In order to raise the awareness of indigenous languages, the United Nations declared 2019 as the year of indigenous languages (IY 2019). This is beneficial not only to the people who speak these languages, but also for others to appreciate their imperativeness for enhancing world’s rich cultural diversity.
Indigenous languages have originality distinct to a people known to a peculiar a place. While such languages are national in some countries, in others they are not. In other words lingua franca of some nations might not necessarily be indigenous languages. For instance a colonial language, English language from Britain, is both a lingua franca and sole official national language in Nigeria. This is a case different from Aymara, alongside Spanish, that is indigenous and official language of Bolivia.
A good number of minority languages, are disappearing at a fast rate. This is alarming and efforts to put a stop to this trend are pertinent. Extinction of languages has implications on global diversity in terms of conservation of culture, environment, traditional knowledge and economy. Unarguably, culture is the way of people’s life and language is a major means of transfer and preservation of people defined by peculiarities. When distinctiveness is eroded, homogeneity of culture leaves us with a competition of becoming one. The attendant issues from this unification, for instance poor standard of living and quality of life, are deepened. Most of the trending world problems and challenges we are grappled with today, including climate change, stem from gain of foreign languages and culture. This is one form of globalization, a phenomenon with multiple adverse effects.
The effect of colonialism and relatively subsequent globalization on indigenous languages leaves Africa speaking English, French or Portuguese as official or business languages. An estimated 2000 languages that are native to Africa, are subjugated by languages of the global north. This phenomenon is common in other regions. Though countries like South Africa puts English fourth among 11 official languages, this seeming preservation is insignificant given large number of more diverse African countries with foreign language dominance in the 21st century.
To survive extinction and enjoy diversity, language revitalization is very important. Native indigenous speakers, communities and the government must accept responsibility of adopting survival strategies. Language reversal theory and vitality are very effective plans against extinction. While the former emphasizes autonomy of a particular language, the later focuses on factors that favour survival of a language. Bilingual or multilingual education is another strategy that fosters revitalization of dying indigenous languages. When adopted, students, especially children, are able to learn other languages at school against sole dependence on national or official languages that suppress the existence of indigenous languages. Teaching native languages or, better still, using them as language of instruction, will increase the diversity content in individuals, communities and nations because these languages are a vehicle to the economy, culture, education and ecological enrichment.
With this global awareness, the need for stakeholders and interest groups to revitalize the disappearing indigenous languages cannot be overemphasized. Germans speak Deutsch, South Koreans speak Hangul and British mainly speak English. Other indigenous languages should learn and teach theirs too. Despite challenges associated with mainstreaming of wide language diversity, continents like Africa with about 2000 languages can develop strategies in favour of use of indigenous languages as official or business languages to avoid extinction. Though overwhelming, language revitalization by affected people is possible through immersive language nest programs targeting young children and transcending current challenges. Outcomes of this struggle will be worthwhile and that is why the United Nations proclaimed 2019 the international year of indigenous languages to draw attention to the critical loss of indigenous languages and the urgent need to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages.
Acceptance of one, two or three languages as national language(s) in multilingual countries like Nigeria is very challenging. In such instances, the absence of native language as lingua franca or national language provides space for thriving foreign languages, especially those of the global north to be instituted. So, colonial English language has gained dominance and taken the driver seat at the expense of indigenous languages, which include Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba that are spoken by over 60 million people across the country, and beyond.
With globalization propelling tolerance of foreign culture, one wonders the fate of minor languages that make up estimated 400 of Nigerian native languages. Of course, they are under pressure and are disappearing. But their extinction can be halted! Awareness such as this should create change in attitude towards dying languages. Individuals, religious groups and others like civic and other nongovernmental organization, should emphasize the importance of indigenous languages via print and electronic media, books and literature, history and day to day oral communication.
Government at local, state and national levels must support existence of each language irrespective of numerical status. Highly recommended are community efforts by affected people to propound revitalization mechanisms in favour of dying languages. In cities where native language extinction suffers most, communities must ensure regular meetings to foster speaking of indigenous language and promotion of culture. Basic things like greetings and pleasantries are very important. Against this backdrop, dying indigenous languages would be revitalized.
Tukurah is an Indigenous Peoples Advocate and Executive Director, GEI Initiative. She can be reached at turs4ril@yahoo.com
