Theory of knowledge - Preservation of Language Through Diversity

Vikesh kakad

Theory of knowledge

Preservation of Language Through Diversity

Language is the expression of human communication through which knowledge, belief, and behavior can be experienced, explained, and shared. This sharing is based on systematic, conventionally used signs, sounds, gestures, or marks that convey understood meanings within a group, community or society. The methods that have been flowing to use from hundreds of years for acquiring a language come in three forms written, spoken, or signed. From the Stone Age where human brains were less developed and the only form of communication was sign language and written language. Written language was in form of drawing, these drawing were really important in their age because they described situations such as danger or a source of food. As time passed man developed both physically and mentally, there were birth of different languages and means of communication that helped man change the world.

Apart from language being a mean of communication, it plays a major role as a carrier of the history and the culture built into the process of that communication over time upheld by each individual, each family, each community, and each nation. This shows that language promotes through culture thus bringing diversity. But of all the efforts made a major number of languages that have been carried from the past seem to decay day by day, people get attracted to the modern environment thus leaving behind their roots.

The invasion of the colonialist established colonial languages such as English, French, and Portuguese as a trademark of their arrival in these countries; some of the examples are Kenya, South Africa, Singapore and Madagascar. Since the time of colonialism till today, the establishment of colonial language, especially English has caused other languages all over the world in severe danger of extinction. It has been estimated by the United Nations that approximately 6,000 languages that exist today, anywhere from 50-80% will die out during the present century. Most of the East Asian and African languages spoken are endangered, ...

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It is necessary to preserve other languages that have descended from the history carrying the values and traditions, the minds of the ancestors, and most important the identity of its nation. It is a fact that English does not have its origin; it is a combination of different languages and sources, most of the words in English come from different sources yet it is forced to be a world language. One of the most important sources of language that is now extinct because of the invasion of English is Latin. Latin is the most important language in the world of science; most of the English words used in naming matter are derived from Latin. This shows that a language was sacrificed, uprooted, just to promote another language, which was the result of the sacrificed language.

We notice that the vast focus on English language has caused a major decline in the number of languages spoken worldwide. From what is observed above, we see that languages apart from English are as important as the established languages. But if English is oppressed in a non-English environment, it brings a negative effect on the oppressed. These effects are, the loss of culture, traditions and identity, inequality and lack of education.

Firstly, language describes the values and tradition of a certain culture and the identity of a certain nation; basically language acts as a root of a nation. Invading a nation with a foreign language and forcing the people to establish a new language may distort the traditions and values of the nation. From the past we see that the invasion of colonialist brought a lot of change in the world, especially Africa. Their main aim was to take over the land and obtain the raw materials from Africans who were the owners of the land. The only way that could be used to obtain their goal was to impose foreign culture and tradition on the Africans. The colonialist explained that their culture was more superior to the African culture that was inferior and underdeveloped, plus offered education and job opportunities to people following only the foreign culture. The desire of a better life attracted a lot of Africans to leave their cultures and traditions that is the main reason of the development of foreign language, and surrender their lives depending on the colonialist without knowing that they are surrendering their land as well. This promoted the colonialist to spread the importance of their language, not only in Africa but the whole world. Referring to the article “The day a language died” by Peter Popham, Catawba one of the Native American language died with a man known as Carlos Westez. It is imaginable that a time came where by only one person remaining had knowledge of his tribe, his culture and tradition and perished at the death of Carlos Westez.

Another effect that has been brought by the foreign language is inequality with in the nation. Referring to Ngugi WA Thiong’s article we see that, these days foreign language such as English have established their names in the books of Africa and occupy the center stage. They are the official languages of instruction, of administration, of commerce, trade, justice and foreign communication. But In the third world countries in Africa there is a minority of people speaking English and majority of people who have retain their languages such as Kiswahili. Therefore the majority of people are excluded from the center stage and lack mastery of the language of power.

Most of modern discoveries, inventories, and researches into science, technology and achievements in the creative arts are stored in English, French and Portuguese. Thus a large portion of this vast knowledge is locked up the linguistic prison of English, French and Portuguese; also the libraries contain more information In English language compared to the national language. Therefore the knowledge Is only exposed to the population with the awareness of English language but it is useless to local civilians. This is one of the reasons that caused the nation to increase in the number of uneducated people, which is the main cause of poverty in these nations.

A light of hope can be seen from the darkness these effects. They can be avoided thus preventing the isolation of the national language; methods that can be used to prevent isolation of these languages are, banking the language and raising the Consciousness Level of Our People.

To save what remains of our languages, it is crucial that we preserve them immediately in mediums such as books, CD-ROMS, audio recording and videotapes all of our fluent speakers, most of whom are our Elders. Capturing the purest oral forms of our languages to ensure that they will be available to future generations would lead to the promotion of a language.

By making people aware of their language and the values of their culture would be another effective way to prevent a language from isolation. Referring to Robert Rweyemamu’s article, he says,” it is a fact that Kiswahili is spoken by millions of people in Africa and few in U.S.A, Europe and Asia. But more pressure and enthusiasm are needed to win the language a place of honour at the United Nations and other international institutions”.

From what is observed above, it is necessary to preserve both the specific and established forms of languages. This is because both of them are linked with each other and both of them are linked to cultural and traditional aspects. The languages from the past are the origin of the present language that are necessary for us to live and develop our lives. Therefore preserving both the specific and established language shows development in diversity and togetherness.