Importance of safeguarding linguistic diversity
Ranjan K Baruah
One of the most fragile resources with us is our languages. Mother language is very important as we start our life with our mother languages. all languages are important but there cannot be any language like mother languages. Languages are essential to education and sustainable development, serving as the primary means through which knowledge is transferred, and cultures are preserved.
The diversity of language can be seen in our region and other parts of the country as languages change with certain distances. With approximately 8,324 languages in the world today, many are at risk of disappearing due to globalization and societal changes. We should know that every two weeks a language disappears taking with it an entire cultural and intellectual heritage. Out of 8324, around 7,000 languages are still in use. Only a few hundred languages have genuinely been given a place in education systems and the public domain, and less than a hundred are used in the digital world.
Ensuring that education systems support the right to learn in one's mother tongue is crucial for improving learning outcomes, as students who are taught in a language, they fully understand show better comprehension, engagement, and critical thinking skills.
There is no doubt that multilingual education, particularly for the indigenous languages, not only helps learners but also fosters a deeper connection between education and culture, contributing to more inclusive and equitable societies. The New Education Policy in India has emphasized on the mother languages. Multilingual education not only promotes inclusive societies but also aids in preserving non-dominant, minority, and indigenous languages. It is a cornerstone for achieving equitable access to education and lifelong learning opportunities for all individuals.
International Mother Language Day (IMLD) was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999. The idea to celebrate IMLD was the initiative of Bangladesh. The United Nations General Assembly welcomed the proclamation of the day in its resolution of 2002.
On 16 May 2007, the UN General Assembly in its resolution A/RES/61/266 called upon Member States "to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by peoples of the world". By the same resolution, the General Assembly proclaimed 2008 as the International Year of Languages, to promote unity in diversity and international understanding, through multilingualism and multiculturalism and named UNESCO to serve as the lead agency for the Year.
The International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032) aims to ensure indigenous peoples’ right to preserve, revitalize and promote their languages. It offers an opportunity to collaborate in the areas of policy development and stimulate a global dialogue and to take necessary measures for the usage, preservation, revitalization and promotion of indigenous languages around the world.
Multilingual education approach is not only a key component of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, but it also contributes to other SDGs. This includes SDG 5 on gender equality, SDG 13 on climate action, and SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities.
The challenge ahead is the presence of strong language which dominate the native languages. we know that languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education and development, are of strategic importance for people and the planet. Yet, due to globalization processes, they are increasingly under threat or disappearing altogether. There is another challenge due to the digital revolution. Stronger languages could dominate easily over many native languages as in-built programmes are in languages like English only.
The linguistics diversity can be easily seen in our region as many languages are spoken in our region though all have not got status of scheduled languages according to the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. We must promote all our native languages and ensure that we speak,write and read our mother languages because when languages fade, so does the world's rich tapestry of cultural diversity. Opportunities, traditions, memory, unique modes of thinking and expression — valuable resources for ensuring a better future — are also lost.
Safeguarding the rich tapestry of languages is a task that falls on each of us. It's essential that we preserve all mother languages and promote their use as mediums of instruction in schools and academic institutions. The Government of Assam has taken a significant step in this direction. From the next academic session, languages like Rabha, Mising, Tiwa, Deori, Karbi, and Dimasa will be introduced as mediums of instruction from the elementary level. Together, we can protect our linguistic heritage. It's our collective responsibility to safeguard these fragile resources. After all, our dreams are woven in our mother tongues, not in any other language. Let's unite to preserve our linguistic diversity and ensure the long-term survival of our mother languages.