As we celebrate the International Mother Language Day on February 21 it is important to recollect that our Mother Language creates an identity for us, giving us a sense of belonging.
However, at the same time our Mother language can erect a barrier around us, keeping others who are using their own Mother Tongue away from us. Thus, it is a sad truth that divided by our language identities that alienate us from others who are living in the same geo-political region, we celebrate Mother Language Day in separate groups.
Moreover, two years ago, a UNESCO World Report on Languages predicted that by the end of the century about half the number of languages in existence today, would disappear. This means about 3,500 of the Mother Languages in use today will not be spoken or written by the time the world steps into the 22nd century. Thus, having written about Mother Languages on the International Mother Language Day every year for the past six years, this year I wish to focus on ways in which digital technology in cyberspace can prevent the extinction of the minor languages, which happen to be the Mother Language of many communities.
Responsibility
An interesting fact to note is that the only country on Mother Earth which has a right to celebrate a Mother Language Day is Bangladesh, because they won their independence through the struggle for their language. They can also be proud that almost all Bangladeshi people speak Bangla, though they also speak nearly forty other languages which give them a special identity as one of the rare countries where language barriers are almost non-existent. However, this also indicates even Bangladesh has a responsibility to prevent the death of the other minor languages found among her people.
Digital technology and languages in cyberspace are the only ways in which we can prevent the ‘linguicide’ of all minor languages, which can be considered as the next worse crime to genocide. One major cause for linguicide is linguicism, “my language is better than your language” mentality. In this regard, UNESCO has been advocating multilingual education for children focusing on the Mother tongue from the earliest years of schooling based on the realisation that education in the mother tongue is a key factor for inclusion and quality learning, as well as the improvement of learning outcomes and academic performance.
Unfamiliar language
One major threat for minority languages, however, is the tendency to choose a non-native language, as the medium of education for children. UNESCO reports that 35 percent of the world’s children begin their education in an unfamiliar language, which is not the language they use at home, and not their mother language. Especially the diaspora, instead of forgetting their Mother language, can make a major contribution by using their mother language whenever possible, in their social media communications and in encouraging their children to use their mother language.
These measures, however, may not be effective in the face of the globally dominant English language. Even though they fulfill all requisites for language vitality according to criteria such as the UNESCO Language Vitality and Endangerment scales many languages are currently losing ground to the powers of the English language. As a result, we are faced with the challenge of saving our lesser-known Mother languages, because all predictions are that only about 5 percent of the world’s languages will survive the digital age, and even many official languages are in danger of “digital extinction”.
Role of digital devices
Yet, one way of saving Mother Languages is through digital devices. When a language is placed in cyberspace, in both written and audio formats, it is guaranteed that the language will survive even if the community the language belongs to breaks up and disperses. Because cyberspace opens the door for anyone to learn any language, it also has the possibilities of accumulating speakers from across the world.
A major device that can be used to achieve this purpose is through the yet underutilised digital resource of recordings in audio and video of the endangered language in natural use, and in creative art forms. Subtitles in movies can also be used to learn a language, the pronunciation of unfamiliar words, and also about a culture and traditions of the community. This facility is provided by websites with online platforms that have a wide collection of subtitles for TV shows and movies.
Language maps
In addition, a language map can provide recognition and empowerment to endangered groups, showing both their traditional and their current locations. It can also provide valuable information for outsiders for official and other purposes. Digital libraries and free e-book sites are another major facility to keep languages alive, however minor they are. This can be achieved through Open source licensing, concepts of Copyleft and Creative Commons, that allow free distribution of books and documents of educational and cultural importance.
It is evident then, that through digital devices we can revitalise and preserve Mother languages. If used in the right way, cyberspace will preserve a mother language even after the last human being on earth has passed away. Thus, as Homo digitalis, let us all get together to preserve all our Mother Languages, till someday we can develop a Universal language. Such a language can be called Matribhasha and it will be spoken and written by all living beings of Mother Earth.