Note - The following is a 2,000 word essay I wrote on Multilingualism and it's importance in a globalized world. I've added footnotes for all the articles I referred to while researching on the topic. Unfortunately, I wrote this with many cups of coffee and do not recall editing it.
India is said to be a socio-linguistic giant and the
nerve-system of this giant is multilingualism. Language
is of immense importance because it shapes an individual’s identity. Language
provides the base with which we think, reason, argue, agree or disagree. One
can experience a high degree of discomfort and anxiety if one is found in a
city where no one speaks/comprehends the language of one another. Living in New
Delhi, India- I was exposed to Hindi, Urdu, English, Bengali (neighbourhood)
and French (from Grade V to Grade VIII). I can fluently write/communicate in
Hindi and English, whereas I can only comprehend Bengali (a language based in
the state of West Bengal, India) and Urdu.
The current trend in colleges and universities today
is to encourage students to learn as many languages as possible- for instance
my college gives certificate courses in French, Spanish and Russian etc. But if
we keep the focus off the number of languages an individual knows aside and
focus on what language does to an individual- it’s a different story all
together. For instance, while learning French I observed that there are words
in French for feelings that don’t exist in Hindi or English. Like the French
expression – “Je ne sais quoi” which means, a quality (desirable) that cannot
be described or named easily. Similarly, in Hindi, we use the word “Ji.” It is a word used after the name of a person (such as one’s mother, father or
grandparents) to emphasize or indicate respect for the subject. It’s not
equivalent to Sir or Madame and is a lot more personal or heartfelt. Language then is not just the
accumulation of knowledge about alphabets, words, grammar but rather the
experience of an entire culture. Multilingualism (or using multiple languages)
therefore provides us with the unique opportunity to embrace and be open to
different cultures and their languages.
The
world today is highly globalized due to the interconnectedness of world
financial markets, increased trade across borders, advanced communication
technologies and rise of social networks using the World Wide Web (like
YouTube, Facebook, Twitter etc.). However some would argue that this should lead to more homogeneity in terms
of language and promoting a global culture. This is a highly reductionist
argument since the ‘local’ (whether it is language, culture, practices or all
of these) is now being shared across borders by eliminating geographical
barriers and compressing time-space. It is not uncommon to find young Chicago
students studying Sanskrit (India’s classical language) through online videos
uploaded by linguists in India.
Multinational
corporations while investing abroad will find the need to hire linguists or
translators to sign deals with Chinese or Japanese companies that still do not
conduct business in the lingua franca. The
ability to be fluent in more than one language can be a big asset for young
professionals seeking employment in today’s globalized world.
A
Case Study of Mumbai
India
as a country is multicultural having various castes, religions, languages,
sects and lifestyles. In Mumbai (a city in Maharashtra) every child is exposed
to at least four languages right from infancy. Education grooms children in
such a way that it grooms children to shoulder responsibilities of their adult
life with confidence. The educational system relies on education to achieve
this. It helps to develop thoughts that need to be presented with integrity and
compactness. The relation between thoughts and language is not erratic but rule
governed.
Pushpa
Pai’s Case Study of Mumbai examines the Government policies with regard to
teaching languages in state-run schools in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Pai
writes that it is the policy of the Government of Maharashtra to try and
provide education to all in their mother tongue, as per UNESCO guidelines.
Instructions are imparted in as many as eight languages in schools run by
Mumbai Municipal Corporations. Maharashtra also follows the ‘Three-language’
formula of Government of India, which means children learn two or more
languages, besides the language of instruction.
Although
Pai argues that because of the existence of various colloquial ‘dialects’ the
children are unable to master the sophisticated ‘standard’ variety of language,
by no means should this be taken as a negative. I say so because knowledge of a
language that deviates from the norm is perhaps not economically valuable but
culturally it still is. Language Development Projects funded by the Ford
Foundation were carried out in these schools, to encourage students to adapt to
the standard variety of language.
Another
reason why multilingualism is encouraged in India is because of the special
privilege given to those who are fluent and have mastered English. The ability
to articulate and fluently speak in English is associated with better social
status and educational level. One can pick up a General Knowledge magazine,
such as Competition Success Review (CSR)
and flip through numerous advertisements guaranteeing a “full mastery” of the
English language. Hence a large number of parents also prefer to send their
children to English-medium schools. English in these schools is treated as a
medium of instruction but it is definitely a second language for the students.
It
is extremely important to introduce languages early on in school since
psychologists say that language acquisition device is sharpest between the ages
of three and twelve. Meta-linguistic knowledge in the 21st century
will help children and adults to understand what language is, what it can do
for them and its potential as a skill. As Pai says, “Multilingualism should be
looked at as an advantage offered to us by history rather than a problem. At a
very early stage children learn to express the same thought with different
codes in different languages. At societal level, they understand the cultural
differences leading to different norms to be observed in interpersonal
relations in different discourse situations. Thus it teaches them to live
harmoniously with others in the society.”
Multilingualism,
Creativity and Innovation
A
report for the European commission compiled by David Marsh, Beardsmore, Kees De
Bot, Peeter Mehisto and Dieter Woolf puts forth five hypotheses- that there is
a link between multilingualism and creativity, multilingualism broadens access
to information, multilingualism offers alternative ways to organise thought,
alternative ways of perceiving the world and learning a new language increases
the potential for creative thought. The study for the European
Commission further states that creativity should be thought of as “imaginative
activity”. Further innovation should be seen as “outcomes of value.” Therefore
creativity would therefore precede innovation. They suggest there is enough
anecdotal evidence for arguing that the ability to use more than one language
leads to creative and innovative outcomes for individuals and the societies
they live in. They state that the ability to communicate in several languages
is a great benefit for individuals, organisations and companies. It enhances
creativity, breaks cultural stereotypes, encourages thinking “outside the box”,
and can help develop innovative products and services- these are all activities
that have great economic value.
Multilingualism
in a Globalized World
The
world is increasingly become smaller, with news travelling faster than the
speed of light. There is an inversion of David Hume’s concentric circles of
reducing empathy. The news of the horrific 16 December 2012 gang-rape case in
Delhi, India
sparked a series of protests all across India, cutting across cleavages of
caste, religion and language. When I was studying in London, United Kingdom on
an exchange program- a variety of students from Italy, Brazil etc asked about
the situation of women safety in India- an awareness that perhaps wouldn’t have
existed in early 20th century due to technological barriers.
Similarly, on my first few days in London, I felt extremely lucky that I was
fluent in English, for had I been in Germany I would have had a very difficult
time to even navigate my way to the university or do something as trivial as
buying grocery! Knowledge of another language is always an advantage. Moreover
whenever I interacted with other Indian students we always conversed in
English. A fellow Italian friend was curious to know “Why we did not speak in
Indian to each other” – little did he know there is no “Indian” language and
most of the Indian students abroad could not speak Hindi (a language of the
North Indians comprising areas of the Gangetic Plains- a language granted
official but not national status).
As
a student of Political Science, my subject focuses on the idea of “global
citizenship” – citizens transcending above national boundaries of countries. Countries
are, as Benedict Anderson puts it- “imagined communities.” One thing that comes
in the forefront of the 21st century is the increased activism, by
civil society, including governmental and non-governmental organisations
demanding respect for all human beings irrespective of their gender, sexual
identity, religion and a more equitable and just society. This proactive
interaction with other people (often belonging to different states) leads to an
increased awareness of the self and others- and the issues that threaten the
existence of others. Whether it is the ‘Kashmir issue’ in India, the
Arab-Israeli conflict or even the ‘global zero’ campaign advocating the
complete elimination of Nuclear Weapons- a language to communicate and listen
to others is extremely significant.
Closer
home, while volunteering with the National Service Scheme in India, I taught
English, Hindi, Maths and Science to boys aged 7-14- who resided in an
orphanage. Often, they would repeat classes for failing to pass English and
Maths. I noticed how they were unable to read words and form sentences
(although they could recognize English/Hindi alphabets)- their poor language
formation skills were more related to the psychological stress because of
coming from unstable homes. However after putting in weeks of effort, I tried
to change my strategy. I conversed in English and encouraged reading-aloud
activities with reward mechanisms. The improvement was visible. Sometimes the
orphanage proudly updates their status on Facebook, showing the world the
progress made by the boys- through scholarships, getting good grades and
getting accepted into College. These achievements are interlinked with mastery
of more than one language, good reading and comprehension skills. The Orphanage
also hosted various International Volunteers from USA, Canada and Australia.
Each volunteer contributed to group activities and language development. The
evidence of increased globalization is reinforced when one international
volunteer comments – “Oh! He was only seven when I taught him! Can’t believe he
has a job now! I wish him all the best for his future endeavours!”
This
concern for literacy, education- for children in different parts of the world
is possible because of an idea of ‘Global Citizenship.’ Global Citizenship is
defined as a “choice and a way of thinking. National Citizenship is an accident
of birth, global citizenship is different. It is a voluntary association with a
concept that signifies ways of thinking and living within multiple
cross-cutting communities- cities, regions, states, nations and international
collectives. People come to consider themselves as global citizens through
different formative life experiences and have different interpretations of what
it means to them.”
If
we understand the necessity of Multilingualism as a prerequisite for an active
global civil society we might realise that knowledge of other languages leads
to increased tolerance and empathy for other cultures. As Goethe said – “Those
who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.”
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