English, endangered indigenous languages in Pakistan Written by Muhammad Banaras It has reinforced a dilemma that Pakistani young generation is facing; that is, they have to use three different languages: mother tongue or regional languages at home, Urdu language with friends or may be in market and English language in classroom Pakistan is a multilingual society with at least six major languages and 59 minor ones. The most prominent languages include Urdu, English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Brahvi, Seraiki, Hindko, Sheena, and Balti, Khawar and Kashmiri and many other minor languages are spoken in the country with great linguistic diversity. In the given multi-lingual environment of Pakistan, the major dilemma is the extinction of small regional languages due to the lack of commitment on the part of the government. UNESCO has said that many of the 27 languages, spoken in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and the country’s northern parts may be extinct with the passage of time. According to linguists, different social, geographic and political factors are all contributing to the rapid disappearance of these languages. These languages are endangered mainly due to small number of their speakers coupled with the relevant authorities’ disinterest in their preservation and promotion. There is a lack of documentation and no serious effort for promotion of these languages on the part of the authorities concerned. However, the major factor that has accelerated the process of extinction is the monopoly of major languages especially the English Language. The policy and motives of imposing English in Indo-Pak subcontinent can be judged while putting a glance on Macaulay’s recommendation, “We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions who we govern, a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinion, in morals, and in intellects”. Though English has started its status as merely the language of colonial power, but over the years, English has developed as a dominant language over all other indigenous languages of the continent. After partition, there had been a great fuss about replacing English with the indigenous languages. The politicians, nationalist and educationists had been advocating immediate steps to expel English from the country. They were of the opinion that an indigenous language should be adopted as the official languages. Even according to the constitution of Pakistan Urdu is the national language of the country and it was recommended in 1973 that ‘arrangements shall be made for its official and other uses within fifteen years’ from 1973, when the constitution was written (Article 251 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan). Imposition of English may be opposed for many concrete reasons. The five reasons in support of this opposition are substantial and genuine. First, no nation can achieve the highest creative level in a foreign language, i.e., no creative work is possible except in the local languages or mother tongue. 1 / 3
Transcript
English, endangered indigenous languages in Pakistan
Written by Muhammad Banaras
It has reinforced a dilemma that Pakistani young generation is facing; that is, they haveto use three different languages: mother tongue or regional languages at home, Urdulanguage with friends or may be in market and English language in classroom
Pakistan is a multilingual society with at least six major languages and 59 minor ones. The mostprominent languages include Urdu, English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Brahvi, Seraiki,Hindko, Sheena, and Balti, Khawar and Kashmiri and many other minor languages are spokenin the country with great linguistic diversity. In the given multi-lingual environment of Pakistan,the major dilemma is the extinction of small regional languages due to the lack of commitmenton the part of the government. UNESCO has said that many of the 27 languages, spoken in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and thecountry’s northern parts may be extinct with the passage of time. According to linguists, differentsocial, geographic and political factors are all contributing to the rapid disappearance of theselanguages. These languages are endangered mainly due to small number of their speakerscoupled with the relevant authorities’ disinterest in their preservation and promotion. There is alack of documentation and no serious effort for promotion of these languages on the part of theauthorities concerned. However, the major factor that has accelerated the process of extinctionis the monopoly of major languages especially the English Language. The policy and motives ofimposing English in Indo-Pak subcontinent can be judged while putting a glance on Macaulay’srecommendation,“We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and themillions who we govern, a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, inopinion, in morals, and in intellects”.Though English has started its status as merely the language of colonial power, butover the years, English has developed as a dominant language over all other indigenouslanguages of the continent.
After partition, there had been a great fuss about replacing English with the indigenouslanguages. The politicians, nationalist and educationists had been advocating immediate stepsto expel English from the country. They were of the opinion that an indigenous language shouldbe adopted as the official languages. Even according to the constitution of Pakistan Urdu is thenational language of the country and it was recommended in 1973 that ‘arrangements shall bemade for its official and other uses within fifteen years’ from 1973, when the constitution waswritten (Article 251 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan). Imposition of Englishmay be opposed for many concrete reasons. The five reasons in support of this opposition aresubstantial and genuine. First, no nation can achieve the highest creative level in a foreignlanguage, i.e., no creative work is possible except in the local languages or mother tongue.
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English, endangered indigenous languages in Pakistan
Written by Muhammad Banaras
Secondly, a foreign language is symbol of slavery in one way or other and creates feelings ofalienation. Thirdly, translation of latest scientific works can enrich Urdu and other regionallanguages, hence no need to blindly educate people in English. Fourthly, much of the time ofstudents is wasted in learning English and to bridge language barriers. Lastly, English hasdamaging national language and other regional languages. These arguments against Englishmight not get an acceptance as the intelligentsia of the country has developed a deepattachment to English. English is shaping the minds, outlooks and opinions of educatedPakistanis. In cities as well as in towns, doctors, lawyers, teachers and educated youth employEnglish for communication of ideas. The major effect of this policy is to weaken the locallanguages and lower their status even in their aboriginal regions. This, in turn, militates severelyagainst linguistic and cultural diversity.
UNESCO categorized the endangered languages into three different groups; the severelyendangered languages, definitely endangered language and vulnerable languages. Theseverely endangered language is spoken by grandparents and older generations, while theparent generation may understand it but doesn’t speak it to children or among themselves. Asconcerned vulnerable language, most children speak the language, but it may be restricted tocertain domains like homes. Definitely endangered language is no longer learnt by children asmother tongue at home. The languages Dameli, Chilasso, Domaaki, Bashkarkik and Kalashaare kept under the category of severely endangered languages. Wakhi, Yidgha, Kati, GawarBati, Savi, Torwali, Bateri, Ushojo, Kundal Shahi and Urmur are definitely endangeredlanguages. Burshuski, Maiya and Khowar are the vulnerable languages. According to theForum for Language Initiatives (FLI) and UNESCO, 27 endangered languages spoken acrossthe KP and northern areas of Pakistan include - Pushto (10 million) throughout the region,Pahari/Potwari (3.8 million) in Murree Hills and Azad Kashmir, Gojri (300,000) in throughout theregion, Hindko (2.5 million) in Hazara, Azad Kashmir, , Khowar/Chitrali (220,000) in Chitral andGilgit, , Indus Kohistani (220,000) in Indus Kohistan, Kashmiri (105,000) Azad Kashmir,Gawri/Kalami (100,000) in Swat, Dir and Kohistan, , Kohat and Peshawar, Burushaski (100,000)in Hunza, Torwali (80,000) in Swat, Shina (500,00) in Gilgit and Kohistan, Balti (270,00) inBaltistan, Bateri (20,000) in Indus Kohistan, Wakhi (12,000) in Chitral, Palula (10,000) in Chitral,Ormuri (8,000) in South Waziristan, Kataviri/Kamviri (7,000) in Chitral, Yidgha (6,000) in Lutkohvalley in Chitral. Dameli (5,000) in Damel valley of Chitral, Chilisso (3,000) in Indus Kohistan,Kalasha (3,000) in Chitral, Gawar-Bati (1,500) in Arandu Chitral, Ushojo (1,000) in Swat, andDomaaski (500) in Hunza. Borrowing from Urdu and English words has entrenched theendangered languages, but as people immigrate to the cities, they are shifting to Urdu andEnglish. Even in the city of Karachi the Gujrati language is being abandoned, at least in thewritten form, as young people seek to be literate in Urdu and English---the languages used inthe domains of power. Zangskari and Sapti are the language that were spoken in India andPakistan years ago and are totally forgotten, so much that there is not a single orator of theselanguages today.
It is still matter of great confusion that the government could not decide, whether teaching
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English, endangered indigenous languages in Pakistan
Written by Muhammad Banaras
should be in one language or in several languages. On the other hand, English language inPakistan has achieved the desired goal, perhaps on the cost of local languages. According toGhani; English in Pakistan serves as a gateway to success, to further education and to whitecollar jobs. It is the language of higher education and wider education and not the homelanguage of the population except in the upper strata of society where it is spoken as a statussymbol. Most of the graduates in Pakistan after studying in English medium institutionsthroughout the course of their academic life are not well-versed with their own local language. Ithas reinforced a dilemma that Pakistani young generation is facing; that is, they have to usethree different languages: mother tongue or regional languages at home, Urdu language withfriends or may be in market and English Language in Classroom. The only solution is that all thelanguages spoken in the country should be given equal status and considered as nationallanguages. David Crystal has suggested six possible ways to protect and promote theendangered languages. First, an endangered language will progress if its speakers increasetheir prestige within the dominant community. Secondly, an endangered language will getacceptance if its speakers increase their wealth relative to the dominant community. Thirdly, anendangered language can be promoted if it gets more and more legitimate power in the eyes ofthe dominant community. Fourthly, an endangered language will propagate if its speakers havea strong presence in the educational system. Fifthly, an endangered language will progress if itsspeakers can write their language down. Lastly, an endangered language will progress if itsspeakers can make use of electronic technology. This all can only be achieved if governmentshould take prior interest in this matter and open a research centre in different universities topromote the province’s endangered or vulnerable languages. There is an immediate need toeducate the school children speaking these languages at primary level in their respective areas.To educate millions in English is to enslave them, of-course it is disgusting to employ theEnglish language as a medium. It is absolutely absurd and threat to indigenous languages.
Muhammad Banaras has been working as General Secretary at HEAVEN (Human, Environmental, Anti-violence and Educational Network) for last ten years. He has MS in Linguistics from Dalaran University, Sweden. Email: [email protected]
