[lg policy] Namibia: English Not a Threat to Indigenous Languages

[Harold Schiffman]

Namibia: English Not a Threat to Indigenous Languages
23 October 2012


Article Views (non — English, as a language, does not threaten
indigenous Namibian languages. I am very sure most of you would not
take my words kindly. Of course, you would argue that it is because of
the dominant nature of English all over the world, we today are no
longer interested in studying and learning in our indigenous
languages.

Yes, I understand that English has become a basic need, just like
water, for anyone to survive in this dry and unforgiving capitalist
world. In fact, English has become more important than water in the
Namibian context.

Why am I saying this? I am saying this because in Namibia if you do
not pass English in school, your life is poised to the edge of doom.
My concern is about learners and students who demonstrate learning
ability in other subjects than English? Where do you throw them?

For more information on this matter read the book by Ngugi Wa
thiong'o, Decolonising the Mind, I am very sure you will find it
interesting. The high value we attach to English, and the status we
give to English, makes English look like a threat to the existence of
our indigenous languages. If we do not decolonise our minds to embrace
and accept that our indigenous languages are equally important, and
should be taught along side English, we will pay dearly for this
negligence because our indigenous languages and the rich culture that
comes with it will be lost forever.

It is this bad attitude we have towards our indigenous languages and
the high status we give to English, which gives English a hegemonic
position in a multilingual Namibia.

Wherever you go today in Namibia you find parents naming their newborn
Grace, Precious, Golden, Shelly, Princess, Gift and the list goes on.
It is this lack of decolonisation of the mind, which leads to many
people shunning their own languages and cultures, and as a
consequence, this will lead to moral decay.

Of course, the pathetic argument many people would give is that
African names are not good enough and can hardly be pronounced by
whites, utter nonsense!

If two of you are from the same language group and you decide to speak
English with each other, then don't blame it on English. English is
just a language there; it is not forced down the throat of anyone.

There is nothing that shudders the bones out of me than to see two
grown-up parents decide to speak English to their baby. I know and
understand that English is important for economic reasons but that
should not be done at the expense of indigenous languages.

Most of you think English is threatening our indigenous languages, but
the truth is: English is equally being threatened by indigenous
languages in Namibia.

Namibian English, if there is one, is heavily diluted. Listen around
and hear how the queen's language is being abused through poor grammar
and pronunciation.

Ask the British how they feel about the state of English around the
world today, the response would not be pleasant. My little heart
bleeds with pain when I hear people prematurely judging the
intellectual level of politicians just because their English command
is not good enough. Who says that intelligence can only be measured
through English?

If you cannot speak English that does not mean that you are useless!

My argument is: the hegemonic position that English language enjoys
today in Namibia is because Namibians have begun identifying
themselves in English. For some the situation has gone from bad to
worse, they go as far as claiming that they no longer speak their own
languages. If you are willing to pay a linguistic price of language
shift for the next generation, then ignore my call!

The future generation will never forgive you if you betray their
languages. Don't get me wrong, I understand the pressure parents are
going through in Namibia to have their children educated in English.

The Namibian language policy does not give exception to learners who
perform well in science subjects but poorly in English, as a subject,
to be allowed to continue with their studies without being subjected
to further English lessons. I truly understand the reasons why many
parents in Namibia are resorting to teaching their children English at
the tender age, because they don't see hope in their own languages,
and little attention is paid by the authority.

If I had the power to change the language policy, I would do so with
double four hands. The first change would be to make life easier for
learners or students who demonstrate great learning ability in other
subjects than English. I would revise the whole policy to focus on
communicative English rather than focus on absolute accuracy of the
language.

Gerson Sindano is a Master of Arts English student in the Department
of Language and Literature Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social
Sciences, University of Namibia.


http://allafrica.com/stories/201210230596.html?viewall=1

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