MOTHER TONGUE, A TOOL FOR CULTURAL AWAKENESS
By Grace Tolu Dogara
Writes from National Museum, Minna
What does mother tongue mean?
The term
“mother tongue” refers to a person’s native language — that is, a language
learned from birth. It is also called a first language, dominant language, home
language, and native tongue (although these terms are not necessarily
synonymous).
Mother
tongue is a general term for the language of the childhood home, learned ‘at
one’s mother’s knee’, often used synonymously with NATIVE LANGUAGE. Mother
tongue pertains to the language that you speak since you were young. It is your
native language.
When you
use the term mother tongue, you refer to the language a person learns from
birth. It is the language one was initially exposed to and the first language
learnt. However, it also means the speaker’s home and dominant language, not
only from acquisition but also from its importance and the speaker’s ability to
fully learn its communicative and linguistic features. In language translation
terms, it means that the translator is highly capable of translating the text
into one’s dominant and primary language.
What is the difference between the mother
tongue and the first language?
Technically,
there is no difference between first language and mother tongue, as they both
pertain to the native language a person speaks. But if you are talking about
contexts, you can say that the mother tongue is the language that the person’s
ethnic group speaks, which may not be a person’s first language.
When you
refer to a person’s first language, it could be a mother tongue, but it could
also be the language of choice when the speaker is bilingual or multilingual.
Often, the child learns the language that their parents and other caretakers
speak. This is a natural language acquisition because it is the only language
that the child hears since birth.
In a
bilingual household where the parents teach their children to learn their
mother tongue simultaneously, which will be their first language. It becomes a
choice of which language the child is most comfortable with and fluent in
speaking, despite speaking two languages.
Although
the implication is usually clear, there is no necessary connection between a
child’s use of language and the language of its mother: some children learn the
language of a nurse or nanny first; a mother may talk to her child in a
language not originally her own.
Use of the Term ‘Mother Tongue’
The
general usage of the term ‘mother tongue’…denotes not only the language one
learns from one’s mother, but also the speaker’s dominant and home language;
i.e. not only the first language according to the time of acquisition, but the
first with regard to its importance and the speaker’s ability to master its
linguistic and communicative aspects. For example, if a school advertises that
all its teachers are native speakers of English, we would most likely complain
if we later learned that although the teachers do have some vague childhood
memories of the time when they talked to their mothers in English, they,
however, grew up in some non-English-speaking country and are fluent in a
second language only. Similarly, in translation theory, the claim that one
should translate only into one’s mother tongue is in fact a claim that one
should only translate into one’s first and dominant language.
“The
vagueness of this term has led some researchers to claim…that different
connotative meanings of the term ‘mother tongue’ vary according to the intended
usage of the word and that differences in understanding the term can have
far-reaching and often political consequences.”
Culture and Mother Tongue
This is
the language community of the mother tongue, the language spoken in a region,
which enables the process of enculturation, the growing of an individual into a
particular system of linguistic perception of the world and participation in
the centuries-old history of linguistic production.
“Cultural
power can…backfire when the choices of those who embrace American-ness in
language, accent, dress, or choice of entertainment stir resentment in those
who do not. Even if the world celebrates International Mother Language Day held
on February 21 each year for cultural diversity and language awareness, there
is no denying the fact that minority languages are dying more rapidly. Many
factors contribute to this, including globalization, modernization and the
blending of international culture.
UNESCO
said that, on average, one language disappears every two weeks. A disappearance
of a language is the disappearance of an entire intellectual and cultural
heritage. According to the 2020 edition of Ethnologue, 2,926 languages are
currently endangered, and UNESCO estimates that about 90% of languages
worldwide may disappear by 2050.
Besides
being a communication device, languages are of cultural significance, and their
disappearance means losing unique traditions and knowledge, heritage, and
ancestral memories.
It is a
way to raise awareness about the language in different areas. A civilization’s
foundation is language, which binds people together. It is all right to learn
other languages, but it is vital to use your national language whenever
possible.
Why is language heritage important to a
country?
Language
identifies a culture’s ethnic identity; thus, the development, preservation,
and research of culture are linked to learning a nation’s language code.
Language is the way to represent the formation and expression of a nation’s
culture.
Language
is a vital factor in a nation’s development. It is the carrier of a country’s
intangible heritage, as it shows the nation’s ethno-cultural, mythological, and
psychological experiences and ideas.
Aside
from the currency, flag, name or geographical boundary, the national language
makes a country unique and respectable. Language is the indicator of the
country’s national identity and a part of a person’s heritage or a nation.
You can
only have a deeper access to a community if you can speak and understand its
language. A person has to be fluent in a language to understand the community’s
cultural aspects and nuances. When you are fluent in a country’s national
language, it makes it easier for the country’s citizens to accept you.
Maintaining
the languages of ethnic and cultural groups is critical for the preservation of
cultural heritage and identity. Using one’s mother-tongue at home makes it
easier for children to be comfortable with their own cultural identity
International
Mother Language Day is celebrated every year on February 21 since 1990, after
the declaration by the United Nations to recognize the sacrifices of people who
lost their life for the sake of their mother-tongue in Bangladesh. To every one
of us, mother language is one of the most precious gifts that we have in our
lives. Each and every language spoken throughout the globe represents a unique
and distinct cultural heritage, melodious songs, colorful environment, tasty
food and a healthy society to live in, where people express their feelings and
emotions without any hesitation.
The
beautiful sounds of which one hears, understand and gets familiar in the mother-tongue
since the very beginning, has an important role in shaping our feelings,
emotions and thought-processes. The concept of the mother-tongue is a
fascinating aspect of language that has transcended generations.
Mother
language has a very powerful impact in the early formation of an individual,
and maintaining the language equates with preserving a cultural and upholding
tradition. Language is how we not only communicate, but how we connect to the
growing world around us.
According
to Leanne Hinton, “More broadly, the loss of language is part of the loss of
whole cultures and knowledge systems, including philosophical systems, oral
literary and music traditions, environmental knowledge systems, medical
knowledge, and important cultural practices and artistic skills. The world
stands to lose an important part of the sum of human knowledge whenever a
language stops being used. Just as the human species is putting itself in
danger through the destruction of species diversity, so might we be in danger
from the destruction of the diversity of knowledge systems.”
Within
multilingual societies, maintaining the languages of ethnic and cultural groups
is critical for the preservation of cultural heritage and identity. Using one’s
mother-tongue at home will make it easier for children to be comfortable with
their own cultural identity. A language is more than just a means of
communication. It is a repository of a community’s collective history and
heritage. It also provides an identity and a focus that binds a community
together, which makes individual accomplishments easier.
Preservation of Mother Tongue
On the
importance of mother-tongue, Sanjeev Shekhar, an Indian-American living in St
Louis, Missouri, says: “It allows
children to know their roots and they will be able to pass it on to their
children, thus securing their culture for the future generations.”
One of
the most effective ways to preserve a language is to continue using it, whether
in written or spoken form. We can also buttress the preservation of mother
tongue by teaching with it in early education and also in our Secondary Schools
which will also enhance the ability of a child to assimilate learning fast.
It is a
way to raise awareness about the language in different areas. A civilization’s
foundation is language, which binds people together. It is alright to learn
other languages, but it is vital to use your national language whenever
possible. To preserve our linguistic and cultural diversity, we must encourage
the use of mother-tongue as much as possible. Therefore, familiarity with the
language is seen as the gateway into the culture because it provides the bridge
into understanding the culture by providing access to literature and poetry,
original historical texts, religious texts, philosophical works as well as
music and art. We should always practice, speak and teach our new generation to
speak and communicate with each other in their mother-tongue. We must not and
should not underestimate the power of language and work together to promote mutual
understanding and cooperation. We should take this opportunity to reaffirm our
respect for it as it is a way to raise awareness about the language in
different areas.
It is
quite disheartening seeing Nigerian parents of the same tongue and culture communicating
with their children in English instead of their native/mother tongue. This
anomaly has in no little way encouraged our young ones from shying away from
our rich and esteemed culture.
Language
and culture are so intertwined that one cannot survive without the other. Both
of them are sensitive and adopt to prevailing circumstances. Language gives
full expression to people’s values and norms. They are dynamic in nature.
Languages have to be fully associated with cultural transformations. It is impossible
for one to teach language without teaching culture. The impotence of the
indigenous language in the educational system of Nigeria is very important.
Although
our revised none year UBE curricula may have substantial cultural contents, the
English language has become irreplaceable in our national history and
development, our culture must be vigorously preserved and promoted by giving
due and appropriate attention to our indigenous language in our educational
curriculum and planning. The indigenization of English in Nigeria is major
process of bringing the relationship between language and culture to the fore.
Since the English language is our national language, Nigerian English has been
adopted to home use and made applicable to our numerous conveniences,
experiences and responsibilities.
In
conclusion, let us help each other and celebrate the great diversity of
languages and cultures throughout the globe and Nigeria in particular so that
we can keep our culture of “Inestimable Value” alive for posterity.
• Grace Tolu Dogara writes from National Museum, Minna
