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The Importance of Maintaining Native Language

The United States is often proudly referred to as the “melting pot.” Cultural diversity has become a part of our country’s identity. However, as American linguist, Lilly Wong Fillmore, pointed out in her language loss study, minority languages remain surprisingly unsupported in our education system (1991, p. 342). Although her research was conducted more than twenty years ago, this fact still rings true. Many non-minority Americans are not aware of the native language loss that has become prevalent in children of immigrant parents. While parents can maintain native language, children educated in U.S. schools quickly lose touch with their language heritage. This phenomenon, called subtractive bilingualism, was first discovered by psychologist Wallace Lambert, in his study of the language acquisition of French-Canadian children. The term refers to the fact that learning a second language directly affects primary language, causing loss of native language fluency (Fillmore, 1991, p. 323). This kind of language erosion has been integral to the narrative of this country for some time. Many non-minority Americans can trace their family tree back to a time when their ancestors lost fluency in a language that was not English. Today, due to the great emphasis on assimilation into the United States’ English-speaking culture, children of various minorities are not only losing fluency, but also their ability to speak in their native language, at all (Fillmore, 1991, p. 324).

The misconceptions surrounding bilingual education has done much to increase the educational system’s negative outlook on minority languages. In Lynn Malarz’s bilingual curriculum handbook, she states that “the main purpose of the bilingual program is to teach English as soon as possible and integrate the children into the mainstream of education” (1998). This handbook, although written in 1998, still gives valuable insight into how the goals of bilingual education were viewed. Since English has become a global language, this focus of bilingual education, which leads immigrant children to a future of English monolingualism, seems valid to many educators and policymakers. Why support minority languages in a country where English is the language of the prosperous? Shouldn’t we assimilate children to English as soon as possible, so that they can succeed in the mainstream, English-speaking culture? This  leads us to consider an essential question: does language loss matter? Through the research of many linguists, psychologists, and language educators, it has been shown that the effect of native language loss reaches far. It impacts familial and social relationships, personal identity, the socio-economic world, as well as cognitive abilities and academic success. This paper aims to examine the various benefits of maintaining one’s native language, and through this examination, reveal the negative effects of language loss.

Familial Implications

The impact of native language loss in the familial sphere spans parent-child and grandparent-grandchild relationships, as well as cultural respects. Psychologists Boutakidis, Chao, and Rodríguez, (2011) conducted a study of Chinese and Korean immigrant families to see how the relationships between the 9th-grade adolescences and their parents were impacted by native language loss. They found that, because the adolescents had limited understanding and communicative abilities in the parental language, there were key cultural values that could not be understood (Boutakidis et al., 2011, p. 129). They also discovered there was a direct correlation between respect for parents and native language fluency. For example, honorific titles, a central component of respect unique to Chinese and Korean culture, have no English alternatives (p.129). They sum up their research pertaining to this idea by stating that “children’s fluency in the parental heritage language is integral to fully understanding and comprehending the parental culture” (Boutakidis et al., 2011, p. 129). Not only is language integral to maintaining parental respect, but also cultural identity.

In her research regarding parental perceptions of maintaining native language, Ruth Lingxin Yan (2003) found that immigrant parents not only agree on the importance of maintaining native language, but have similar reasoning for their views. She discovered that maintaining native language was important to parents, because of its impact on heritage culture, religion, moral values, community connections, and broader career opportunities.

Melec Rodriguez, whose parents immigrated to the United States before he was born, finds that his native language loss directly impacts his relationship with his grandparents. Rodriguez experienced his language loss in high school. He stated that due to his changing social group and the fact that he began interacting with his family less, he found himself forgetting “uncommon words in the language.” His “struggle to process information” causes him to “take a moment” to “form sentences in [his] mind during conversations” (M. Rodriguez, personal communication, Nov. 3, 2019). Of his interactions with his grandparents, who have a limited understanding of English, he stated:

“I find very often that I simply cannot think of a way to reply while conveying genuine emotion, and I know they feel I am detached at times because of that. I also struggle to tell exciting stories about my experiences and find it hard to create meaningful conversations with family” (M. Rodriguez, personal communication, Nov. 3, 2019).

Rodriguez’s native language loss creates a distinct communicative barrier between him and his grandparents, causing him difficulty in genuine connection building. Although this is a relatively obvious implication of native language loss, it is nonetheless a concerning effect.

Personal Implications

Native language, as an integral part of the familial sphere, also has strong connections on a personal level. The degree of proficiency in one’s heritage language is intrinsically connected to self-identity. The Intercultural Development Research Association noted this connection, stating that “the child’s first language is critical to his or her identity. Maintaining this language helps the child value his or her culture and heritage, which contributes to a positive self-concept. (“Why Is It Important to Maintain the Native Language?” n.d.). Grace Cho, professor and researcher at California State University, concluded “that [heritage language] development can be an important part of identity formation and can help one retain a strong sense of identity to one's own ethnic group” (Cho, 2000, p. 369). In her research paper, she discussed the “identity crisis” many Korean American students face, due to the lack of proficiency they have in their heritage language (p. 374). Cho found that students with higher levels of fluency could engage in key aspects of their cultural community, which contributed greatly to overcoming identity crises and establishing their sense of self (p. 375).

Social Implications

Native language loss’ connections to family relationships and personal identity broaden to the social sphere, as well. Not only can native language loss benefit social interactions and one’s sense of cultural community, it has large-scale socioeconomic implication. In Cho’s study (2000) she found that college-aged participants with Korean ancestry were faced with many social challenges due to limited fluency in Korean. Participants labeled with poor proficiency remarked on the embarrassment they endured, leading them to withdraw from social situations that involved their own ethnic group (p. 376). These students thus felt isolated and excluded from the heritage culture their parents actively participated in. Native language loss also caused students to face rejection from their own ethnic communities, resulting in conflicts and frustration (p. 377). Participants that did not complain of any conflict actively avoided their Korean community due to their lack of proficiency (p. 378). Participants who were labeled as highly proficient in Korean told of the benefits this had, allowing them to “participate freely in cultural events or activities” (p. 374). Students who were able to maintain their native language were able to facilitate meaningful and beneficial interactions within their cultural community.

Melec Rodriguez made similar comments in his experience as a Spanish and English- speaking individual. Although his native language loss has negatively affected his familial relationships, he has found that, in the past, his Spanish fluency “allowed for a greater social network in [his] local community (school, church, events) as [he] was able to more easily understand and converse with others” (M. Rodriguez, personal communication, Nov. 3, 2019). As this research suggests, native language fluency has a considerate influence on social interactions. Essentially, a lack of fluency in one’s native language creates a social barrier; confident proficiency increases social benefits and allows genuine connections to form in one’s cultural community.

Benefits to the Economy

Maintaining native language not only benefits personal social spheres, but also personal career opportunities, and thereby the economy at large. Peeter Mehisto and David Marsh (2011), educators central to the Content and Language Integrated Learning educational approach, conducted research into the economic implications of bilingualism. Central to their discussion was the idea that “monolingualism acts as a barrier to trade and communication” (p. 26). Thus, bilingualism holds an intrinsic communicative value that benefits the economy. Although they discovered that the profits of bilingualism can change depending on the region, they referred to the Fradd/Boswell 1999 report, that showed Spanish and English-speaking Hispanics living in the United States earned more than Hispanics who had lost their Spanish fluency (Mehisto & Marsh, 2011, p. 22). Mehisto and Marsh also found that bilingualism makes many contributions to economic growth, specifically “education, government, [and] culture…” (p. 25). Bilingualism is valuable in a society in which numerous services are demanded by speakers of non-English languages. The United States is a prime example of a country in which this is the case.

Increased Job Opportunites

Melec Rodriguez, although he has experienced native language loss, explained that he experienced increased job opportunities due to his Spanish language background. He stated:

“Living in south Texas, it is very common for people to struggle with either English or Spanish, or even be completely unable to speak one of the languages. There are many restaurants or businesses which practice primarily in one language or the other. Being bilingual greatly increased the opportunity to get a job at many locations and could make or break being considered as a candidate” (M. Rodriguez, personal communication, Nov. 3, 2019).

Rodriguez went on to explain that if he were more confident in his native language, he would have been able to gain even more job opportunities. However, as his language loss has increased through the years, Spanish has become harder to utilize in work environments. Thus, maintaining one’s native language while assimilating to English is incredibly valuable, not only to the economy but also to one’s own occupational potential.

Cognitive and Academic Implications

Those who are losing native language fluency due to English assimilation are missing out on the cognitive and academic benefits of bilingualism. The Interculteral Development Research Association addresses an important issue in relation to immigrant children and academic success. When immigrant children begin at U. S. schools, most of their education is conducted in English. However, since these students are not yet fluent in English, they must switch to a language in which they function “at an intellectual level below their age” (“Why Is It Important to Maintain the Native Language?” n.d.). Thus, it is important that educational systems understand the importance of maintaining native language. It is also important for them to understand the misconceptions this situation poses for the academic assessments of such students.

In Enedina Garcia-Vazquez and her colleague's (1997) study of language proficiency’s connection to academic success, evidence was found that contradicted previous ideas about the correlation. The previous understanding of bilingualism in children was that it caused “mental confusion,” however, this was accounted for by the problematic methodologies used (Garcia- Vazquez, 1997, p. 395). In fact, Garcia-Vazquez et al. discuss how bilingualism increases “reasoning abilities” which influence “nonverbal problem-solving skills, divergent thinking skills, and field independence” (p. 396). Their study of English and Spanish speaking students revealed that proficiency in both languages leads to better scores on standardized tests (p. 404). The study agreed with previous research that showed bilingual children to exceed their monolingual peers when it came to situations involving “high level…cognitive control” (p. 396). Bilingualism thus proves to have a distinct influence on cognitive abilities.

Mehisto and Marsh (2011) discuss similar implications, citing research that reveals neurological differences in bilingual versus monolingual brains. This research indicates that the “corpus callosum in the brain of bilingual individuals is larger in area than is the case for monolinguals” (p. 30). This proves to be an important difference that reveals the bilingual individual’s superiority in many cognitive functions. When it comes to cognitive ability, Mehisto and Marsh discuss how bilinguals are able to draw on both languages, and thus “bring extra cognitive capacity” to problem-solving. Not only can bilingualism increase cognitive abilities, but it is also revealed to increase the “cognitive load” that they are able to manage at once (p.30). Many of the academic benefits of bilingualism focus on reading and writing skills. Garcia-Vazquez’s study focuses on how students who were fluent in both Spanish and English had superior verbal skills in both writing and reading, as well as oral communication (p. 404). However, research indicates that benefits are not confined to this area of academics. Due to increased cognition and problem-solving skills, research indicates that bilingual individuals who are fluent in both languages achieved better in mathematics than monolinguals, as well as less proficient bilinguals (Clarkson, 1992). Philip Clarkson, a mathematics education scholar, conducted one of many studies with students in Papua New Guinea. One key factor that Clarkson discovered was the importance of fluency level (p. 419). For example, if a student had experienced language loss in one of their languages, this loss directly impacted their mathematical competence. Not only does Clarkson’s research dissuade the preconceived notions that bilingualism gets in the way of mathematical learning, it actually proves to contribute “a clear advantage” for fluent bilingual students (p. 419). Clarkson goes on to suggest that this research disproves “the simplistic argument that has held sway for so long for not using languages other than English in Papua New Guinea schools” (p. 420). He thus implies the importance of maintaining the native language of the students in Papua New Guinea since this bilingual fluency directly impacts mathematical competency.

Both Garcia-Vazquez et al. and Mehisto and Marsh reveal how proficiency in two languages directly benefits a brain’s functions. Their research thus illustrates how maintaining one’s native language will lead to cognitive and academic benefits. Clarkson expands on the range of academic benefits a bilingual student might expect to have. It is important to note that,  as Clarkson’s research showed, the fluency of a bilingual student has much influence on their mathematical abilities. Thus, maintaining a solid fluency in one’s native language is an important aspect of mathematical success.

Suggested Educational Approach

The acculturation that occurs when immigrants move to the United States is the main force causing language loss. Because of the misconceptions of bilingual education, this language loss is not fully counteracted. Policymakers and educators have long held the belief that bilingual education is essentially a “cop-out” for immigrants who do not wish to assimilate to the United States’ English-speaking culture (Fillmore, 1991, p. 325). However, bilingual education is  central to the maintenance of native language. Due to the misconceptions and varied views on this controversial subject, there are two extremes of bilingual education in the United States. In Malarz’s (1998) curriculum handbook, she explains the two different viewpoints of these approaches. The first pedological style’s goal is to fully assimilate language-minority students to English as quickly and directly as possible. Its mindset is based on the idea that English is the language of the successful, and that by teaching this language as early as possible, language- minority children will have the best chance of prospering in mainstream society. However, this mindset is ignorant of the concept of subtractive bilingualism, and thus is not aware that its approach is causing native language loss. The second approach Malarz discusses is the bilingual education that places primary importance on retaining the student’s heritage culture, and thereby, their native language. This approach faces much criticism ,since it seems to lack the appropriate focus of a country that revolves around its English-speaking culture. Neither of these approaches poses a suitable solution to the issue at hand. Maintaining native language, as we have discussed, is extremely valuable. However, learning English is also an important goal for the future of language-minority students. Thus, the most appropriate bilingual educational approach is one of  careful balance. Native language, although important, should not be the goal, just as English assimilation should not be the central focus. Instead, the goal of bilingual education should be to combine the two former goals and consider them as mutually inclusive. This kind of balanced education is certainly not mainstream, although clearly needed. In Yan’s research regarding parental perceptions of maintaining native language, she found that parents sought after “bilingual schools or those that provided instruction with extra heritage language teaching” (2003, p. 99). Parents of language-minority students recognize the importance of this kind of education and educators and policymakers need to, as well.

The ramifications of native language loss should not be disregarded. Unless bilingual children are actively encouraged and assisted by parents and teachers to maintain their native language, these children will lose their bilingualism. They will not only lose their native fluency and the related benefits, but they will also experience the drawbacks associated with language loss. As the research presented in this article illustrates, there are several specific advantages to maintaining native language. The familial implications reveal that native language loss is detrimental to close relationships with parents and grandparents. Maintaining native language allows for more meaningful communication that can facilitate respect for these relationships as well as heritage culture as a whole. Native language maintenance is also an important factor in the retainment of personal identity. In regard to the social sphere, isolation and a feeling of rejection can occur if native language is not maintained. Additionally, it was found that maintaining native language allows for greater involvement in one’s cultural community. Other social factors included the benefits of bilingualism to the economy as well as the greater scope of job opportunities for bilingual individuals. A variety of studies concluded that there are many cognitive and academic benefits of retaining bilingualism. Due to the many effects of native language loss and the variety of benefits caused by maintaining native language, it can be determined that native language retainment is incredibly important.

Boutakidis, I. P., Chao, R. K., & Rodríguez, J. L. (2011). The role of adolescent’s native language fluency on quality of communication and respect for parents in Chinese and Korean immigrant families. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 2(2), 128–139. doi: 10.1037/a0023606.

Cho, G. (2000). The role of heritage language in social interactions and relationships: Reflections from a language minority group. Bilingual Research Journal, 24(4), 369-384. doi:10.1080/15235882.2000.10162773

Clarkson, P. C. (1992). Language and mathematics: A comparison of bilingual and monolingual students of mathematics. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 23(4), 417.

Fillmore, L. W. (1991). When learning a second language means losing the first. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 6(3), 323–346. doi: 10.1016/s0885-2006(05)80059-6

Garcia-Vazquez, E., Vazquez, L. A., Lopez, I. C., & Ward, W. (1997). Language proficiency and academic success: Relationships between proficiency in two languages and achievement among Mexican American students. Bilingual Research Journal, 21(4), 395.

Malarz, L. (1998). Bilingual Education: Effective Programming for Language-Minority  Students. Retrieved November 10, 2019, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/curriculum_handbook/413/chapters/Biling... n@_Effective_Programming_for_Language-Minority_Students.aspx .

Mehisto, P., & Marsh, D. (2011). Approaching the economic, cognitive and health benefits of bilingualism: Fuel for CLIL. Linguistic Insights - Studies in Language and Communication, 108, 21-47.

Rodriguez, M. (2019, November 3). Personal interview.

Why is it Important to Maintain the Native Language? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.idra.org/resource-center/why-is-it-important-to-maintain-the... language/.

Yan, R. (2003). Parental Perceptions on Maintaining Heritage Languages of CLD Students.

Bilingual Review / La Revista Bilingüe, 27(2), 99-113. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25745785

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The power of language: How words shape people, culture

Speaking, writing and reading are integral to everyday life, where language is the primary tool for expression and communication. Studying how people use language – what words and phrases they unconsciously choose and combine – can help us better understand ourselves and why we behave the way we do.

Linguistics scholars seek to determine what is unique and universal about the language we use, how it is acquired and the ways it changes over time. They consider language as a cultural, social and psychological phenomenon.

“Understanding why and how languages differ tells about the range of what is human,” said Dan Jurafsky , the Jackson Eli Reynolds Professor in Humanities and chair of the Department of Linguistics in the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford . “Discovering what’s universal about languages can help us understand the core of our humanity.”

The stories below represent some of the ways linguists have investigated many aspects of language, including its semantics and syntax, phonetics and phonology, and its social, psychological and computational aspects.

Understanding stereotypes

Stanford linguists and psychologists study how language is interpreted by people. Even the slightest differences in language use can correspond with biased beliefs of the speakers, according to research.

One study showed that a relatively harmless sentence, such as “girls are as good as boys at math,” can subtly perpetuate sexist stereotypes. Because of the statement’s grammatical structure, it implies that being good at math is more common or natural for boys than girls, the researchers said.

Language can play a big role in how we and others perceive the world, and linguists work to discover what words and phrases can influence us, unknowingly.

How well-meaning statements can spread stereotypes unintentionally

New Stanford research shows that sentences that frame one gender as the standard for the other can unintentionally perpetuate biases.

Algorithms reveal changes in stereotypes

New Stanford research shows that, over the past century, linguistic changes in gender and ethnic stereotypes correlated with major social movements and demographic changes in the U.S. Census data.

Exploring what an interruption is in conversation

Stanford doctoral candidate Katherine Hilton found that people perceive interruptions in conversation differently, and those perceptions differ depending on the listener’s own conversational style as well as gender.

Cops speak less respectfully to black community members

Professors Jennifer Eberhardt and Dan Jurafsky, along with other Stanford researchers, detected racial disparities in police officers’ speech after analyzing more than 100 hours of body camera footage from Oakland Police.

How other languages inform our own

People speak roughly 7,000 languages worldwide. Although there is a lot in common among languages, each one is unique, both in its structure and in the way it reflects the culture of the people who speak it.

Jurafsky said it’s important to study languages other than our own and how they develop over time because it can help scholars understand what lies at the foundation of humans’ unique way of communicating with one another.

“All this research can help us discover what it means to be human,” Jurafsky said.

Stanford PhD student documents indigenous language of Papua New Guinea

Fifth-year PhD student Kate Lindsey recently returned to the United States after a year of documenting an obscure language indigenous to the South Pacific nation.

Students explore Esperanto across Europe

In a research project spanning eight countries, two Stanford students search for Esperanto, a constructed language, against the backdrop of European populism.

Chris Manning: How computers are learning to understand language​

A computer scientist discusses the evolution of computational linguistics and where it’s headed next.

Stanford research explores novel perspectives on the evolution of Spanish

Using digital tools and literature to explore the evolution of the Spanish language, Stanford researcher Cuauhtémoc García-García reveals a new historical perspective on linguistic changes in Latin America and Spain.

Language as a lens into behavior

Linguists analyze how certain speech patterns correspond to particular behaviors, including how language can impact people’s buying decisions or influence their social media use.

For example, in one research paper, a group of Stanford researchers examined the differences in how Republicans and Democrats express themselves online to better understand how a polarization of beliefs can occur on social media.

“We live in a very polarized time,” Jurafsky said. “Understanding what different groups of people say and why is the first step in determining how we can help bring people together.”

Analyzing the tweets of Republicans and Democrats

New research by Dora Demszky and colleagues examined how Republicans and Democrats express themselves online in an attempt to understand how polarization of beliefs occurs on social media.

Examining bilingual behavior of children at Texas preschool

A Stanford senior studied a group of bilingual children at a Spanish immersion preschool in Texas to understand how they distinguished between their two languages.

Predicting sales of online products from advertising language

Stanford linguist Dan Jurafsky and colleagues have found that products in Japan sell better if their advertising includes polite language and words that invoke cultural traditions or authority.

Language can help the elderly cope with the challenges of aging, says Stanford professor

By examining conversations of elderly Japanese women, linguist Yoshiko Matsumoto uncovers language techniques that help people move past traumatic events and regain a sense of normalcy.

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The value of communicating in the local language

Albert Einstein once commented “If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute solving it.”

What is the most important problem or barrier to be addressed when giving someone the knowledge and confidence to do a mission critical job? We suggest it is how you communicate the key information to empower locals and then the ease with which they can translate that knowledge into practical action.

For aid organisations seeking to make training as effective and impactful as possible communication in local languages can make all the differnece. On the one hand working through the local language allows making information as accessible as possible to people who may find themselves in the frontline of an outbreak. On the other hand, it encompasses a participatory approach empowering the local communities. Communicating in ‘their language’ as opposed to ‘our language’ is a critical element in local empowerment, whilst not using their local language can have all kinds of often unintended, but damaging consequences. We carried out a literature search to explore studies in linguistics and healthcare. Local languages are often seen as “minor implementation issue, a mere communication problem, easily overcome with bilingual translators” (Henderson et al. 2014).

Communications quickly coalesce around a single dominant international language. Locals who speak the major language become brokers for services, acting as translators and possibly even becoming part of the local capacity building initiatives. This special role of these often-male brokers who also have a particular role in the community is then also the bottleneck as the validity of the translation cannot be assessed. And of course, bilinguals are people who speak two languages and not professional translators. Providing access to services through majority languages are the harbingers of language endangerment. The local language and knowledge is de-valorised as communication has to be accomplished through a majority language and much is lost in translation. Later, access to aid, resources and support is only possible through the majority language in operation.

The effectiveness of interventions is often hampered due to Western essentialist models of behaviour change and a lack of appropriate knowledge transmission through the local language. It is the local language which encompasses trust and known concepts of illness and healing and treatment practices not the majority language often the language of the rich and powerful. Unintentionally this perspective of local languages as a minor implementation issue is also reinforcing inequalities around education, language, literacy and gender. Longer term they undermine the local languages and cultural practices that are the basis of the local sense of identity, cohesion in communities and resilience going forwards.

In our ebuddi work, we did see these issues at work. When we reached out to many different stakeholders whilst developing the concept of ebuddi many brilliant ideas were shared with us. A musician who had been recording traditional music in West Africa commented how easy it would be to record the voice-overs in different dialects in the field. Using only the simplest of recording devices such as a smartphone, he believed it would be possible to create a database of voiceovers from the Ebola affected region that the trainee – frontline health workers – could select from. We set out to test this idea.

We soon found local voices engaged the trainees more quickly, built a trusted rapport, and were more easily understood. This became evident in the anecdotal feedback from the early trials, when the quality of the voice over, dialect and accent were often commented upon in the evaluation. We did not have the opportunity to systematically explore the value of a local dialect, or gender for that matter; but we believed it important to create a simulated learning environment that was as authentic and immersive as possible.

The first prototype had the option of Krio. We recorded the voiceover working with Diaspora volunteers in London. In trials this was easily identified as ‘London Krio’. During the next phase, we recorded the voices locally – in the communities where ebuddi was being trialled. An additional benefit came from offering choice as well, enabling learners to choose the language they were most comfortable being communicated with, as opposed to the enforced use of an international language for training.

One might expect that communicating in local languages creates an additional complexity in the process of contextualising local capacity building, but what we showed with our development work during the Ebola crisis was that this need not be the case, and the added benefits from authenticity engagement, and equality are overwhelming.

Co-authored by Nicholas Mellor, MiiHealth, and Dr Mandana Seyfeddinipur, Director of the Endangered Languages Documentation Programme, at the Department of Linguistics at SOAS, University of London.

Photo Credit: MiiHealth

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English as a local language: Multilingual practices and post-colonial identities

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This thesis highlights the sociopolitics of English as a dominant/colonial language by focusing on the linkage between language, power, and race. Grounded in critical language theory, comparative education theory, and anti-racism research methodology, this research examines the inextricable relationship between language, power, and race. With this in mind, this thesis argues that language, specifically English, is not a neutral tool of communication but a highly contentious issue that is deeply embedded in sociopolitical ideologies and practices. The contexts of Japan and Trinidad and Tobago are used to illustrate how colonialism continues to impact English language policy, practice, and perceptions. In sum, this research aims to bridge the gap between critical language theory, comparative education theory, and anti-racism studies in a way that (1) highlights the complexity of language politics, (2) explores ideological assumptions inherent in the discourse of the “native” language,...

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Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education

Paul J. Meighan

Translanguaging and plurilingual approaches in English Language Education (ELE) have been important for envisaging more equitable language education. However, the languages implemented in translanguaging or plurilingual classrooms predominantly reflect the knowledge and belief systems of dominant, nation-state, “official”, and/or colonial languages as opposed to those of endangered and Indigenous languages. This paper contends that privileging dominant colonial knowledges, languages, and neoliberal valorizations of diversity is Colonialingualism. Colonialingualism, covertly or overtly, upholds colonial legacies, imperial mindsets, and inequitable practices. Colonial languages carry colonial legacies and can perpetuate an imperialistic and neoliberal worldview. Languages can be disembodied from place and commodified as mere “resources”, important only for economic “value” rather than cultural importance, in a “modern” global, neoliberal empire. Colonialingualism resides in the “epistemological error” in dominant western thought, characterized by linguistic imperialism and cognitive imperialism; the view that humans are superior to nature; and white (epistemological) supremacy. This “epistemological error” dominates the current mainstream western worldview, institutions, pedagogies, mindsets, and ways of languaging. Colonialingualism is subtractive and detrimental to multilingual, multicultural learners’ identities and heritages; endangered, Indigenous languages and knowledges; minoritized communities; and our environment. This paper argues that: (1) colonialingualism illustrates the “transformative limits” of translanguaging and plurilingualism; and (2) an epistemic “unlearning” of the western “epistemological error” is required to enable equitable use of all languages, languaging processes, and knowledge systems, including those Indigenous and minoritized, in ELE. The example of heritage language pedagogy in the Canadian context will demonstrate how epistemic “unlearning” while languaging can take place.

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Should you Learn the Local Language Before Studying in Certain Countries?

• Updated on  
• Aug 9, 2023

Language is a major tool that helps people communicate and express themselves. It is also a significant part of a culture. Native or local languages have ancestral and historic values cherished by the people of a community. If you are a study abroad student, then learning the local language spoken at your dream destination can benefit you in a lot of ways. Let’s unravel them through this blog!

This Blog Includes:

Should you learn the local language before studying in certain countries, 1. learning the local language can make life simpler, 2. language is the best way to experience the culture, 3. learning a new language is a beneficial move, 4. learning a new language will help you connect with native speakers always, 5. learning a new language helps you befriend people.

It’s almost time for admissions, and many students prefer to travel overseas to study abroad, to explore new places, people, and new cultures. One of the top study-abroad countries is France, Spain, and Germany where they have their own native languages like French, Spanish, and German. Exploring a new and unique culture means learning a new language as well. But why not spend a couple of minutes a day learning just the basics of the native language being spoken in the country where you are going to study? You don’t have to learn the whole language in a week or a month. You could just learn some of the basics to understand the country or the town better and to navigate yourself within the local areas around your destination. There are many reasons why you should learn the local language before studying in a country, they are:

• You get treated well by the locals if you know their language
• You could have interesting and short conversations with people
• You can understand signs around the place or your institution
• You get connected to local culture and learn to appreciate it 
• You can make yourself understood well in extreme situations
• You could also pursue a career in the language if you are interested 

Here are some quick tips on – How to Learn a New Language?

Five Advantages of Learning the Local Language

Here are the 5 major reasons for learning local languages before starting your study abroad journey:

You will be able to manage daily activities and routines in the country after you learn the language. There are also ways in which life can become simpler if you learn the language. On a regular basis, think of all the minor experiences you have like navigating, asking and giving directions, or using mass transit. Once they are in a different language, those routine interactions would be a bit difficult. When a cashier inquires, “Did you manage to find everything alright?”, you can fail to understand them. 

Don’t get scared about that. That’s part of the learning curve, and if you learn, it’ll become incredibly easy fast. You’ll become a pro when traveling the subway after stumbling for a while, offering directions, and perhaps even being mistaken as a local. 

Must Read: How to Become a Language Translator

Language and culture have also been identified as indistinguishable and they have a deeply complicated relationship. Language is not only the true measure of words, linguistic concepts, and creation of sentences but also special cultural values, societal structures, and processes of comprehension. You understand what the goals of a nation are as you learn the tales behind the language. That’s when society starts to understand you. You can learn, hear and reflect about a culture, but hearing its natural language is the best way to profoundly understand a culture.

The process of learning a foreign language helps human brains in several aspects. French, German and Spanish are one of the best foreign languages to learn in this aspect. It enhances memory, boosts imagination and improves the capacity to solve problems. It has also been proven that learning a foreign language enhances your cognitive skills while helping to stave off dementia as you grow old. You also benefit from learning a foreign language in the corporate world.The more languages you know, the more commercially viable you become in this rapidly global business environment. Getting linguistic skills on your application will make prospective employers select you.

Even if you have finished your course in an institution abroad and come back to your home country, if you know the language of your study abroad country and people from there come to visit or you go somewhere else, you can always strike up a conversation in that language to the speakers. If you speak a multi-national language, such as Spanish or French, you will be able to adapt the knowledge you have acquired in one nation to some other area where people speak the local language. 

For example, if you had gone to Germany for your higher studies and you learned the language there and you are back and you see a German struggling to converse in your language. You could always help him out. As a speaker of another native language, you can get acquainted with thousands of people all around the country easily. The more fluent you become in this language, the more you can connect to people all over the world!

The world is filled with awesome people. But not many of these people can be English speakers. If you’ve the necessary skills for day-to-day interaction, you can open up your opportunity to speak to dozens of new people! When you understand the local language, people you will meet every day have the opportunity of becoming your future business partner, your closest friend, or your soul mate. 

When you learn how to interact with natives, you understand their lives, interests, and aspirations, and how much they’ve become the people they are today. You come to realize that these individuals are much more than a representation of a stereotype. They’re individuals with narratives.

So, we hope that these advantages encourage you to learn that language you’ve always been wanting to learn. Making preparations for language proficiency exams such as IELTS or TOEFL? Our Leverage Live experts are all here to help you develop the perfect training plan, use the best study materials and a doubt clearing session as your comprehensive test preparation! Register for a demo session today!

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Why is it Important to Maintain the Native Language?

• by National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education • IDRA Newsletter • January 2000 • 

Children who speak a language other than English enter U.S. schools with abilities and talents similar to those of native English-speaking children. In addition, these children have the ability to speak another language that, if properly nurtured, will benefit them throughout their lives. In school, children who speak other languages will learn to speak, read and write English. However, unless parents and teachers actively encourage maintenance of the native language, the child is in danger of losing it and with that loss, the benefits of bilingualism. Maintaining the native language matters for the following reasons.

The child’s first language is critical to his or her identity. Maintaining this language helps the child value his or her culture and heritage, which contributes to a positive self-concept.

When the native language is not maintained, important links to family and other community members may be lost. By encouraging native language use, parents can prepare the child to interact with the native language community, both in the United States and overseas.

Intellectual:

Students need uninterrupted intellectual development. When students who are not yet fluent in English switch to using only English, they are functioning at an intellectual level below their age. Interrupting intellectual development in this manner is likely to result in academic failure. However, when parents and children speak the language they know best with one another, they are both working at their actual level of intellectual maturity.

Educational:

Students who learn English and continue to develop their native language have higher academic achievement in later years than do students who learn English at the expense of their first language.

Better employment opportunities in this country and overseas are available for individuals who are fluent in English and another language.

Collier, V. “Acquiring a Second Language for School,” Directions in Language and Education (1995) 1(4).

Cummins, J. Bilingualism and Minority-Language Children (Toronto, Ontario: The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 1981).

Cummins, J. et.al. Schooling and Language-Minority Students: A Theoretical Framework (Los Angeles, California: California State University, School of Education, 1994).

Wong-Fillmore, L. “When Learning a Second Language Means Losing the First,” Early Childhood Research Quarterly (1991) 6, 323-346.

Reprinted with permission from the National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education’s “AskNCBE” web site (www.ncbe.gwu.edu/askncbe/faqs). NCBE is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs (OBEMLA) and is operated by the George Washington University, Graduate School of Education and Human Development, Center for the Study of Language and Education.

Comments and questions may be directed to IDRA via e-mail at [email protected] .

[©2000, IDRA. This article originally appeared in the January 2000  IDRA Newsletter by the Intercultural Development Research Association. Permission to reproduce this article is granted provided the article is reprinted in its entirety and proper credit is given to IDRA and the author.]

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British Council

Why schools should teach young learners in home language, by professor angelina kioko, 16 january 2015 - 13:25.

Photo: British Council

In countries where English is not the first language, many parents and communities believe their children will get a head-start in education by going 'straight for English' and bypassing the home language. However, as Professor Kioko points out, the evidence suggests otherwise.

Many governments, like Burundi recently, are now making English an official national language. Their motivation behind this is to grow their economies and improve the career prospects of their younger generations. Alongside this move, we are seeing a trend, particularly across Sub-Saharan Africa, to introduce  English as a medium of instruction  in basic education.

However, research findings consistently show that learners benefit from using their home language in education in early grade years (ahead of a late primary transition stage). Yet, many developing countries continue to use other languages for teaching in their schools.

In Kenya, the language of instruction is English, and some learners in urban and some cosmopolitan settings speak and understand some English by the time they join school. But learners in the rural areas enter school with only their home language. For these learners, using the mother tongue in early education leads to a better understanding of the curriculum content and to a more positive attitude towards school. There are a number of reasons for this.

First, learning does not begin in school. Learning starts at home in the learners’ home language. Although the start of school is a continuation of this learning, it also presents significant changes in the mode of education. The school system structures and controls the content and delivery of a pre-determined curriculum where previously the child was learning from experience (an  experiential learning  mode).

On starting school, children find themselves in a new physical environment. The classroom is new, most of the classmates are strangers, the centre of authority (the teacher) is a stranger too. The structured way of learning is also new. If, in addition to these things, there is an abrupt change in the language of interaction, then the situation can get quite complicated. Indeed, it can negatively affect a child’s progress. However, by using the learners’ home language, schools can help children navigate the new environment and bridge their learning at school with the experience they bring from home.

Second, by using the learners’ home language, learners are more likely to engage in the learning process. The interactive learner-centred approach – recommended by all educationalists – thrives in an environment where learners are sufficiently proficient in the language of instruction. It allows learners to make suggestions, ask questions, answer questions and create and communicate new knowledge with enthusiasm. It gives learners confidence and helps to affirm their cultural identity. This in turn has a positive impact on the way learners see the relevance of school to their lives.

But when learners start school in a language that is still new to them, it leads to a teacher-centred approach and reinforces passiveness and silence in classrooms. This in turn suppresses young learners’ potential and liberty to express themselves freely. It dulls the enthusiasm of young minds, inhibits their creativity, and makes the learning experience unpleasant. All of which is bound to have a negative effect on learning outcomes.

A crucial learning aim in the early years of education is the development of basic literacy skills: reading, writing and arithmetic. Essentially, the skills of reading and writing come down to the ability to associate the sounds of a language with the letters or symbols used in the written form. These skills build on the foundational and interactional skills of speaking and listening. When learners speak or understand the language used to instruct them, they develop reading and writing skills faster and in a more meaningful way. Introducing reading and writing to learners in a language they speak and understand leads to great excitement when they discover that they can make sense of written texts and can write the names of people and things in their environment. Research in Early Grade Reading (EGRA) has shown that pupils who develop reading skills early have a head-start in education.

It has also been shown that skills and concepts taught in the learners’ home language do not have to be re-taught when they transfer to a second language. A learner who knows how to read and write in one language will develop reading and writing skills in a new language faster. The learner already knows that letters represent sounds, the only new learning he or she needs is how the new language ‘sounds’ its letters. In the same way, learners automatically transfer knowledge acquired in one language to another language as soon as they have learned sufficient vocabulary in the new language. For example, if you teach learners in their mother tongue, that seeds need soil, moisture and warmth to germinate. You do not have to re-teach this in English. When they have developed adequate vocabulary in English, they will translate the information. Thus, knowledge and skills are transferable from one language to another. Starting school in the learners’ mother tongue does not delay education but leads to faster acquisition of the skills and attitudes needed for success in formal education.

Use of the learners’ home language at the start of school also lessens the burden on teachers, especially where the teacher speaks the local language well (which is the case in the majority of the rural schools in multilingual settings). Research has shown that in learning situations where both the teacher and the learner are non-native users of the language of instruction, the teacher struggles as much as the learners, particularly at the start of education. But when teaching starts in the teachers’ and learners’ home language, the experience is more natural and less stressful for all. As a result, the teacher can be more creative and innovative in designing teaching/learning materials and approaches, leading to improved learning outcomes.

In summary, the use of learners’ home language in the classroom promotes a smooth transition between home and school. It means learners get more involved in the learning process and speeds up the development of basic literacy skills. It also enables more flexibility, innovation and creativity in teacher preparation. Using learners’ home language is also more likely to get the support of the general community in the teaching/learning process and creates an emotional stability which translates to cognitive stability. In short, it leads to a better educational outcome.

Angelina Kioko is a professor of English and Linguistics at United States International University, Nairobi, Kenya. 

Join other education professionals at our  LinkedIn group  on language-learning in Africa. You can also read more by Professor Angelina Kioko and other writers on this and related topics in our  conference publication , which was released as part of a programme called Language Rich Africa. The programme started in March 2014 and continues to involve governments, experts, academics and others in tackling issues concerning multilingual education and the role of English in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The British Council values multilingualism. For more on our stance on language in Africa, please see the  Juba conference statement  from 2012 (pp.7-8).

Register for an education fair  near you.

You might also be interested in:

• How should Africa teach its multilingual children?
• Should non-English-speaking countries teach in English?

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Language and Literature in a Glocal World

• © 2018
• Sandhya Rao Mehta 0

Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman

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• Timely, well researched and broad in scope with examples from a variety of geographical contexts
• Addresses the contemporary concerns of the global-local as articulated in literature and language
• Includes original contributions from renowned academics in the areas of literature and language

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Table of contents (14 chapters)

Front matter, introduction: framing studies in glocalization.

Sandhya Rao Mehta

Exploring Glocal Discourse

Language in a glocalized world.

• Chandrika Balasubramanian

Code Alternation and Entextualization in Bilingual Advertising: The Construction of Glocal Identities in India’s Amul Butter Ads

English in thai tourism: global english as a nexus of practice.

• Andrew Jocuns

You Are What You Tweet: A Divergence in Code-Switching Practices in Cebuano and English Speakers in Philippines

• Glenn Abastillas

Naming Food and Creating Identity in Transnational Contexts

• Rashmi Jacob, Alka Sharma

The Semiotics of Flags: The New Zealand Flag Debate Deconstructed

• George Horvath

On Gender Silencing in Translation: A Case Study in Poland

• Agnieszka Pantuchowicz

Exploring Glocal Literature

Looking at myth in modern mexican literature, “you inside me inside you”: singularity and multitude in mohsin hamid’s how to get filthy rich in rising asia.

• Micah Robbins

Fears of Dissolution and Loss: Orhan Pamuk’s Characters in Relation to the Treaty of Sèvres

• Fran Hassencahl

Global Connections on a Local Scale: A Writer’s Vision

• Simona Klimkova

Textual Deformation in Translating Literature: An Arabic Version of Achebe’s Things Fall Apart

• Mohamed-Habib Kahlaoui

Pedagogical Perspectives on Travel Literature

• Rosalind Buckton-Tucker

Back Matter

• global forms of knowledge
• decentred world literature
• Ubuntu ethics
• Orhan Pamuk and Turkish literature
• bilingual advertising
• English in Thai tourism
• translation studies
• history of the development of Arabic
• travel literature
• literary diction

About this book

This collection of critical essays investigates the intersections of the global and local in literature and language. Exploring the connections that exist between global forms of knowledge and their local, regional applications, this volume explores multiple ways in which literature is influenced, and in turn, influences, movements and events across the world and how these are articulated in various genres of world literature, including the resultant challenges to translation. This book also explores the way in which languages, especially English, transform and continue to be reinvented in its use across the world. Using perspectives from sociolinguistics, discourse analysis and semiotics, this volume focuses on diasporic literature, travel literature, and literature in translation from different parts of the world to study the ways in which languages change and grow as they are sought to be ‘owned’ by the communities which use them in different contexts. Emphasizing on interdisciplinary studies and methodologies, this collection centralizes both research that theorizes the links between the local and the global and that which shows, through practical evidence, how the local and global interact in new and challenging ways.

Editors and Affiliations

About the editor.

Sandhya Rao Mehta is presently with the Department of English Language and Literature at Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat, Oman. She has published widely in the fields of English Language, with particular focus on English Language teaching (ELT) and critical thinking in language teaching. She has also worked on Diaspora Studies, gendered migration and postcolonial fiction, focusing on literature of the Indian diaspora. She is the co-editor of Language Studies: Stretching the Boundaries and editor of Exploring Gender in the Literature of the Indian Diaspora .  

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : Language and Literature in a Glocal World

Editors : Sandhya Rao Mehta

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8468-3

Publisher : Springer Singapore

eBook Packages : Social Sciences , Social Sciences (R0)

Copyright Information : Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2018

Hardcover ISBN : 978-981-10-8467-6 Published: 12 July 2018

Softcover ISBN : 978-981-13-4160-1 Published: 23 December 2018

eBook ISBN : 978-981-10-8468-3 Published: 29 June 2018

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : XIX, 240

Number of Illustrations : 1 b/w illustrations, 34 illustrations in colour

Topics : Language Education , Language and Literature , Postcolonial/World Literature

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• The Importance of Learning Regional Languages in India

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Introduction.

Regional language is a term used to refer to a language that is spoken by a sizeable number of people but is not the de facto language of communication in the rest of the country. A language is considered regional when it is mostly spoken by people who reside largely in one particular area of a state or country.

The status of regional language is often given to languages that satisfy two main criteria:

• The language is used by people who have a population less than the majority of the state or nation
• It is not the official language of the country.

What are Regional Languages

Regional languages are languages spoken in specific regions or areas within a country. They are distinct from the official or national languages of the country and are often used to communicate within a particular geographic region. Regional languages may vary in vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and writing system compared to the official languages. These languages play a significant role in preserving local cultures, traditions and identities. Next, let’s look at the number of regional languages in India.

How many Regional Languages are there in India

Even though Article 343(1) of the Indian Constitution states that “the official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari Script”, there are 22 officially recognized regional languages in India which include:

01. Assamese 02. Bengali 03. Bodo 04. Dogri 05. Gujarati 06. Kannada 07. Kashmiri 08. Konkani 09. Maithili 10. Malayalam 11. Manipuri 12. Marathi 13. Nepali 14. Odia 15. Punjabi 16. Sanskrit 17. Santali 18. Sindhi 19. Tamil 20. Telugu 21. Tulu 22. Urdu

Significance of Regional Languages Pre-Independence

The vernacular press was crucial in the Indian Freedom Struggle. The first organized insurrection against the British by patriotic Indians, mainly credited to Mangal Pandey and the ‘Sepoy Mutiny,’ was the first organized revolt against the British by patriotic Indians. With the establishment of the first vernacular press only 1 year shy of 4 decades ago, regional language newspapers and other written media began to substantially propagate the same nationalistic zeal through vernacular media. This grew into a significant movement, and many local Indians began to speak out. In order to curb this rising tide of nationalistic enthusiasm, the British passed the Vernacular Press Act in 1878, which Indians termed “the Gagging Act” since it regulated the press freedom in the country and applied to the vernacular medium alone. However, it was repealed in 1882, following which the nationalistic fervor of the country steadily grew. Some of the most popular vernacular media at the time include the Bengal Gazette, Kesari, Paridasak, and Moon Nayak, among others.

The importance of Regional Language

Regional languages in India hold vital roles in different aspects. The preservation and promotion of regional languages alongside the official languages to maintain linguistic diversity and uphold the cultural fabric of society. Let’s understand what’s the importance of regional language in brief:

• Cultural identity: Regional languages in India are closely tied to the cultural heritage and identity of specific regions or communities. They preserve and transmit unique customs, traditions, folklore, literature and oral histories that contribute to the rich cultural diversity of a country.
• Communication and Inclusion: Regional languages serve as a means of communication for millions of people who may not be fluent in the official or national language. They enable effective communication within local communities, fostering social cohesion and inclusion.
• Education and Literacy: Learning in one’s mother tongue or regional language has proven benefits for education and literacy. Children tend to grasp concepts better when taught in a language they understand well, this is one of the importance of regional language in education. Regional language instruction also helps preserve indigenous knowledge and encourages the development of bilingualism or multilingualism.
• Economic Development: One of the importance of regional language is the role it plays in economic activities within specific regions. It facilitates local trade, commerce, tourism and cultural industries, contributing to the overall economic development and growth of the region.
• Political Representation: In countries with diverse linguistic communities, recognizing and promoting regional languages can ensure political representation and participation from different regions. Regional languages in India empower local communities, giving them a voice in governance and decision-making processes.
• Preserving Linguistic Diversity: Regional languages represent the linguistic diversity of a country or region. Protecting and promoting regional languages is essential for maintaining the richness of human languages and ensuring their survival for future generations.
• Emotional Connection: Regional languages in India often evoke a sense of belonging, emotional attachment and pride among speakers. They foster a deeper connection to one’s roots, heritage and local community, strengthening individual and collective identities.

Why regional languages should be taught in schools?

In an era when the entire world is quickly globalizing, what role does regional language play? Shouldn’t we be focusing on educating pupils to speak global languages like English and Spanish? This is a compelling question, but the answer requires careful pragmatic analysis of the spread and reach of those languages in the inner workings of a country, as well as how much effort needs to be put into retraining the majority of the working population in that language – which requires not only an additional blog, but also a lot of linguistic and cultural research, which is not the subject of this blog.

This is presented not as a counterargument to the claim mentioned above, but rather as an alternative approach to its opposite paradigm – what’s the advantage of learning regional languages?

Helps People Connect With The Language’s Culture

Every regional language has a rich complex history, especially in a multicultural culture like India with a history of over 5000 years. People who do not speak this language and are not familiar with its culture are completely cut off from it. Teaching regional languages to pupils allows them to gain an insider’s perspective on the secret knowledge and culture concealed beneath the veil of that language.

In this context, culture includes more than simply literature; it also includes dance, music, sculpture, architecture, and other arts.

Easier Communication for Education

Education has the strange dichotomy of being structured on an industrial scale while still being profoundly individualized in nature. This produces a mismatch in thinking among pupils, particularly those who are not comfortable with English as a medium of instruction. Regional language can address this gap by having the teacher describe the subject in the student’s native tongue so that the student can understand the main notion and replicate it in the exam in their own words.

Knowing an Extra Language

The more languages you know, the more people you will be able to communicate effectively with. There is no shame associated with either knowing or not knowing a language, but it would be better to know as many languages as possible for a more wholesome and holistic all-round education.

Are regional languages mandatory in schools?

In India, the language policy for schools varies depending on the state and region. The Constitution of India recognizes both regional languages and the official languages of the country, which include Hindi and English. The respective state government decides the inclusion and teaching of regional languages in schools.

Many states in India do include regional languages as a compulsory subject in the school curriculum. In these states, students are required to study the regional language as a subject alongside the language they are pursuing their education. The importance of regional language in education is to ensure cultural continuity and provide education in the mother tongue or the language of the local region.

E.g. Students in Maharashtra pursuing their education from the State Board of Maharashtra- Learning the Marathi language is a must.

As you can see, regional languages have played, continue to play, and will continue to play a vital role in a nation’s socioeconomic, political, and educational growth. It has the potential to bring people together and help them connect with one another better.

This is not an attempt to glorify a specific regional language or downplay the importance of national languages; rather, it is a reminder to connect with one’s roots and understand the cultural relevance and historical significance of something that is simply considered one’s mother tongue – knowledge has a lot more power than meets the eye.

FAQs related to the Importance of Learning Regional Languages

What are the important regional languages of india.

India is a linguistically diverse country with numerous regional languages spoken across its different states and regions. Some of the important regional languages in India as in chronological order, the first ranking is Hindi -52.83 crore speakers followed by the others i.e. Bengali – 9.72 crore speakers, Marathi – 8.30 crore speakers, Telugu – 8.11 crore speakers, Tamil – 6.90 crore speakers, Gujarati – 5.54 crore speakers, Urdu – 5.07 crore speakers, Kannada – 4.37 crore speakers, Odia – 3.75 crore speakers and Malayalam – 3.48 crore speakers

What is the importance of Local language in India?

The importance of regional language holds immense significance in India for several reasons. Firstly, it plays a crucial role in preserving the rich cultural heritage and diverse identities of various regions. Secondly, it enables effective communication and fosters inclusivity within local communities. Lastly, it contributes to education, economic growth and political representation by providing a medium for imparting knowledge, facilitating local trade and empowering regional voices in governance.

Why is language important in education?

Importance of regional language in education as they facilitate better understanding and comprehension of concepts, leading to improved learning outcomes. Additionally, learning in one’s mother tongue promotes cultural preservation, identity and inclusive education.

What is the regional variety of language?

The regional variety of a language refers to the specific form or dialect of a language that is spoken in a particular region or geographic area. It encompasses the unique vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and expressions used by speakers in that specific locale, distinguishing it from other regional varieties or dialects of the same language. Regional languages may differ in terms of accent, vocabulary choices, and certain grammatical structures, reflecting the linguistic diversity within a language.

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Study Abroad

Reasons to Learn Local Language Before Studying Abroad

Updated on 05 october, 2023.

Akansha Semwal

Study abroad expert.

Venturing to study abroad in a new country is undoubtedly exciting. It opens you up to a whole new world of opportunities, academic prospects, new friends, cultural traditions, and much more. However, communicating properly is a prerequisite for getting the most out of your educational sojourn. Here comes the question- should you learn the local language before studying in certain countries? Let us take a closer look at several crucial aspects in this regard. 

Table of Contents

Learning a local language- ins and outs.

• How to Learn a New Language Swiftly
• Wrapping Up

Agreed, learning a local language is quite challenging, particularly if it does not have any similarities with our native language. Coming to native languages, Chinese is possibly the highest-spoken language in the world, followed by Spanish and English . Other widely spoken languages include Portuguese, French, Arabic, Hindi, Bengali, Japanese, and Russian. Here are a few pointers that you should note with regard to learning a second language: 

• Learning a second language means training our brains to think uniquely. Every global language has its own unique vocabulary, sound, and structural components. 
• Initially, you can travel and get around if you can speak English. However, in countries where English is not the local language, you may have to learn the local language accordingly. 
• Living abroad means that you can keep practicing what you learn instantly. This will help you understand the dialect and build your fluency. Moreover, connect with locals. 
• You will feel closer to the local culture if you learn a second language of the country you are going to. 
• You can start watching movies in local languages, take classes, use learning apps, and attend exchange-group sessions. 
• It can offer you a professional edge. For example, knowing the German language will help you if you are looking for a PhD post in Germany, and having knowledge of the French language will help you if you are applying for a job in France.

How to Learn a New Language Swiftly 

Here are a few strategies that will help you learn a new language faster: 

• Gather online resources to start at your convenience. You will find several YouTube lessons, free sites, and language learning apps like Duolingo . Do this before you land in the country, and it will help you prepare for the actual experience. 
• You can build your fluency later by taking classes while studying in the country. 
• You should participate in language exchange clubs that are present at most universities and global cities. You can also use Tandem and other apps to find language pairs. This will not only help you practice better but also make new friends simultaneously. 
• Listen to podcasts and watch videos before repeating the dialogues. Record yourself and compare the same with the original speeches. Listen to the language daily and ask your new friends to correct you. Do not be shy and talk about general topics more. 
• While mastering pronunciation, do not worry about your accent. Remember that every individual has one. 
• You should write down new words that you hear or learn. Look up their meanings in the dictionary and examples of pronunciation and usage 

You can then start creating sentences accordingly. 

The biggest and most important tip to remember is that you should immerse yourself in learning the language. Be patient, ask locals for help, and do not be embarrassed about making mistakes. The more films and shows you watch and audio you listen to, the more you learn and improve. You can also combine your language learning pursuit with a hobby you like. For instance, if you dance, you can watch dance lessons in the local language. 

Wrapping Up 

You should try and learn the local language before arriving in a new country for your education . Indubitably, learning the language will help you understand cultural traditions better. You can avoid slip-ups that may be considered disrespectful or out of line. Knowing the language means that you have invested time and effort into learning more about the local culture and traditions. Moreover, you can travel with more confidence and make new friends. This will broaden your network and help you build genuine connections. Local spots and landmarks will seem more enchanting once you understand the local language. So, on that note, if you are still wondering whether you should learn the local language before you venture to study abroad, the answer is a big Yes! 

Read More Articles About Study Abroad:

• How to Study Abroad
• Courses to study abroad after 12th
• What is Scholarships and How to Apply for Them

Akansha Semwal is a content marketer at upGrad and has also worked as a social media marketer & sub-editor. Experienced in creating impressive Statement of Purpose, Essays, and LOR, she knows how to captivate the attention of Admissions Committee. Her research-driven;study-abroad articles helps aspirants to make the prudent decision. She holds a bachelor's & master's degree in Literature from the University of Delhi.

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500 Words Essay On English as a Global Language

A global language is one that is spoken and understood at an international level by a wide variety of people. Moreover, no language in the world better fits this description than the English language. This essay on English as a global language will shed more light on this issue.

                                                                                                  Essay on English as a Global Language

Why English is a Global Language

When it comes to languages, one can make a strong argument that a strong link exists between dominance and cultural power. Furthermore, the main factor that the languages become popular is due to a powerful power-base, whether economic or political or military.

The derivation of the English language took place from languages like French, Latin, German, and other European languages. This can be a reason why many Europeans don’t find English a difficult language to learn. Furthermore, linguists argue whether the simplicity of the English language is the main reason for it becoming a global language.

The Latin script of the English language appears less complicated for people to recognize and learn. Also, the pronunciation of the English language is not as complex as other languages like Korean or Turkish for example.

Generally, the difficulty level of a language varies from person to person and it also depends on the culture to which one may belong. For example, a Korean person would find less difficulty in mastering the Japanese language in comparison to a German person. This is because of the close proximity of the Korean and Japanese cultures.

Due to the massive British colonial conquests , no culture is in complete oblivion of the English language or words. As such, English is a language that should not appear as too alien or strange to any community. Consequently, learning English is not such big of a deal for most people as they can find a certain level of familiarity with the language.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

The Effectiveness of the English Language

English is a very effective language and this is evident due to the presence of various native and non-native speakers on a global scale. Furthermore, according to statistics, one-fourth of the world is either fluent in the English language or content with it. While it’s true that the number of native Mandarin speakers is the greatest in the world, Mandarin is not the global language due to its complex spellings, grammar , and letter system.

The English language, on the other hand, does not suffer from such complexity problems. Furthermore, the English language has a lot of words and synonyms to express something. As such, any word or its meaning can be expressed with a high level of accuracy.

Conclusion of the Essay on English as a Global Language

English is certainly the most widely spoken language in the world by far. On a global scale, English has the most number of speakers, who speak English either as a first or second language. Without a doubt, no other language in the world can come close to English in terms of its immense popularity.

FAQs For Essay on English as a Global Language

Question 1: Why English is referred to as the global language?

Answer 1:  Many consider English as a global language because it is the one language that the majority of the population in almost every region of the world can speak and understand. Furthermore, the language enjoys worldwide acceptance and usage by every nation of the world. Therefore, it is an extremely essential global language.

Question 2: How English became the global language in the world?

Answer 2: By the late 18th century, the British Empire had made a lot of colonies. Moreover, they had established their geopolitical dominance all over the world. Consequently, the English language quickly spread in the British colonies.

There was also the contribution of technology, science, diplomacy, commerce, art, and formal education which led to English becoming a truly global language of the world.

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Article contents

Language and power.

• Sik Hung Ng Sik Hung Ng Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China
•  and  Fei Deng Fei Deng School of Foreign Studies, South China Agricultural University
• https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.436
• Published online: 22 August 2017

Five dynamic language–power relationships in communication have emerged from critical language studies, sociolinguistics, conversation analysis, and the social psychology of language and communication. Two of them stem from preexisting powers behind language that it reveals and reflects, thereby transferring the extralinguistic powers to the communication context. Such powers exist at both the micro and macro levels. At the micro level, the power behind language is a speaker’s possession of a weapon, money, high social status, or other attractive personal qualities—by revealing them in convincing language, the speaker influences the hearer. At the macro level, the power behind language is the collective power (ethnolinguistic vitality) of the communities that speak the language. The dominance of English as a global language and international lingua franca, for example, has less to do with its linguistic quality and more to do with the ethnolinguistic vitality of English-speakers worldwide that it reflects. The other three language–power relationships refer to the powers of language that are based on a language’s communicative versatility and its broad range of cognitive, communicative, social, and identity functions in meaning-making, social interaction, and language policies. Such language powers include, first, the power of language to maintain existing dominance in legal, sexist, racist, and ageist discourses that favor particular groups of language users over others. Another language power is its immense impact on national unity and discord. The third language power is its ability to create influence through single words (e.g., metaphors), oratories, conversations and narratives in political campaigns, emergence of leaders, terrorist narratives, and so forth.

• power behind language
• power of language
• intergroup communication
• World Englishes
• oratorical power
• conversational power
• leader emergence
• al-Qaeda narrative
• social identity approach

Introduction

Language is for communication and power.

Language is a natural human system of conventionalized symbols that have understood meanings. Through it humans express and communicate their private thoughts and feelings as well as enact various social functions. The social functions include co-constructing social reality between and among individuals, performing and coordinating social actions such as conversing, arguing, cheating, and telling people what they should or should not do. Language is also a public marker of ethnolinguistic, national, or religious identity, so strong that people are willing to go to war for its defense, just as they would defend other markers of social identity, such as their national flag. These cognitive, communicative, social, and identity functions make language a fundamental medium of human communication. Language is also a versatile communication medium, often and widely used in tandem with music, pictures, and actions to amplify its power. Silence, too, adds to the force of speech when it is used strategically to speak louder than words. The wide range of language functions and its versatility combine to make language powerful. Even so, this is only one part of what is in fact a dynamic relationship between language and power. The other part is that there is preexisting power behind language which it reveals and reflects, thereby transferring extralinguistic power to the communication context. It is thus important to delineate the language–power relationships and their implications for human communication.

This chapter provides a systematic account of the dynamic interrelationships between language and power, not comprehensively for lack of space, but sufficiently focused so as to align with the intergroup communication theme of the present volume. The term “intergroup communication” will be used herein to refer to an intergroup perspective on communication, which stresses intergroup processes underlying communication and is not restricted to any particular form of intergroup communication such as interethnic or intergender communication, important though they are. It echoes the pioneering attempts to develop an intergroup perspective on the social psychology of language and communication behavior made by pioneers drawn from communication, social psychology, and cognate fields (see Harwood et al., 2005 ). This intergroup perspective has fostered the development of intergroup communication as a discipline distinct from and complementing the discipline of interpersonal communication. One of its insights is that apparently interpersonal communication is in fact dynamically intergroup (Dragojevic & Giles, 2014 ). For this and other reasons, an intergroup perspective on language and communication behavior has proved surprisingly useful in revealing intergroup processes in health communication (Jones & Watson, 2012 ), media communication (Harwood & Roy, 2005 ), and communication in a variety of organizational contexts (Giles, 2012 ).

The major theoretical foundation that has underpinned the intergroup perspective is social identity theory (Tajfel, 1982 ), which continues to service the field as a metatheory (Abrams & Hogg, 2004 ) alongside relatively more specialized theories such as ethnolinguistic identity theory (Harwood et al., 1994 ), communication accommodation theory (Palomares et al., 2016 ), and self-categorization theory applied to intergroup communication (Reid et al., 2005 ). Against this backdrop, this chapter will be less concerned with any particular social category of intergroup communication or variant of social identity theory, and more with developing a conceptual framework of looking at the language–power relationships and their implications for understanding intergroup communication. Readers interested in an intra- or interpersonal perspective may refer to the volume edited by Holtgraves ( 2014a ).

Conceptual Approaches to Power

Bertrand Russell, logician cum philosopher and social activist, published a relatively little-known book on power when World War II was looming large in Europe (Russell, 2004 ). In it he asserted the fundamental importance of the concept of power in the social sciences and likened its importance to the concept of energy in the physical sciences. But unlike physical energy, which can be defined in a formula (e.g., E=MC 2 ), social power has defied any such definition. This state of affairs is not unexpected because the very nature of (social) power is elusive. Foucault ( 1979 , p. 92) has put it this way: “Power is everywhere, not because it embraces everything, but because it comes from everywhere.” This view is not beyond criticism but it does highlight the elusiveness of power. Power is also a value-laden concept meaning different things to different people. To functional theorists and power-wielders, power is “power to,” a responsibility to unite people and do good for all. To conflict theorists and those who are dominated, power is “power over,” which corrupts and is a source of social conflict rather than integration (Lenski, 1966 ; Sassenberg et al., 2014 ). These entrenched views surface in management–labor negotiations and political debates between government and opposition. Management and government would try to frame the negotiation in terms of “power to,” whereas labor and opposition would try to frame the same in “power over” in a clash of power discourses. The two discourses also interchange when the same speakers reverse their power relations: While in opposition, politicians adhere to “power over” rhetorics, once in government, they talk “power to.” And vice versa.

The elusive and value-laden nature of power has led to a plurality of theoretical and conceptual approaches. Five approaches that are particularly pertinent to the language–power relationships will be discussed, and briefly so because of space limitation. One approach views power in terms of structural dominance in society by groups who own and/or control the economy, the government, and other social institutions. Another approach views power as the production of intended effects by overcoming resistance that arises from objective conflict of interests or from psychological reactance to being coerced, manipulated, or unfairly treated. A complementary approach, represented by Kurt Lewin’s field theory, takes the view that power is not the actual production of effects but the potential for doing this. It looks behind power to find out the sources or bases of this potential, which may stem from the power-wielders’ access to the means of punishment, reward, and information, as well as from their perceived expertise and legitimacy (Raven, 2008 ). A fourth approach views power in terms of the balance of control/dependence in the ongoing social exchange between two actors that takes place either in the absence or presence of third parties. It provides a structural account of power-balancing mechanisms in social networking (Emerson, 1962 ), and forms the basis for combining with symbolic interaction theory, which brings in subjective factors such as shared social cognition and affects for the analysis of power in interpersonal and intergroup negotiation (Stolte, 1987 ). The fifth, social identity approach digs behind the social exchange account, which has started from control/dependence as a given but has left it unexplained, to propose a three-process model of power emergence (Turner, 2005 ). According to this model, it is psychological group formation and associated group-based social identity that produce influence; influence then cumulates to form the basis of power, which in turn leads to the control of resources.

Common to the five approaches above is the recognition that power is dynamic in its usage and can transform from one form of power to another. Lukes ( 2005 ) has attempted to articulate three different forms or faces of power called “dimensions.” The first, behavioral dimension of power refers to decision-making power that is manifest in the open contest for dominance in situations of objective conflict of interests. Non-decision-making power, the second dimension, is power behind the scene. It involves the mobilization of organizational bias (e.g., agenda fixing) to keep conflict of interests from surfacing to become public issues and to deprive oppositions of a communication platform to raise their voices, thereby limiting the scope of decision-making to only “safe” issues that would not challenge the interests of the power-wielder. The third dimension is ideological and works by socializing people’s needs and values so that they want the wants and do the things wanted by the power-wielders, willingly as their own. Conflict of interests, opposition, and resistance would be absent from this form of power, not because they have been maneuvered out of the contest as in the case of non-decision-making power, but because the people who are subject to power are no longer aware of any conflict of interest in the power relationship, which may otherwise ferment opposition and resistance. Power in this form can be exercised without the application of coercion or reward, and without arousing perceived manipulation or conflict of interests.

Language–Power Relationships

As indicated in the chapter title, discussion will focus on the language–power relationships, and not on language alone or power alone, in intergroup communication. It draws from all the five approaches to power and can be grouped for discussion under the power behind language and the power of language. In the former, language is viewed as having no power of its own and yet can produce influence and control by revealing the power behind the speaker. Language also reflects the collective/historical power of the language community that uses it. In the case of modern English, its preeminent status as a global language and international lingua franca has shaped the communication between native and nonnative English speakers because of the power of the English-speaking world that it reflects, rather than because of its linguistic superiority. In both cases, language provides a widely used conventional means to transfer extralinguistic power to the communication context. Research on the power of language takes the view that language has power of its own. This power allows a language to maintain the power behind it, unite or divide a nation, and create influence.

In Figure 1 we have grouped the five language–power relationships into five boxes. Note that the boundary between any two boxes is not meant to be rigid but permeable. For example, by revealing the power behind a message (box 1), a message can create influence (box 5). As another example, language does not passively reflect the power of the language community that uses it (box 2), but also, through its spread to other language communities, generates power to maintain its preeminence among languages (box 3). This expansive process of language power can be seen in the rise of English to global language status. A similar expansive process also applies to a particular language style that first reflects the power of the language subcommunity who uses the style, and then, through its common acceptance and usage by other subcommunities in the country, maintains the power of the subcommunity concerned. A prime example of this type of expansive process is linguistic sexism, which reflects preexisting male dominance in society and then, through its common usage by both sexes, contributes to the maintenance of male dominance. Other examples are linguistic racism and the language style of the legal profession, each of which, like linguistic sexism and the preeminence of the English language worldwide, has considerable impact on individuals and society at large.

Space precludes a full discussion of all five language–power relationships. Instead, some of them will warrant only a brief mention, whereas others will be presented in greater detail. The complexity of the language–power relations and their cross-disciplinary ramifications will be evident in the multiple sets of interrelated literatures that we cite from. These include the social psychology of language and communication, critical language studies (Fairclough, 1989 ), sociolinguistics (Kachru, 1992 ), and conversation analysis (Sacks et al., 1974 ).

Figure 1. Power behind language and power of language.

Power Behind Language

Language reveals power.

When negotiating with police, a gang may issue the threatening message, “Meet our demands, or we will shoot the hostages!” The threatening message may succeed in coercing the police to submit; its power, however, is more apparent than real because it is based on the guns gangsters posses. The message merely reveals the power of a weapon in their possession. Apart from revealing power, the gangsters may also cheat. As long as the message comes across as credible and convincing enough to arouse overwhelming fear, it would allow them to get away with their demands without actually possessing any weapon. In this case, language is used to produce an intended effect despite resistance by deceptively revealing a nonexisting power base and planting it in the mind of the message recipient. The literature on linguistic deception illustrates the widespread deceptive use of language-reveals-power to produce intended effects despite resistance (Robinson, 1996 ).

Language Reflects Power

Ethnolinguistic vitality.

The language that a person uses reflects the language community’s power. A useful way to think about a language community’s linguistic power is through the ethnolinguistic vitality model (Bourhis et al., 1981 ; Harwood et al., 1994 ). Language communities in a country vary in absolute size overall and, just as important, a relative numeric concentration in particular regions. Francophone Canadians, though fewer than Anglophone Canadians overall, are concentrated in Quebec to give them the power of numbers there. Similarly, ethnic minorities in mainland China have considerable power of numbers in those autonomous regions where they are concentrated, such as Inner Mongolia, Tibet, and Xinjiang. Collectively, these factors form the demographic base of the language community’s ethnolinguistic vitality, an index of the community’s relative linguistic dominance. Another base of ethnolinguistic vitality is institutional representations of the language community in government, legislatures, education, religion, the media, and so forth, which afford its members institutional leadership, influence, and control. Such institutional representation is often reinforced by a language policy that installs the language as the nation’s sole official language. The third base of ethnolinguistic vitality comprises sociohistorical and cultural status of the language community inside the nation and internationally. In short, the dominant language of a nation is one that comes from and reflects the high ethnolinguistic vitality of its language community.

An important finding of ethnolinguistic vitality research is that it is perceived vitality, and not so much its objective demographic-institutional-cultural strengths, that influences language behavior in interpersonal and intergroup contexts. Interestingly, the visibility and salience of languages shown on public and commercial signs, referred to as the “linguistic landscape,” serve important informational and symbolic functions as a marker of their relative vitality, which in turn affects the use of in-group language in institutional settings (Cenoz & Gorter, 2006 ; Landry & Bourhis, 1997 ).

World Englishes and Lingua Franca English

Another field of research on the power behind and reflected in language is “World Englishes.” At the height of the British Empire English spread on the back of the Industrial Revolution and through large-scale migrations of Britons to the “New World,” which has since become the core of an “inner circle” of traditional native English-speaking nations now led by the United States (Kachru, 1992 ). The emergent wealth and power of these nations has maintained English despite the decline of the British Empire after World War II. In the post-War era, English has become internationalized with the support of an “outer circle” nations and, later, through its spread to “expanding circle” nations. Outer circle nations are made up mostly of former British colonies such as India, Pakistan, and Nigeria. In compliance with colonial language policies that institutionalized English as the new colonial national language, a sizeable proportion of the colonial populations has learned and continued using English over generations, thereby vastly increasing the number of English speakers over and above those in the inner circle nations. The expanding circle encompasses nations where English has played no historical government roles, but which are keen to appropriate English as the preeminent foreign language for local purposes such as national development, internationalization of higher education, and participation in globalization (e.g., China, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Egypt, Israel, and continental Europe).

English is becoming a global language with official or special status in at least 75 countries (British Council, n.d. ). It is also the language choice in international organizations and companies, as well as academia, and is commonly used in trade, international mass media, and entertainment, and over the Internet as the main source of information. English native speakers can now follow the worldwide English language track to find jobs overseas without having to learn the local language and may instead enjoy a competitive language advantage where the job requires English proficiency. This situation is a far cry from the colonial era when similar advantages had to come under political patronage. Alongside English native speakers who work overseas benefitting from the preeminence of English over other languages, a new phenomenon of outsourcing international call centers away from the United Kingdom and the United States has emerged (Friginal, 2007 ). Callers can find the information or help they need from people stationed in remote places such as India or the Philippines where English has penetrated.

As English spreads worldwide, it has also become the major international lingua franca, serving some 800 million multilinguals in Asia alone, and numerous others elsewhere (Bolton, 2008 ). The practical importance of this phenomenon and its impact on English vocabulary, grammar, and accent have led to the emergence of a new field of research called “English as a lingua franca” (Brosch, 2015 ). The twin developments of World Englishes and lingua franca English raise interesting and important research questions. A vast area of research lies in waiting.

Several lines of research suggest themselves from an intergroup communication perspective. How communicatively effective are English native speakers who are international civil servants in organizations such as the UN and WTO, where they habitually speak as if they were addressing their fellow natives without accommodating to the international audience? Another line of research is lingua franca English communication between two English nonnative speakers. Their common use of English signals a joint willingness of linguistic accommodation, motivated more by communication efficiency of getting messages across and less by concerns of their respective ethnolinguistic identities. An intergroup communication perspective, however, would sensitize researchers to social identity processes and nonaccommodation behaviors underneath lingua franca communication. For example, two nationals from two different countries, X and Y, communicating with each other in English are accommodating on the language level; at the same time they may, according to communication accommodation theory, use their respective X English and Y English for asserting their ethnolinguistic distinctiveness whilst maintaining a surface appearance of accommodation. There are other possibilities. According to a survey of attitudes toward English accents, attachment to “standard” native speaker models remains strong among nonnative English speakers in many countries (Jenkins, 2009 ). This suggests that our hypothetical X and Y may, in addition to asserting their respective Englishes, try to outperform one another in speaking with overcorrect standard English accents, not so much because they want to assert their respective ethnolinguistic identities, but because they want to project a common in-group identity for positive social comparison—“We are all English-speakers but I am a better one than you!”

Many countries in the expanding circle nations are keen to appropriate English for local purposes, encouraging their students and especially their educational elites to learn English as a foreign language. A prime example is the Learn-English Movement in China. It has affected generations of students and teachers over the past 30 years and consumed a vast amount of resources. The results are mixed. Even more disturbing, discontents and backlashes have emerged from anti-English Chinese motivated to protect the vitality and cultural values of the Chinese language (Sun et al., 2016 ). The power behind and reflected in modern English has widespread and far-reaching consequences in need of more systematic research.

Power of Language

Language maintains existing dominance.

Language maintains and reproduces existing dominance in three different ways represented respectively by the ascent of English, linguistic sexism, and legal language style. For reasons already noted, English has become a global language, an international lingua franca, and an indispensable medium for nonnative English speaking countries to participate in the globalized world. Phillipson ( 2009 ) referred to this phenomenon as “linguistic imperialism.” It is ironic that as the spread of English has increased the extent of multilingualism of non-English-speaking nations, English native speakers in the inner circle of nations have largely remained English-only. This puts pressure on the rest of the world to accommodate them in English, the widespread use of which maintains its preeminence among languages.

A language evolves and changes to adapt to socially accepted word meanings, grammatical rules, accents, and other manners of speaking. What is acceptable or unacceptable reflects common usage and hence the numerical influence of users, but also the elites’ particular language preferences and communication styles. Research on linguistic sexism has shown, for example, a man-made language such as English (there are many others) is imbued with sexist words and grammatical rules that reflect historical male dominance in society. Its uncritical usage routinely by both sexes in daily life has in turn naturalized male dominance and associated sexist inequalities (Spender, 1998 ). Similar other examples are racist (Reisigl & Wodak, 2005 ) and ageist (Ryan et al., 1995 ) language styles.

Professional languages are made by and for particular professions such as the legal profession (Danet, 1980 ; Mertz et al., 2016 ; O’Barr, 1982 ). The legal language is used not only among members of the profession, but also with the general public, who may know each and every word in a legal document but are still unable to decipher its meaning. Through its language, the legal profession maintains its professional dominance with the complicity of the general public, who submits to the use of the language and accedes to the profession’s authority in interpreting its meanings in matters relating to their legal rights and obligations. Communication between lawyers and their “clients” is not only problematic, but the public’s continual dependence on the legal language contributes to the maintenance of the dominance of the profession.

Language Unites and Divides a Nation

A nation of many peoples who, despite their diverse cultural and ethnic background, all speak in the same tongue and write in the same script would reap the benefit of the unifying power of a common language. The power of the language to unite peoples would be stronger if it has become part of their common national identity and contributed to its vitality and psychological distinctiveness. Such power has often been seized upon by national leaders and intellectuals to unify their countries and serve other nationalistic purposes (Patten, 2006 ). In China, for example, Emperor Qin Shi Huang standardized the Chinese script ( hanzi ) as an important part of the reforms to unify the country after he had defeated the other states and brought the Warring States Period ( 475–221 bc ) to an end. A similar reform of language standardization was set in motion soon after the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty ( ad 1644–1911 ), by simplifying some of the hanzi and promoting Putonghua as the national standard oral language. In the postcolonial part of the world, language is often used to service nationalism by restoring the official status of their indigenous language as the national language whilst retaining the colonial language or, in more radical cases of decolonization, relegating the latter to nonofficial status. Yet language is a two-edged sword: It can also divide a nation. The tension can be seen in competing claims to official-language status made by minority language communities, protest over maintenance of minority languages, language rights at schools and in courts of law, bilingual education, and outright language wars (Calvet, 1998 ; DeVotta, 2004 ).

Language Creates Influence

In this section we discuss the power of language to create influence through single words and more complex linguistic structures ranging from oratories and conversations to narratives/stories.

Power of Single Words

Learning a language empowers humans to master an elaborate system of conventions and the associations between words and their sounds on the one hand, and on the other hand, categories of objects and relations to which they refer. After mastering the referential meanings of words, a person can mentally access the objects and relations simply by hearing or reading the words. Apart from their referential meanings, words also have connotative meanings with their own social-cognitive consequences. Together, these social-cognitive functions underpin the power of single words that has been extensively studied in metaphors, which is a huge research area that crosses disciplinary boundaries and probes into the inner workings of the brain (Benedek et al., 2014 ; Landau et al., 2014 ; Marshal et al., 2007 ). The power of single words extends beyond metaphors. It can be seen in misleading words in leading questions (Loftus, 1975 ), concessive connectives that reverse expectations from real-world knowledge (Xiang & Kuperberg, 2014 ), verbs that attribute implicit causality to either verb subject or object (Hartshorne & Snedeker, 2013 ), “uncertainty terms” that hedge potentially face-threatening messages (Holtgraves, 2014b ), and abstract words that signal power (Wakslak et al., 2014 ).

The literature on the power of single words has rarely been applied to intergroup communication, with the exception of research arising from the linguistic category model (e.g., Semin & Fiedler, 1991 ). The model distinguishes among descriptive action verbs (e.g., “hits”), interpretative action verbs (e.g., “hurts”) and state verbs (e.g., “hates”), which increase in abstraction in that order. Sentences made up of abstract verbs convey more information about the protagonist, imply greater temporal and cross-situational stability, and are more difficult to disconfirm. The use of abstract language to represent a particular behavior will attribute the behavior to the protagonist rather than the situation and the resulting image of the protagonist will persist despite disconfirming information, whereas the use of concrete language will attribute the same behavior more to the situation and the resulting image of the protagonist will be easier to change. According to the linguistic intergroup bias model (Maass, 1999 ), abstract language will be used to represent positive in-group and negative out-group behaviors, whereas concrete language will be used to represent negative in-group and positive out-group behaviors. The combined effects of the differential use of abstract and concrete language would, first, lead to biased attribution (explanation) of behavior privileging the in-group over the out-group, and second, perpetuate the prejudiced intergroup stereotypes. More recent research has shown that linguistic intergroup bias varies with the power differential between groups—it is stronger in high and low power groups than in equal power groups (Rubini et al., 2007 ).

Oratorical Power

A charismatic speaker may, by the sheer force of oratory, buoy up people’s hopes, convert their hearts from hatred to forgiveness, or embolden them to take up arms for a cause. One may recall moving speeches (in English) such as Susan B. Anthony’s “On Women’s Right to Vote,” Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches,” Mahatma Gandhi’s “Quit India,” or Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream.” The speech may be delivered face-to-face to an audience, or broadcast over the media. The discussion below focuses on face-to-face oratories in political meetings.

Oratorical power may be measured in terms of money donated or pledged to the speaker’s cause, or, in a religious sermon, the number of converts made. Not much research has been reported on these topics. Another measurement approach is to count the frequency of online audience responses that a speech has generated, usually but not exclusively in the form of applause. Audience applause can be measured fairly objectively in terms of frequency, length, or loudness, and collected nonobtrusively from a public recording of the meeting. Audience applause affords researchers the opportunity to explore communicative and social psychological processes that underpin some aspects of the power of rhetorical formats. Note, however, that not all incidences of audience applause are valid measures of the power of rhetoric. A valid incidence should be one that is invited by the speaker and synchronized with the flow of the speech, occurring at the appropriate time and place as indicated by the rhetorical format. Thus, an uninvited incidence of applause would not count, nor is one that is invited but has occurred “out of place” (too soon or too late). Furthermore, not all valid incidences are theoretically informative to the same degree. An isolated applause from just a handful of the audience, though valid and in the right place, has relatively little theoretical import for understanding the power of rhetoric compared to one that is made by many acting in unison as a group. When the latter occurs, it would be a clear indication of the power of rhetorically formulated speech. Such positive audience response constitutes the most direct and immediate means by which an audience can display its collective support for the speaker, something which they would not otherwise show to a speech of less power. To influence and orchestrate hundreds and thousands of people in the audience to precisely coordinate their response to applaud (and cheer) together as a group at the right time and place is no mean feat. Such a feat also influences the wider society through broadcast on television and other news and social media. The combined effect could be enormous there and then, and its downstream influence far-reaching, crossing country boarders and inspiring generations to come.

To accomplish the feat, an orator has to excite the audience to applaud, build up the excitement to a crescendo, and simultaneously cue the audience to synchronize their outburst of stored-up applause with the ongoing speech. Rhetorical formats that aid the orator to accomplish the dual functions include contrast, list, puzzle solution, headline-punchline, position-taking, and pursuit (Heritage & Greatbatch, 1986 ). To illustrate, we cite the contrast and list formats.

A contrast, or antithesis, is made up of binary schemata such as “too much” and “too little.” Heritage and Greatbatch ( 1986 , p. 123) reported the following example:

Governments will argue that resources are not available to help disabled people. The fact is that too much is spent on the munitions of war, and too little is spent on the munitions of peace [italics added]. As the audience is familiar with the binary schema of “too much” and “too little” they can habitually match the second half of the contrast against the first half. This decoding process reinforces message comprehension and helps them to correctly anticipate and applaud at the completion point of the contrast. In the example quoted above, the speaker micropaused for 0.2 seconds after the second word “spent,” at which point the audience began to applaud in anticipation of the completion point of the contrast, and applauded more excitedly upon hearing “. . . on the munitions of peace.” The applause continued and lasted for 9.2 long seconds.

A list is usually made up of a series of three parallel words, phrases or clauses. “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” is a fine example, as is Obama’s “It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day , in this election , at this defining moment , change has come to America!” (italics added) The three parts in the list echo one another, step up the argument and its corresponding excitement in the audience as they move from one part to the next. The third part projects a completion point to cue the audience to get themselves ready to display their support via applause, cheers, and so forth. In a real conversation this juncture is called a “transition-relevance place,” at which point a conversational partner (hearer) may take up a turn to speak. A skilful orator will micropause at that juncture to create a conversational space for the audience to take up their turn in applauding and cheering as a group.

As illustrated by the two examples above, speaker and audience collaborate to transform an otherwise monological speech into a quasiconversation, turning a passive audience into an active supportive “conversational” partner who, by their synchronized responses, reduces the psychological separation from the speaker and emboldens the latter’s self-confidence. Through such enjoyable and emotional participation collectively, an audience made up of formerly unconnected individuals with no strong common group identity may henceforth begin to feel “we are all one.” According to social identity theory and related theories (van Zomeren et al., 2008 ), the emergent group identity, politicized in the process, will in turn provide a social psychological base for collective social action. This process of identity making in the audience is further strengthened by the speaker’s frequent use of “we” as a first person, plural personal pronoun.

Conversational Power

A conversation is a speech exchange system in which the length and order of speaking turns have not been preassigned but require coordination on an utterance-by-utterance basis between two or more individuals. It differs from other speech exchange systems in which speaking turns have been preassigned and/or monitored by a third party, for example, job interviews and debate contests. Turn-taking, because of its centrality to conversations and the important theoretical issues that it raises for social coordination and implicit conversational conventions, has been the subject of extensive research and theorizing (Goodwin & Heritage, 1990 ; Grice, 1975 ; Sacks et al., 1974 ). Success at turn-taking is a key part of the conversational process leading to influence. A person who cannot do this is in no position to influence others in and through conversations, which are probably the most common and ubiquitous form of human social interaction. Below we discuss studies of conversational power based on conversational turns and applied to leader emergence in group and intergroup settings. These studies, as they unfold, link conversation analysis with social identity theory and expectation states theory (Berger et al., 1974 ).

A conversational turn in hand allows the speaker to influence others in two important ways. First, through current-speaker-selects-next the speaker can influence who will speak next and, indirectly, increases the probability that he or she will regain the turn after the next. A common method for selecting the next speaker is through tag questions. The current speaker (A) may direct a tag question such as “Ya know?” or “Don’t you agree?” to a particular hearer (B), which carries the illocutionary force of selecting the addressee to be the next speaker and, simultaneously, restraining others from self-selecting. The A 1 B 1 sequence of exchange has been found to have a high probability of extending into A 1 B 1 A 2 in the next round of exchange, followed by its continuation in the form of A 1 B 1 A 2 B 2 . For example, in a six-member group, the A 1 B 1 →A 1 B 1 A 2 sequence of exchange has more than 50% chance of extending to the A 1 B 1 A 2 B 2 sequence, which is well above chance level, considering that there are four other hearers who could intrude at either the A 2 or B 2 slot of turn (Stasser & Taylor, 1991 ). Thus speakership not only offers the current speaker the power to select the next speaker twice, but also to indirectly regain a turn.

Second, a turn in hand provides the speaker with an opportunity to exercise topic control. He or she can exercise non-decision-making power by changing an unfavorable or embarrassing topic to a safer one, thereby silencing or preventing it from reaching the “floor.” Conversely, he or she can exercise decision-making power by continuing or raising a topic that is favorable to self. Or the speaker can move on to talk about an innocuous topic to ease tension in the group.

Bales ( 1950 ) has studied leader emergence in groups made up of unacquainted individuals in situations where they have to bid or compete for speaking turns. Results show that individuals who talk the most have a much better chance of becoming leaders. Depending on the social orientations of their talk, they would be recognized as a task or relational leader. Subsequent research on leader emergence has shown that an even better behavioral predictor than volume of talk is the number of speaking turns. An obvious reason for this is that the volume of talk depends on the number of turns—it usually accumulates across turns, rather than being the result of a single extraordinary long turn of talk. Another reason is that more turns afford the speaker more opportunities to realize the powers of turns that have been explicated above. Group members who become leaders are the ones who can penetrate the complex, on-line conversational system to obtain a disproportionately large number of speaking turns by perfect timing at “transition-relevance places” to self-select as the next speaker or, paradoxical as it may seem, constructive interruptions (Ng et al., 1995 ).

More recent research has extended the experimental study of group leadership to intergroup contexts, where members belonging to two groups who hold opposing stances on a social or political issue interact within and also between groups. The results showed, first, that speaking turns remain important in leader emergence, but the intergroup context now generates social identity and self-categorization processes that selectively privilege particular forms of speech. What potential leaders say, and not only how many speaking turns they have gained, becomes crucial in conveying to group members that they are prototypical members of their group. Prototypical communication is enacted by adopting an accent, choosing code words, and speaking in a tone that characterize the in-group; above all, it is enacted through the content of utterances to represent or exemplify the in-group position. Such prototypical utterances that are directed successfully at the out-group correlate strongly with leader emergence (Reid & Ng, 2000 ). These out-group-directed prototypical utterances project an in-group identity that is psychologically distinctive from the out-group for in-group members to feel proud of and to rally together when debating with the out-group.

Building on these experimental results Reid and Ng ( 2003 ) developed a social identity theory of leadership to account for the emergence and maintenance of intergroup leadership, grounding it in case studies of the intergroup communication strategies that brought Ariel Sharon and John Howard to power in Israel and Australia, respectively. In a later development, the social identity account was fused with expectation states theory to explain how group processes collectively shape the behavior of in-group members to augment the prototypical communication behavior of the emergent leader (Reid & Ng, 2006 ). Specifically, when conversational influence gained through prototypical utterances culminates to form an incipient power hierarchy, group members develop expectations of who is and will be leading the group. Acting on these tacit expectations they collectively coordinate the behavior of each other to conform with the expectations by granting incipient leaders more speaking turns and supporting them with positive audience responses. In this way, group members collectively amplify the influence of incipient leaders and jointly propel them to leadership roles (see also Correll & Ridgeway, 2006 ). In short, the emergence of intergroup leaders is a joint process of what they do individually and what group members do collectively, enabled by speaking turns and mediated by social identity and expectation states processes. In a similar vein, Hogg ( 2014 ) has developed a social identity account of leadership in intergroup settings.

Narrative Power

Narratives and stories are closely related and are sometimes used interchangeably. However, it is useful to distinguish a narrative from a story and from other related terms such as discourse and frames. A story is a sequence of related events in the past recounted for rhetorical or ideological purposes, whereas a narrative is a coherent system of interrelated and sequentially organized stories formed by incorporating new stories and relating them to others so as to provide an ongoing basis for interpreting events, envisioning an ideal future, and motivating and justifying collective actions (Halverson et al., 2011 ). The temporal dimension and sense of movement in a narrative also distinguish it from discourse and frames. According to Miskimmon, O’Loughlin, and Roselle ( 2013 ), discourses are the raw material of communication that actors plot into a narrative, and frames are the acts of selecting and highlighting some events or issues to promote a particular interpretation, evaluation, and solution. Both discourse and frame lack the temporal and causal transformation of a narrative.

Pitching narratives at the suprastory level and stressing their temporal and transformational movements allows researchers to take a structurally more systemic and temporally more expansive view than traditional research on propaganda wars between nations, religions, or political systems (Halverson et al., 2011 ; Miskimmon et al., 2013 ). Schmid ( 2014 ) has provided an analysis of al-Qaeda’s “compelling narrative that authorizes its strategy, justifies its violent tactics, propagates its ideology and wins new recruits.” According to this analysis, the chief message of the narrative is “the West is at war with Islam,” a strategic communication that is fundamentally intergroup in both structure and content. The intergroup structure of al-Qaeda narrative includes the rhetorical constructions that there are a group grievance inflicted on Muslims by a Zionist–Christian alliance, a vision of the good society (under the Caliphate and sharia), and a path from grievance to the realization of the vision led by al-Qaeda in a violent jihad to eradicate Western influence in the Muslim world. The al-Qaeda narrative draws support not only from traditional Arab and Muslim cultural narratives interpreted to justify its unorthodox means (such as attacks against women and children), but also from pre-existing anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism propagated by some Arab governments, Soviet Cold War propaganda, anti-Western sermons by Muslim clerics, and the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinians. It is deeply embedded in culture and history, and has reached out to numerous Muslims who have emigrated to the West.

The intergroup content of al-Qaeda narrative was shown in a computer-aided content analysis of 18 representative transcripts of propaganda speeches released between 2006–2011 by al-Qaeda leaders, totaling over 66,000 words (Cohen et al., 2016 ). As part of the study, an “Ideology Extraction using Linguistic Extremization” (IELEX) categorization scheme was developed for mapping the content of the corpus, which revealed 19 IELEX rhetorical categories referring to either the out-group/enemy or the in-group/enemy victims. The out-group/enemy was represented by four categories such as “The enemy is extremely negative (bloodthirsty, vengeful, brainwashed, etc.)”; whereas the in-group/enemy victims were represented by more categories such as “we are entirely innocent/good/virtuous.” The content of polarized intergroup stereotypes, demonizing “them” and glorifying “us,” echoes other similar findings (Smith et al., 2008 ), as well as the general finding of intergroup stereotyping in social psychology (Yzerbyt, 2016 ).

The success of the al-Qaeda narrative has alarmed various international agencies, individual governments, think tanks, and religious groups to spend huge sums of money on developing counternarratives that are, according to Schmid ( 2014 ), largely feeble. The so-called “global war on terror” has failed in its effort to construct effective counternarratives although al-Qaeda’s finance, personnel, and infrastructure have been much weakened. Ironically, it has developed into a narrative of its own, not so much for countering external extremism, but for promoting and justifying internal nationalistic extremist policies and influencing national elections. This reactive coradicalization phenomenon is spreading (Mink, 2015 ; Pratt, 2015 ; Reicher & Haslam, 2016 ).

Discussion and Future Directions

This chapter provides a systematic framework for understanding five language–power relationships, namely, language reveals power, reflects power, maintains existing dominance, unites and divides a nation, and creates influence. The first two relationships are derived from the power behind language and the last three from the power of language. Collectively they provide a relatively comprehensible framework for understanding the relationships between language and power, and not simply for understanding language alone or power alone separated from one another. The language–power relationships are dynamically interrelated, one influencing the other, and each can draw from an array of the cognitive, communicative, social, and identity functions of language. The framework is applicable to both interpersonal and intergroup contexts of communication, although for present purposes the latter has been highlighted. Among the substantive issues discussed in this chapter, English as a global language, oratorical and narrative power, and intergroup leadership stand out as particularly important for political and theoretical reasons.

In closing, we note some of the gaps that need to be filled and directions for further research. When discussing the powers of language to maintain and reflect existing dominance, we have omitted the countervailing power of language to resist or subvert existing dominance and, importantly, to create social change for the collective good. Furthermore, in this age of globalization and its discontents, English as a global language will increasingly be resented for its excessive unaccommodating power despite tangible lingua franca English benefits, and challenged by the expanding ethnolinguistic vitality of peoples who speak Arabic, Chinese, or Spanish. Internet communication is no longer predominantly in English, but is rapidly diversifying to become the modern Tower of Babel. And yet we have barely scratched the surface of these issues. Other glaring gaps include the omission of media discourse and recent developments in Corpus-based Critical Discourse Analysis (Loring, 2016 ), as well as the lack of reference to languages other than English that may cast one or more of the language–power relationships in a different light.

One of the main themes of this chapter—that the diverse language–power relationships are dynamically interrelated—clearly points to the need for greater theoretical fertilization across cognate disciplines. Our discussion of the three powers of language (boxes 3–5 in Figure 1 ) clearly points in this direction, most notably in the case of the powers of language to create influence through single words, oratories, conversations, and narratives, but much more needs to be done. The social identity approach will continue to serve as a meta theory of intergroup communication. To the extent that intergroup communication takes place in an existing power relation and that the changes that it seeks are not simply a more positive or psychologically distinctive social identity but greater group power and a more powerful social identity, the social identity approach has to incorporate power in its application to intergroup communication.

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Daily-current-affairs / 28 Nov 2021

The Importance of Local Language: Daily Current Affairs

GS- 2: Governance, Social Justice

Keywords: International Domain Names, Multilingual, Cultural Diversity

Why in News:

• State Government of Karnataka has issued an order (GO) in August 2021 stating that undergraduate students should learn Kannada as one of the two languages from the 2021-2022 academic year.
• The State government has argued that this is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, which states that “in order to preserve and promote culture, one must preserve and promote a culture’s languages”.
• Presently, the matter is now before the Karnataka High Court, with the Samskrita Bharati (Karnataka) Trust and three other institutions challenging the GOs.

Regional Language (ARTICLE 345-347)

• The legislature of a state may adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the state or Hindi as the official language of that state.
• The Official Languages Act (1963) lays down that English should be used for purposes of communication between the Union and the non-Hindi states. Further, where Hindi is used for communication between a Hindi and a non-Hindi state, such communication in Hindi should be accompanied by an English translation.
• When the PRESIDENT OF INDIA (on a demand being made) is satisfied that a substantial proportion of the population of a state desires the use of any language spoken by them to be recognized by that state, then he may direct that such language shall also be officially recognized in that state.
• Article 350A and 350 B was inserted by the 7Th Constitution Amendment Act 1956 to ensure the protection of language minorities.

Need for preserving Local Language in India:

• Cultural Identity: For individuals, language is constitutive of cultural identity. We are what we speak. Any destruction to language impact identity of individuals leading to identity crisis. This impact their ability to grow and develop as an individual.
• Cultural Diversity: Diversity in languages reflects and enhances cultural diversity. This in turn enriches the world. Unwritten languages rich in oral traditions, stories, songs, poetry, and ritual passed down through the generations constitute cultural diversity of a nation.
• Human rights: Since language is central to identity, one’s freedom to use one’s language is seen as inherent in the dignity of the human person. Many people don’t know English and thus fail to enjoy rights provided due to lack of understanding.
• A glimpse of our past: Languages provides a glimpse of our history. Once a language is lost it is a loss of history and culture associated with that language. Many languages have not been preserved and thus many traditions have lost due to this.
• Environment: Languages are closely connected to the environment they are spoken in, so in such areas they contain rich, detailed and technical knowledge about the flora, fauna, and habitat of that area. These languages are ecological encyclopedias. The biological diversity and linguistic diversity go hand in hand. If one is threatened, then so is the other.
• Cognitive abilities: Research has shown a strong correlation between improved cognitive abilities in children when they are taught in their mother tongue in primary school. If a child is not taught in the language that he or she uses at home, then he suffers poor learning and critical abilities.

Measures to preserve linguistic diversity:

• Engage indigenous people: To realize the rights and aspirations of indigenous people, it would be necessary that the government should engage and support indigenous people in determining their own development through policies that are inclusive, equitable and accessible.
• Education: About 8% of Indian population belongs to tribal communities. Their identity and culture is linked with their languages. The only way to ensure that these languages do not become extinct from this multilingual country is to give them their place in school education for at least 5 to 8 years as a language. This could be achieved making special provisions for regions/districts where the tribal and minor language population is concentrated.
• Promoting universal acceptance for international domain names: According to UNESCO, Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) can help to foster the growth of local languages online by allowing Internet users to use non-Latin scripts to access domain names. IDNs which consist of characters from non-Latin scripts form a vital part of the ecosystem necessary to foster the growth of local languages online.
• Awareness: The internet can be used to raise awareness about the issues of language extinction and language preservation. It can be used to translate, catalog, store, and provide information and access to languages. New technologies such as podcasts can be used to preserve the spoken versions of languages, and written documents can preserve information about the native literature and linguistics of languages.

Conclusion:

• Languages are how we communicate, and they are inextricably linked to our cultures, histories and identity. Almost half of the world’s estimated 6,700 languages, which are mostly indigenous, risk extinction. With every language that disappears, the world loses a wealth of traditional knowledge.
• In recent years the language diversity is under threat as speakers of diverse languages are becoming rare and major languages are adopted after abandoning the mother tongues. The problem needs to be addressed at societal level, in which the communities have to take part in conservation of language diversity that is part of cultural wealth.

Prelims Question:

Q. International Domain Names recently in news is related to which organization?

Mains Question:

Q. Local language leads to the overall cognitive development of the child, in this reference discuss the importance of Local language along with legal and constitutional principles? Sources:

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The Importance of Language in Communication

This essay about the importance of language in communication explores how language serves as a fundamental tool for expressing thoughts, sharing ideas, and connecting with others. It delves into the role of language in cultural transmission, highlighting its ability to preserve traditions and foster a sense of identity. Additionally, the essay discusses the practical significance of language in education, the workplace, and digital literacy. Overall, it emphasizes how language shapes our perceptions, relationships, and understanding of the world.

How it works

Language, the silent conductor of the human orchestra, orchestrates the symphony of communication, weaving melodies of meaning and harmony across the tapestry of human interaction. Its importance transcends the mere exchange of words; it’s the gateway to understanding, the vessel of culture, and the mirror of our collective consciousness.

At its essence, language is the paintbrush with which we color our thoughts and emotions onto the canvas of conversation. It’s not just about conveying information but also about infusing it with the hues of our experiences and the shades of our perceptions.

Whether through the lyrical prose of a poet or the candid banter of friends, language breathes life into our narratives, giving voice to the whispers of our souls and the echoes of our hearts.

Furthermore, language is the bridge that spans the chasm of cultural divides, connecting disparate worlds and fostering empathy and understanding. Each language is a portal to a unique universe, rich with its own traditions, customs, and folklore. By embracing multilingualism, we open doors to new perspectives, immersing ourselves in the kaleidoscope of human expression and expanding our capacity for empathy and appreciation of diversity.

Moreover, language isn’t just a vessel for communication; it’s a catalyst for cognition, shaping the way we perceive and interpret the world around us. The words we use don’t merely describe reality; they construct it, framing our experiences and molding our perceptions. Different languages offer different lenses through which to view the world, each imbued with its own cultural nuances and linguistic quirks. By engaging with diverse linguistic landscapes, we enrich our understanding of the human experience and cultivate a more nuanced and inclusive worldview.

In addition to its profound cultural and cognitive significance, language is also a practical tool that empowers us to navigate the complexities of modern life. In the realm of education, language is the key that unlocks the treasures of knowledge, enabling us to access and engage with a wealth of information across disciplines and domains. In the professional sphere, effective communication skills are indispensable, serving as the linchpin of collaboration, innovation, and success in today’s globalized world.

In conclusion, the importance of language in communication transcends boundaries of geography, culture, and time. It’s the lifeblood of human connection, the conduit through which we share our stories, dreams, and aspirations. From its role in shaping our perceptions and understanding of the world to its practical utility in education, work, and beyond, language is woven into the fabric of our lives, enriching our experiences and uniting us in the shared journey of humanity.

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2024 Premier's Book Awards offer something for every reader

• Shortlist for the 2024 Western Australian Premier's Book Awards revealed
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The breadth and talent of local authors is showcased in the shortlist for the 2024 Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, announced today.

Twenty-five writers have been recognised across five categories, with the shortlisted titles spanning fiction, non-fiction, narrative poetry, children's books, essays, and memoir.

The winners will share in $120,000 in prizes, including the coveted $60,000 Western Australian Writer's Fellowship, which will afford one local writer the chance to research and write a new work.

The Awards are an annual event recognising excellence by Western Australian authors and illustrators. The exceptional works on the shortlist represent uniquely Western Australian tales, as well as ideas and perspectives which enrich our knowledge of the wider world. 

The Daisy Utemorrah Award for Unpublished Indigenous Junior and Young Adult Fiction is administered and funded by Broome-based publisher Magabala Books with support from the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, and Copyright Agency. The Premier's Prize for Book of the Year is sponsored by Writing WA.

The winners will be announced on 7 June 2024 at the State Library of Western Australia alongside the biennial Western Australian Writers Hall of Fame announcement.

For more information about the Awards, visit the State Library's website www.slwa.wa.gov.au

Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:

"The announcement of the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards shortlist is an exciting event on WA's literary calendar.

"Our State is brimming with creative talent and these writers are exemplars of their craft. I encourage all readers to pick up a copy of these books at their local public library or bookseller.

"The State Library is the home of storytelling in Western Australia and a fitting home for the Awards. Congratulations to all shortlisted finalists."

Comments attributed to Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:

"It is with great pleasure that I can reveal the shortlist for the 2024 Western Australian Premier's Book Awards.

"From history and mysteries to science and adventure, it was a bumper year for entries. The range of titles on the shortlist shows the varied interests of modern readers. 

"We are fortunate to have extraordinary writers and illustrators in Western Australia and through the Premier's Book Awards the State Government supports and celebrates their hard work." 

Awards Shortlist:

Premier's Prize for Book of the Year, sponsored by Writing WA ($15,000)

• A Better Place by Stephen Daisley, published by Text Publishing
• Cellnight: A verse novel by John Kinsella, published by Transit Lounge
• The Memory of Trees by Viki Cramer, published by Thames & Hudson Australia
• Operation Hurricane by Paul Grace, published by Hachette Australia
• What's for Dinner? by Jill Griffiths, published by Thames & Hudson Australia

Premier's Prize for an Emerging Writer ($15,000)

• I am the Mau and other stories by Chemutai Glasheen, published by Fremantle Press
• The Map of William by Michael Thomas, published by Fremantle Press
• Old Boy by Georgia Tree, published by Fremantle Press
• Salt River Road by Molly Schmidt,published by Fremantle Press
• The Things We Live With  by Gemma Nisbet, published by Upswell Publishing

Premier's Prize for Children's Book of the Year ($15,000)

• City of Light, written by Julia Lawrinson, illustrated by Heather Potter and Mark Jackson, published by Wild Dog Books
• The Eerie Excavation: An Alice England Mystery by Ash Harrier, published by Pantera Press
• A Friend for George , written and illustrated by Gabriel Evans, published by Puffin, an imprint of Penguin Random House Australia
• Our Country: Where History Happened, written by Mark Greenwood and illustrated by Frané Lessac, published by Walker Books Australia
• Scout and the Rescue Dogs by Dianne Wolfer, published by Walker Books Australia

Daisy Utemorrah Award for Unpublished Indigenous Junior and Young Adult Fiction, sponsored by Magabala Books ($15,000 and a publishing contract with Magabala Books)

• Dr Stephen Hagan – Acacia: 6 Eyes on Yesterday
• Maureen Glover – Brothers in Arms
• Elise Thornthwaite – Underneath the Surface
• Marly and Linda Wells – Dusty Tracks

Western Australian Writer's Fellowship ($60,000)

• Lucy Dougan
• Kylie Howarth
• Laurie Steed

Hon. Roger Cook

Hon. David Templeman

Acknowledgement of country.

The Government of Western Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians throughout Western Australia and their continuing connection to the land, waters and community. We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures; and to Elders both past and present.

Buxton, Lutz and Bernath take top spots in annual Law Day essay contest

ZANESVILLE − Owen Buxton of Bishop Rosecrans High School won first place in the Muskingum County Bar Association's Law Day essay contest. Graduating seniors from Muskingum County high schools were eligible for the contest.

Buxton received a $1,500 scholarship for his essay. He is the son of Scott and Stephanie Buxton and plans to attend Muskingum University to study history with a minor in political science.

Owen Lutz of Maysville High School won second place and a $1,000 scholarship. The son of Jake and Jackie Lutz, he plans to attend Ohio Dominican University and study business. 

Brendan Bernath of Bishop Rosecrans High School took third place. He received a $500 scholarship and plans to study computer science. He is the son of Ryan and Theresa Bernath and plans to attend the University of Notre Dame.

Law Day is celebrated annually on May 1 and was conceived in 1957. This year's theme. Voices of Democracy, recognized that in democracies, the people rule. For nearly 250 years, Americans have expressed their political views and wishes by speaking their minds and voting in elections. In 2024, the United States will hold its 60th presidential election and Americans will address fundamental questions about democracy and the rule of law.

Stuart Hall caps off research project; Shelburne student honored for essay: CHALKBOARD

School- and youth-related news.

Stuart Hall students cap off research project with symposium

STAUNTON — Students at Stuart Hall School will soon cap a year of independent research with the nearby Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum by presenting their findings at an evening symposium.

The Monday, May 20, event culminates the students’ explorations into the decade of 1912-1922. The History III: Historical Research class has examined such diverse matters as the rights of women and LGBTQ communities, the origin of some professional sports leagues, and the global fallout from war and pandemic.

The symposium will begin at 7 p.m. at the Wilson Library, at 20 N. Coalter Street.

Timothy Layne, who teaches the Stuart Hall class, says the evening program will give the audience a fuller understanding of this complex and eventful time. At the same time, the scholars will learn what it’s like to “present your work at an academic conference.”

“It’s cool to be able to say, ‘Our students are presenting research at a presidential library,’ not just, ‘with the cooperation of a presidential library,'" said Layne.

Students used the fall and winter to develop research skills before selecting their topics and then identifying a question that tied into their topic. With every visit to the Wilson Library, the teenagers immersed themselves in primary documents that could speak to their particular question and inform an answer.

This semester, the class has shifted its work to using those answers as the basis for its research papers. Students are writing draft after draft, and classmates and Layne review them for completeness.

As new information shaped the class’s understanding of this transformative era, thesis statements evolved and conclusions shifted. Layne calls that an anticipated part of the process.

“Expect your ideas to change,” Layne advised the class. “You might think a source is one you’re going to use a lot, but as you go, maybe you won’t find it as relevant as you’ll find other material.”

By the time of the symposium, Layne has told his students they should be an expert on this topic, possibly even knowing it better than Layne himself.

The completed research papers will go into Stuart Hall’s library, the first installment of what Layne hopes will become “a body of literature” on this important era in world history. 

“This class is one of the most exciting things I’ve gotten to do professionally,” Layne says.

The May 20 event is open to the public.

Cobb new director of talent development for Waynesboro Schools

WAYNESBORO — Waynesboro Public Schools announced the appointment of Melissa Cobb as the director of talent development following a decision made at a called meeting of the Waynesboro School Board.

Cobb will commence her new role within the school division this summer. Currently serving as an assistant principal at Waynesboro High School, Cobb brings a wealth of experience and leadership skills to her new position.

Waynesboro Superintendent Jeffrey Cassell emphasized Cobb's potential to elevate the office of instruction's effectiveness in supporting educators at all stages of their careers, saying she will continue the excellent work of those already in the department.

"With an increasing number of new educators to our profession, the extra pair of hands will go a long way in giving our teachers and students what they need to be successful," said Cassell.

Prior to her tenure in Waynesboro, Cobb served as the principal of Parry McCluer High School in Buena Vista for four years and taught history in both Buena Vista City Schools and Augusta County Schools for nine years.

"Ms. Cobb's extensive expertise extends to various areas including new teacher/mentor training, professional development initiatives, and instructional strategies such as project-based learning and the integration of technology in the classroom," a press release said. "Her profound understanding of educational needs and her dedication to nurturing talent will be instrumental as she joins the office of instruction team at central office."

Cobb has her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mary Baldwin University, and an administrative endorsement from Longwood University. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree at Old Dominion University.

In her new role, Cobb will report directly to Tim Teachey, the executive director of instruction.

If I Were Mayor contest

STAUNTON — Aiswarya Vinu, a seventh-grader at Shelburne Middle School, won the statewide "If I Were Mayor" essay contest for Region 3. The contest, sponsored by the Virginia Municipal League, asked seventh- and eighth-graders to describe what solutions they would implement for issues affecting their community if they were mayor.

Vinu's essay focused on low teacher salaries in Staunton. Vinu was one seven regional winners. The overall state winner was Piper Dellingerof Signal Knob Middle School in Strasburg.

The essay contest is a key component of VML’s civic education programming, which seeks to teach school children and adults how local government works and how they can become involved in making their communities better places to live, work and play.

Ten other Shelburne students received honorable mentions, including Aaliyah Sprouse, Alex Carpenter, Cameron Boyle, Catherine Montijo, Francis O’Shea, Giuliana Migliaccio, Jacob Holsinger, Jossalyn Mask, Katelyn Blackwell, and Logan Campbell.

Regional winners receive a $150 gift card and a plaque, and their essays will be featured in Virginia Town & City magazine. Staunton City Council also recognized Vinu at a recent meeting.

Read Vinu's essay, along with essays from all the other regional winners and the overall state winner, on the Virginia Municipal League's website .

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—  Patrick Hite is The News Leader's education reporter. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at  [email protected]  and follow him on Twitter  @Patrick_Hite . Subscribe to us at  newsleader.com .