[lg policy] Pakistan: Human thought in 6,000 languages endangered

[Harold Schiffman]

Human thought in 6,000 languages endangered

MAHTAB BASHIR 23 hrs ago | Comments (0)

ISLAMABAD - An interactive dialogue “safeguarding mother tongues in an
era of imperialist globalisation” was held here at Shakaparian under
the aegis of Rural Development Policy Institute (RDPI) and Lok Virsa
(National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage), Ministry of
National Heritage and Integration. The objective behind organising the
dialogue was to encourage the healthy cohesion among different
languages and dialects and to suggest initiatives for the preservation
and development of all languages and dialects of Pakistan especially
in the context of new constitutional arrangements.

Ministry of National Heritage and Integration Federal Secretary
Faridullah Khan was the chief guest on the occasion. The participants
who took part in the dialogue were Lok Virsa Executive Director Khalid
Javaid, Ahmed Saleem, Dr Khadim Hussain, Saeed Bhutta, Iqbal Hyder,
Karim Johar, Dr Nadeem Omar, Dr Hummera Ishfaq and Mazhar Arif.
In his address, the secretary assured the participants of all possible
assistance from his ministry for the revival and preservation of
endangered languages.
In his address, the Lok Virsa executive director stressed upon the
need for preservation of all indigenous languages spoken in the
country. He particularly mentioned the languages of northern part of
Pakistan including the Kalasha language spoken by a Kalash minority
group living in Kafiristan.

“Lok Virsa encourages research in regional languages, folk literature,
cultural history, arts, crafts and other aspects of folklore. The
verbal legends and songs, folk romances and tales, children games and
rhymes, beliefs and rituals, traditional festivals and celebrations,
the sayings of sages and the ancient customs which express the true
genius of the people of Pakistan are the subject of Lok Virsa’s
mandate”, he added.
Languages, with their complex implications for identity,
communication, social integration, education and development are of
strategic importance for the people. Yet, due to imperialist
globalisation, they are increasingly becoming endangered or
disappearing altogether. When languages fade so does the world’s rich
tapestry of cultural diversity as being alarmed by the Unesco, he
added.
According to the Unesco, half of the 6,000 or so languages spoken in
the world are endangered, and with them an irreplaceable dimension of
our knowledge and understanding of human thought is also likely to
diminish. The process whereby languages are disappearing is an
unbridled one and not a new phenomenon. However, the past 30 years or
so have seen a dramatic increase in disappearance of languages.

The causes of this phenomenon are multiple and complex. People tend to
abandon their native tongues either because they belong to small
groups immersed in different or unfriendly cultural and linguistic
environments, or because they come into contact with an invasive or
economically stronger culture.
Safeguarding and defending their indigenous language is a people’s
fundamental right. In this context, the International Mother Language
Day is celebrated on February 21 every year in order to promote
linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/02/human-thought-in-6000-languages-endangered/
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