Mother tongue. Native language. First language. These are words that seem to have lost their due weight in the high globalised world of the twenty first century. But who is to blame?
With English fast becoming the standard international mode of communication, I believe the loss of local languages is a worldwide issue, one that is only exacerbated by the global consumption of English language media. Further, most schools are using English as a medium of education in order to ensure the success of their students on a global stage. While this is undoubtedly a crucial strategy, it has inadvertently led to the loss of the popularity of local languages.
Speaking about Pakistan specifically, we have a number of local languages in our country including Urdu, Sindhi, Balochi, Punjabi and Pashto, to name a few. However, in many schools, especially those in urban areas, learning English is considered far more important than the regional languages. This has led much of the younger generation to lose touch with their native language.
In my opinion, to succeed in the world today, having a good command of the English language is non-negotiable. The world is only connected via English and not being fluent in it will ultimately hinder success for anyone hoping to climb the career ladder. However, it is equally important that we do not let our local languages suffer in the process. There are many ways that we can do this. To start with, I believe every school should make the local language a compulsory subject, so that students have no choice, but to study it in detail. Not only the vernacular, but the literature, as well as the history and origins of that language need to be a part of the curriculum, to ensure that children are able to appreciate the depth and vastness of their mother tongue. Another way to do this is to increase media consumption of these languages by introducing television programmes, and promoting musicians, singers and artists who use the local languages to express their art. Festivals and seminars can be held such as the Karachi Urdu Literature festival, a notable one that happens yearly, where poets, writers and authors are invited to indulge with the audience.
Overall, the promotion of local languages is a multifactorial solution, one that is not going to happen overnight, but if we can get the conversation started on the recognition of the issues, that in itself, counts as a win.