One language is no longer enough

[Harold F. Schiffman]

>>From the Toronto Star,

One language is no longer enough
Linguistic diversity is a way to foster knowledge, prosperity and peace
around the world

Apr. 18, 2006. 01:00 AM
CHAD GAFFIELD

The news that Sidney Crosby is determined to become fully bilingual is
consistent with a new international perspective on language. Rather than
complaining about another language being shoved down his throat, as the
old metaphor claimed, Crosby emphasizes that learning French simply gives
him something extra. The fact that one of the world's best hockey players
sees bilingualism as a benefit even for someone employed in Pittsburgh
illustrates the new global awareness that one language is not enough. But
what language policies are appropriate in the 21st century? The world's
most important experiment is the European Union where members pursue
language policies in keeping both with their specific histories and the
increasing economic ties that bind them together. Jacques Chirac's
storming out of a European Union summit last week when a French
industrialist began speaking in English illustrates the new perspective on
the value of diversity for global health. In emphasizing the importance of
the "dialogue of cultures," Chirac explained, "You cannot build the world
of the future on just one language and, hence, one culture."

Economists and geneticists have long recognized that homogeneity is a
problem rather than a solution to long-term sustainability and prosperity.
Public policy-makers are now coming to the same conclusion about
governance. Cookie-cutter standardization and one-size-fits-all
assumptions are rapidly giving way to an embracing of multiplicity as the
foundation of long-term social cohesion and prosperity. In this context,
linguistic diversity is now seen to strengthen and enrich the social and
cultural fabric in the same way that multiple economic and genetic links
enhance the material and physical quality of life. And how should a
continent or country or institution operate in more than one language?
Until the 19th century, almost every jurisdiction included multiple
languages. Leaders agreed upon a single language of communication, such as
Latin, but they also spoke other languages. Indeed, which language or
languages were spoken by an individual reflected social, economic and
political status rather than marking an ethnic identity.

Then, the rise of the nation-state fuelled a new movement to link language
with nationality. By the early 20th century, the word "ethnic" gained
currency in keeping with the changed sense that different groups were
defined by cultural characteristics such as language. In North America,
the promotion of single-language policies included the introduction of
aggressive English-only regulations in various school districts. The new
approach calls for multiple-language settings that encourage speakers to
express themselves in the language of their choice. The logistical
challenges of this approach are being tested in the European Union that
has now expanded to include 20 languages at a cost of $1.6 billion in
translation and interpretation expenses each year. The member countries
view these expenses as valuable investments in the long-term prosperity of
the continent.

English may now be the lingua franca of boardrooms in many parts of the
world but distinctions are made between the language of business and the
language of social, cultural and political expression. Rather than
attempting to create zones of linguistic solitude as in the era of
nation-states, the new approach embraces linguistic diversity and
multiplicity. In this spirit, "English villages" are sprouting up in South
Korea. A century ago, it was believed that learning another language
(especially English) would weaken rather than strengthen the linguistic
group. Today, this approach is seen as the way to enhance Korean society
in a changed international context.

Canada is one of numerous countries coming to grips with rapidly changing
linguistic attitudes. The blossoming of French-language immersion
schooling across Canada in recent decades is an example of the new
mindset. Some parents may have calculated that their children's employment
chances for federal government jobs would be enhanced but such thinking
cannot explain why immersion programs have multiplied. Rather, a general
notion of "something extra"  economic, social and cultural has been the
driving force of the movement to learn French in many predominantly
English-speaking communities. Canada's major bilingual university, the
University of Ottawa, is embarking on a new strategic plan in the context
of both significant growth and research intensiveness. Since the mid-19th
century, the university has applied various definitions of bilingualism in
keeping with the changing times. The current approach is designed to
support diversity while also encouraging the "dialogue of cultures." While
all students experience a bilingual campus, they can use either French or
English if bilingualism is not required by the field of study. However,
administrators and staff must be bilingual and the new plan calls for
hiring only those professors committed to bilingualism. Direct
communication in French and English is encouraged in regular university
meetings rather than simultaneous interpretation. Similarly, the campus
does not include official linguistic enclaves in order to avoid the
solitudes of the single-language nation-state era. But special measures
are used to promote study in French given the larger fragility of the
language in Ontario and the popularity of the university among
anglophones, including graduates of immersion programs.

The new awareness of the value of diversity in the global village explains
Crosby's French lessons, Chirac's fury and the continuing promotion of
Canadian bilingualism at the University of Ottawa. Multilingual settings
encourage seeing the world through multiple grammars and vocabularies in
order to enhance understanding of human complexity and potential. There is
certainly no guarantee this approach will foster increased knowledge,
prosperity and peace around the world in the coming decades but what other
strategy seems more promising?

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Chad Gaffield is a professor of history at the University of Ottawa.

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