmental Organizations to advance multilingualism.
Setting up linguistic research centres will incubate ideas about how sound
linguistic diversity plays key roles in our lives, its causes, effects and how
to manage the conflicts arising from multilingualism.
Conclusion
Multilingualism encourages people to be global citizens. A global
citizen is someone who identifies with the larger humanity on Earth as the
number one priority (Crosnier, 2012). But it does not mean he/she loses his/her national and local
identity and beliefs. Global citizens are aware that their national social,
political, religious, economic and cultural identities matter since these
define the world citizens. A people’s culture is crucial in defining the world
outlook (Thiong’o, 1986). Therefore, world citizens value their national attributes
because they derive meanings of life from them.
Multilingual global citizens are concerned about world issues which
affect all people. They are willing to assist in humanitarian causes such as
wars, national disasters like floods and earthquakes and empathise with the
victims. Knowledge of multiple languages facilitates this because there is no
way one can reach out to another speaker of different language yet he/she does
not understand his/her tongue or one does not speak a common language.
As world inhabitants each of us should endeavour to nurture and
preserve cultural diversity. Let us do something whether small or big to
promote multilingualism in a globalised world. Yes, we can make a difference!
REFERENCES
Crosnier, L. V. (2012,
January 30). Net.lang : towards the multilingual cyberspace - Unesco.
Retrieved February 13, 2014, from Net.Lang:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CDIQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unesco.org%2Fnew%2Ffileadmin%2FMULTIMEDIA%2FHQ%2FCI%2FCI%2Fpdf%2Fnetlang_EN_pdfedition.pdf&ei=3GT8Uv6GA4-RhQfq4YHQDw&usg=AFQjCNHKYyuM2OsE-GG7fGIuFKgDxPVE_g&b
Abagi, O. (2014, February
13). New language policy is not only retrogressive, but myopic as well.
Retrieved February 13, 2014, from dailynation.co.ke:
http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/New-language-policy-proposal-is-not-only-retrogressive/-/440808/2170300/-/10ncqi6z/-/index.html
Thangw'a, M. (2014,
February 13). Daily Nation. Retrieved February 13, 2014, from
dailynation.co.ke:
http://www.nation.co.ke/page/search/DailyNation/-/1148/1148/-/view/asSearch/-/r4tvx4z/-/index.html
Thiong'o, N. W. (1986). Decolonising
the Mind; The Politics of Language in African Literature. Portsmouth:
Heinemann.