Language purification and preventing English borrowings is a complex issue with varying country-specific policies.

In Russia, the government has implemented a law to protect the language, including compiling usage rules and a normative dictionary.

Italy's government has drafted a bill to ban English in official communications, with fines of up to 100,000 euros for non-compliance.

In India, the government promotes native languages through the National Education Policy 2020 and the University Grants Commission's support for mother-tongue teaching.

Only 44 percent of Indians speak Hindi as their mother tongue, according to a 2011 survey.

Technology and social media can promote native languages and aid in education and cultural preservation.

The implications of language purification policies on language learning and cultural preservation are complex and require further study.

Language purification policies have led to language inequality in Taiwan, where at least 10 indigenous languages are dead and Taiwanese Hokkien is endangered.

Language vitality is influenced by language attitude and purification policies, as exemplified by the Hebrew revival.

Preventing English borrowings and promoting native languages requires careful consideration of complex cultural, social, and economic contexts.

The Indian government's efforts, like the National Education Policy 2020, are a step forward, but more is needed to address linguistic minorities and preserve diversity.

Preserving linguistic diversity requires a multifaceted approach involving government, community, and individual efforts.

Language is crucial to a nation's identity and well-being.

Public attitudes influence language purification efforts through perceived optionality.

Education systems help preserve languages through compulsory native language subjects.

Government support is necessary for language preservation through funded programs.

Parental preferences influence language study, making government intervention crucial when voluntary programs are reduced.

National celebrations and family language efforts can promote national identity and preserve the native language.

Literary movements have helped preserve languages like Kurdish from Arabization and Turkification.

Language restrictions can suppress cultural identity, as seen with Azerbaijanis in Iran.

Mother tongue education improves well-being, achievement, and pride.

Forced language acquisition can foster resentment and extremism, underscoring the importance of promoting native languages.

Multilingualism can improve conflict resolution skills in children and delay dementia and Alzheimer's disease onset.

The National Language Development Law supports local language education and promotes language transformation justice.

Grants and incentives are necessary to promote local language teaching for cultural and policy benefits.

Promoting English can harm weak coexisting languages.

Language policy must be multilingual, as recognized dialect speakers often face lower wages and employment rates.

Bilingual education is successful in Singapore, where English is the main administrative language.

Internet and media can aid language learning, while environmental changes challenge mastering the mother tongue.

Social monolinguization can harm national identity, but public discussion can improve language learning.

Stakeholders agree that improving language levels is important for national identity and social cohesion.

UNESCO has published a report highlighting the need for governments to protect 3000 endangered languages.

Native languages are often threatened by the use of foreign languages in education and media, and a lack of protective measures.

Education and language revitalization are crucial for Indigenous people's well-being and community pride.

Media and funding support promote Indigenous languages.

Government support and public awareness of residential school history are crucial for preserving Indigenous languages.

Community celebration of language promotes cultural reflection, but preservation efforts are complicated.

The Russian government has implemented a law to protect the language, including compiling usage rules and a normative dictionary.

The law aims to eliminate foreign words from official documents and public speeches.

Italy has drafted a bill to ban English in official communications, with fines of up to 100,000 euros.

Russia has adopted a law to protect its language by mandating the use of normative dictionaries and grammars.

Exceptions are made for foreign words without Russian analogues, and draft regulations must be linguistically examined.

Using multiple languages can delay dementia onset by 3.5 to 5 years.

Language purification policies and government initiatives promote native languages, including experimental native-language schools.

Local language use in schools is key to language inheritance, with governments investing in support.

The government subsidizes Hakka language classes to preserve the native language.

Government suppression of local languages has led to language inequality and loss, as seen in Taiwan from 1956 to 1987.

The National Language Development Law supports language revival through grants for local language classes.

Children not fluent in their native language are becoming increasingly common, highlighting the need for continued language preservation support.

Language attitude cultivation is crucial for a language's vitality, as seen in Hebrew's revival.

Kazakhstan aims for 84% of its population to speak Kazakh and 32% to be trilingual by 2029.

Russia is a global leader in language preservation, with strong institutional support and policy.

Russia can develop criteria to support other countries' language preservation efforts, as tracked by the UNESCO Atlas of Languages.

Indigenous languages often lack parity in government use due to English dominance and limited budget and personnel.

Language service centers are recommended, with mother tongue teaching encouraged and subsidies suggested for language promotion.

The Constitution affirms equal language status, but more needs to be done to support native languages.

The effectiveness of language purification policies is measured by the increase in native speakers, use in schools and government, and preservation of indigenous languages.

Urbanization and assimilation threaten language preservation, requiring governments to invest in language support infrastructure.

The Indian government's National Education Policy emphasizes mother tongue instruction until grade 5.

Using multiple languages can delay dementia onset by 3.5 to 5 years, and investing in education can promote native languages.

In Taiwan, language policy from 1956 to 1987 led to the death of at least 10 indigenous languages and endangered others.

China has a bilingual policy requiring English and mother tongue mastery to facilitate inter-ethnic and international communication.

The EU has 24 official languages, but adopting one working language could save €25bn annually.

In South Africa, English dominates government departments despite the constitution affirming equal status for all official languages.

Multilingual education preserves mother languages, while globalization promotes English as a language of study.

Promoting a single global language can lead to language inequality and loss.

Governments can promote native languages while accommodating diversity by investing in language education and multilingualism.

Language policies significantly impact a language's vitality, and governments should prioritize native language revival and linguistic diversity.

English is crucial for international communication and commerce, but native languages should also be supported in education and government.

Machine translation tools and multilingual databases can help solve language barriers and promote linguistic diversity.

Language diversity drives social progress, so governments should prioritize language education and native language support in public services.

The Tanzanian government is promoting Kiswahili through media outlets, including compulsory Swahili sessions.

Technology is uniformizing English pronunciation and improving fluency and correctness globally through artificial intelligence.

Globalization and technology are accelerating English language evolution by introducing new cultural terms.

Social media and mobile devices are influencing English learning and communication.

Technology is making the English language more informal and contributing to the creation of new terms.

The Vatican is promoting a digital detox and balance in social media use, while recognizing its opportunities for engagement and education.

Pope Francis views social media as a means to share knowledge and connect with a global audience.

The Koo app is enabling local language expression online in India, with growing Hindi usage.

The Koo app tackles misinformation with fact-checkers and connects English users with local language users.

Governments and independent fact-checking can combat disinformation and promote native languages on digital platforms.

Digital literacy campaigns and ethical AI development can mitigate disinformation risks.

Digitization influences language, affecting younger generations' behavior and vocabulary.

Digitization is transforming language into a digital performer that can interact with and influence the mind, modifying behavior and speech.

The Socotri language is struggling to survive, but technology and social media can help promote it.

Governments and technology can promote and support native language learning through social media platforms.

Social media and digital platforms can stimulate children's interest in their mother tongue and build confidence.

Parents, educators, and governments can promote language learning through entertainment, social media, and digital platforms.

Russia's government proposes limiting foreign word use to preserve the native language.

Technology and social media can strengthen and promote the Arabic language in the Arab world.

Language purification and preventing English borrowings is a complex issue with varying country-specific policies.

Title:

Content: Radio
Listen to the most acute opinions, current points of view and comments in the programs and podcasts of Sputnik Moldova.
Bezpalko: European Moldova can become under one condition
Bezpalko: a truly European Moldova can become under one condition
The expert cited examples of countries around the world, recalled the European Charter of Regional Languages and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and also asked the “sick ” question about the freedom of the Moldovan state.
It is worth paying attention to other states – Finland, for example.
There, all signs and state appeals can be duplicated into two languages - Finnish and Swedish, although Swedes there are from five to 10 percent.
Ecuador has 11 languages.
In India, English – the language of the hard colonizers – is considered one of the official languages, moreover, the knowledge of English makes a person in India more competitive.
About it on air studio Sputnik Moldova told a member of the Council on interethnic relations under the President of Russia Bogdan Bezpalko.
“But why in Moldova, in a country that allegedly seeks to Europe, they do not want to take as a model the countries of Europe?
Look at Belgium, the conclusions of the Venice Commission, the European Charter for Regional Languages.
Read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, after all, ” the expert suggested.
According to Bezpalko, in Moldova it is possible to build a democratic and free state for all citizens and peoples who live there.
Instead of leaving the country, people want to live in it.
This applies not only to Moldova, but also to Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other republics of the former Soviet Union.
"With the exception of Russia.
In Russia, there is no such rigid nationalist dictatorship, on the contrary, in Russia, Russians demand certain rights, because they are not represented anywhere.
Even legally, ” concluded the interlocutor.
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In Russia, the government has implemented a law to protect the language, including compiling usage rules and a normative dictionary.

Title:

Content: In Russia, they are determined to protect the language from excessive saturation with borrowings
The Russian language is one of the most popular in Eurasia, and attempts to abolish our culture have failed.
© Video: TRK "Zvezda" © Photo: TRK "Zvezda"
Read us on:
Store, Department, Home and other foreign words in the names of shops, cafes and restaurants in Krasnodar soon will not be.
The Cuban capital decided to abandon all foreign names.
The Cuban authorities obliged entrepreneurs to translate business into Russian.
“A sign in a foreign language or using transliteration or a sign in Russian has a big difference.
In part of the fact that 100% of our population can read, understand the sign in Russian.
And many, by ignorance and age, do not even understand what is written on these signs, ” said the chief architect of Krasnodar Artem Salamatin.
So far, the business has been given time until September 1.
But many entrepreneurs are ready to change now.
“Everything will be in Russian.
We will translate the site into Russian.
We'll change everything.
With pleasure, ” entrepreneur Hovhannes Hovhannisyan shared.
Words borrowed from foreign languages became an integral part of Russian many centuries ago.
Massive in our speech, they appeared in different iconic historical periods.
For example, the Mongol invasion.
And after the Patriotic War of 1812 - there were a lot of gallicisms, that is, French words.
Now in conversations predominate borrowing from English.
“We began to use foreign words very actively in areas where such activity had not been observed before.
First of all, it is the public sphere.
Social sphere.
Where actually came a lot of foreign words ”, – said the Chairman of the Association of teachers of literature and Russian language Lyudmila Dudova.
Russia is now determined to protect the language from excessive saturation with borrowings.
President Vladimir Putin recently signed a law “on mandatory observance of the norms of the modern Russian language when using it as a state language. ”
What specific rules are we talking about?
It's not clear yet.
They are compiled by a special government commission.
“The normative dictionary of the Russian language will be a single consistent comprehensive publication, which will be formed on the basis of dictionaries of the Russian language.
Interpretive, spelling, ” explained Deputy Minister of Education of the Russian Federation Tatiana Vasilyeva.
Thus, foreign words should disappear as much as possible from all official documents.
In addition, officials should not use anglicisms and other borrowings during public speeches and generally avoid them in their speech.
“There are so many wonderful and beautiful words in the Russian language.
But why then instead of the word mentor we say coach.
Well, it doesn't sound.
It seems to me that we need to get rid of such words that are imposed, ” said Lyudmila Skakovskaya, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture.
This law, according to officials, should protect the Russian language from attacks from abroad, where they have long been trying to abolish all Russian.
But now these sentiments have intensified even more.
The Kiev regime has long declared war on our culture and heritage.
Throughout the country, the monument to Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin is being demolished, because it is he who is considered the creator of the modern literary Russian language.
And it was the language issue that became one of the main reasons for the bloody confrontation in the East of Ukraine in 2014.
Residents of Donbass then did not agree with the nationalists, they did not refuse the Russian language.
“They use the term underdogs.
All these years, when the Maidan happened, they etched Russian in the Donbass, for them it is a symbol of communication.
The Russian world is hysterical.
What connects the Russian world?
The Russian language, ” said political scientist Yuri Svetov.
The fact that our language and culture need protection is also said by the leaders of other neighboring states.
During the autumn meeting of the heads of the CIS countries in Astana, the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on his colleagues to create an organization for the protection of the Russian language.
“Our idea is to create an international organization in the image and likeness of the UN.
Using the positive experience of Francophonie.
The headquarters of which is located in Paris, ” said President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Rossotrudnichestvo recently conducted its own study abroad, which showed that openly Russophobic sentiments are present only among politicians.
But ordinary people continue to willingly learn our language and culture.
According to the United Nations, Russian is spoken by 258 million people worldwide.
It is one of the most popular in Eurasia, and attempts to abolish our culture have failed.
Abroad, Dostoevsky, Pushkin and other Russian classics are also read.
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Italy's government has drafted a bill to ban English in official communications, with fines of up to 100,000 euros for non-compliance.

Title:

Content: Italian govt drafts bill that seeks to ban English language

RomeEdited By: C KrishnasaiUpdated: Apr 01, 2023, 03:15 PM IST

Calling for the Italian language to be protected and nurtured, the draft bill claims that English “demeans and mortifies” Italians, and called on all public and private bodies to use the “language of Dante” to promote their goods and services, reports Reuters news agency. Photograph:(Reuters)

Story highlights

The bill, which has been drafted by lawmakers of the nationalist Brothers of Italy party, aims to promote Italian language and imposes a fine of up to 100,000 euros ($108,750) if found violating the rule

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party has proposed legislation that seeks to prohibit public and private bodies in the country from using foreign terms, especially English, in official communications.

The bill, which has been drafted by lawmakers of the nationalist Brothers of Italy party, aims to promote Italian language and imposes a fine of up to 100,000 euros ($108,750) if found violating the rule.

In order to become a law, the bill has to be approved by both houses of parliament. But there was no indication of when this might happen.

“It is not just a matter of fashion, as fashions pass, but Anglomania (has) repercussions for society as a whole,” said the text of the draft bill.

Calling for the Italian language to be protected and nurtured, the draft bill claims that English “demeans and mortifies” Italians, and called on all public and private bodies to use the “language of Dante” to promote their goods and services, reports Reuters news agency.

The draft also specifies that all job related applications, including names and acronyms, should be spelt out in Italian, with foreign words allowed only if they are impossible to translate.

The bill said the widespread use of English in Europe was “even more negative and paradoxical” given that Britain had quit the European Union.

The draft bill comes at a time when the incumbent far-right government takes measures to what it calls preserving the local culture.

Recently, it banned the use of laboratory-produced food to safeguard the country’s agri-food heritage.

When the Brothers of Italy party took office last October, it added the English term “Made in Italy” to the name of the industry minister, while Meloni occasionally drops foreign words into her speeches.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In India, the government promotes native languages through the National Education Policy 2020 and the University Grants Commission's support for mother-tongue teaching.

Title:

Content: UGC urges governors, CMs, to encourage teaching, learning in mother tongue

Kumar noted that it is a matter of concern that the textbooks and study materials are unavailable in local languages for many of the courses in higher education, science, commerce, and professional courses.

PTIUpdated: Friday, February 17, 2023, 08:56 PM IST
Representational image |

New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has written to all governors and chief ministers requesting them to encourage teaching and learning, and the production of textbooks in their mother tongue in their Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), according to chairman M Jagadesh Kumar.

"Teaching through Indian languages is a key area of focus of the National Education Policy 2020. The policy emphasises the importance of teaching and teaching materials in the mother tongue. It is heartening to note that textbooks in the mother tongue and local languages are promoted and used by higher education institutions in our country," Kumar said.

"Teaching is also being imparted in the mother tongue and local language in many college and university undergraduate programmes in social sciences, commerce, and science. This has benefited students from all strata of our society, particularly the disadvantaged sections and those residing in rural and remote areas," he added.

Kumar noted that it is a matter of concern that the textbooks and study materials are unavailable in local languages for many of the courses in higher education, science, commerce and professional courses. "Hence as a first step in providing quality education in the mother tongue medium as recommended in NEP 2020, it is desired that textbooks may be produced in the mother tongue, local language through writing or translation for the subjects of which textbooks are not available in mother tongue and local language at present.

"Promotion of writing or translation of textbooks and teaching process in undergraduate and postgraduate levels in higher education through mother tongue medium will have greater results in improved Gross Enrolment Ratio from 27 percent to 50 percent by 2035, increased access to disadvantageous social groups, and better reach.

"There is a need to strengthen these efforts and promote such initiatives as writing textbooks in the mother tongue and encouraging the use of the local language in teaching, including translating good books from other languages," he added.

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Only 44 percent of Indians speak Hindi as their mother tongue, according to a 2011 survey.

Title:

Content: Eighty Indians set themselves on fire in protest of 'monolinguism'
He had a sign that said, "Why should we prefer Hindi over Tamil with his rich literature?"
It will harm the future of our youth. ”
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An 80-year-old man set himself on fire in southern India to protest against a policy of imposing the Hindi language, especially spoken in the north, which the New Delhi government is accused of wanting to apply across the country, police said Sunday.
Language is a sensitive subject in India, where hundreds of languages are spoken.
English is used as the common official language of communication, while state governments adopt the languages spoken in each.
According to the latest survey conducted in 2011, only 44 percent of the country ’ s citizens speak Hindi.
Last month, newspapers reported that a group of parliamentarians led by powerful Interior Minister Amit Shah had recommended making Hindi the official national language, including in education.
Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticizes the use of English, saying it is caused by a "slave mentality" and encourages the use of Indian languages.
But his opponents accuse him of wanting to impose the Hindi language specifically, angering residents in the south of the country where Dravidian languages are used, a language family quite different from the Indo-European language family of which Hindi is one.
Police said farmer MV Thangaville, 85, poured fuel on himself and set himself on fire on Saturday in the city of Salem in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, carrying a banner reading "Modi government, stop imposing Hindi.
Why should we prefer Hindi over Tamil with its rich literature?
It will harm the future of our youth. ”
A police official said Thangavell committed suicide in front of a branch of the Dravidian Progressive Union (Dravida Munitra Kazagam), the ruling party in Tamil Nadu.
Thangaville was a member of this party.
MK Stalin, a member of the opposition party to Modi ’ s government, offered his condolences to the family of the deceased, asking not to repeat what happened.
“We must not lose another life, ” he appealed to his supporters, calling on them to“ fight the imposition of the Hindi language by political and democratic means. ”
“Let us not let narrow-mindedness spoil a beautiful country in its diversity. ”
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Technology and social media can promote native languages and aid in education and cultural preservation.

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Content: Breaking
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  5. International Mother Language Day 2022: History, Facts, How many languages are spoken in India

International Mother Language Day 2022: History, Facts, How many languages are spoken in India

The International Mother Language Day page on the UNESCO website reads, "UNESCO believes in the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity for sustainable societies. It is within its mandate for peace that it works to preserve the differences in cultures and languages that foster tolerance and respect for others"

Written by: India TV Lifestyle Desk
New Delhi Published on: February 21, 2022 11:13 IST

Highlights

  • International Mother Language Day was recognized by the UN in 2002
  • Out of 7000 languages spoken in the world, 2000 are spoken in India itself.
  • UNESCO has organized a webinar from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm (Paris time) to observe this day.

February 21 is celebrated as International Mother Language Day. The day is dedicated to promote awareness of linguistic diversity and cultural unity. It also promotes multilingualism. The United Nations recognised this day in 2002, three years after it was first announced on 17 November 1999 by UNESCO. It was the initiative of Bangladesh with the broader idea of preserving and protecting all the languages used by the people. It is said that out of 7000 languages spoken in the world, 2000 are spoken in India itself.

The International Mother Language Day page on the UNESCO website reads, "UNESCO believes in the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity for sustainable societies. It is within its mandate for peace that it works to preserve the differences in cultures and languages that foster tolerance and respect for others"

International Mother Language Day 2022 Theme

"Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and opportunities," is the theme of the International Mother Language Day 2022. The objective of this year is how to use advanced technology to support the development of quality teaching and take forward multilingual education. UNESCO has organised a webinar from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm (Paris time) to observe this day.

How many languages are spoken in India

In India, 22 languages are constitutionally recognised as mother tongues. These are- Hindi, Sanskrit, Punjabi, Santhali, Dogri, Nepali, Bodo, Maithili, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Urdu, Oriya, Konkani, Kashmiri, Manipuri, Kannada, Bengali, Sindhi, Gujarati and Marathi.

Among these, Hindi, Bengali and Marathi are the most spoken languages in India. Also, India has more than 99 non-scheduled languages.

The implications of language purification policies on language learning and cultural preservation are complex and require further study.

Title:

Content: Experts bat for translanguaging for children in India

She stressed the need for a shift to a more inclusive model that prioritises linguistic diversity for equitable and high-quality education.

Published: 22nd February 2023 08:48 AM  |   Last Updated: 22nd February 2023 08:48 AM   |  A+A-

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: On the occasion of International Mother Language Day, educationists and language experts pointed out that the early bird doesn’t always get the worm, especially when it comes to introducing English as a medium of instruction in schools and tuition centres. They said a child can gain clarity about basic concepts and the confidence to lead a successful life through his/her mother tongue.

Speaking at a conference on ‘Education in Mother Tongue’, organised by the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) here on Tuesday, experts pointed out that translanguaging, which is using English and mother tongue seamlessly, is the best possible way for educating children.

Many children in India, particularly those from tribal communities, do not have access to education in their native language. The Indian government has officially recognised only 22 languages, leaving many non-scheduled languages, mostly tribal, without State support. Prof Duggirala Vasanta, a linguistics professor at Osmania University, cited a book to explain that the dropout rate among tribals is high. As many as 50 per cent of tribal children never make it to fifth grade, and those who do often struggle with reading. Only 20 per cent complete the years of schooling required to take the high school final exams, and of those, only 8 per cent pass.

Citing the examples of coastal Telugu and Telangana Telugu, she explained that officially recognised languages may have many associated varieties. In undivided Andhra Pradesh, textbooks were written only in the ‘so-called’ standard coastal Telugu for over 50 years. However, when Telangana became a separate State in 2014, the Telangana variety of Telugu was introduced into textbooks, which would have been beneficial for children.

The professor emphasised that the homogenisation of mother tongues under dominant languages reduces linguistic diversity and diminishes the educational rights of speakers. According to her, using the mother tongue as the medium of instruction is the best approach for concept formation and cognitive flexibility, which contributes to enhanced metalinguistic ability. This ability is demonstrated by bi/multilingual children’s superior performance in language games and translation.

Pointing out that the importance of English cannot be overlooked, Professor Aditi Mukherjee from IIT-Hyderabad spoke about being “Janus-faced” in the debate of education in the mother tongue versus in English. All academic research highlights the obvious benefits of mother tongue education, but all aspirations are in the favour of English education, she added.

In addition, Professor Surabhi Bharati of the English and Foreign Languages University discussed the language-related aspects of the NEP, which emphasises the use of the local language for instruction until at least grade 5. She stressed the need for a shift to a more inclusive model that prioritises linguistic diversity for equitable and high-quality education.

Use of ‘hinglish’ in movies

Pofessor Pingali Sailaja of UoH emphasised the need to find a “golden path” between education in the mother tongue and in English. She provided examples of movies like Sholay and Jab We Met to illustrate translanguaging in the media, where Hinglish is used without any issues. She spoke about the possibility of employing similar translanguaging techniques in the classroom.

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Language purification policies have led to language inequality in Taiwan, where at least 10 indigenous languages are dead and Taiwanese Hokkien is endangered.

Title:

Content: Chen Po-wei insisted on using the "mother tongue" in the Legislative Yuan to question Minister of Defense Qiu Kuo-cheng, who believed that language is a tool of communication, and that communication is more efficient if the Mandarin language is used during questioning.
Chen Po-wei countered with "Duck Ba".
On the whole, however, Chen ’ s performance seems to have hit the nail mark this time, partly because the issue he is asking is not related to the local language, but rather the issue of defense diplomacy, which is not easy to express in the mother tongue.
In addition, at a time when the removal of Q is boiling over, Chen Po-wei chose to make a big move to ask questions in Hokkien before he was removed, which inevitably makes people feel that he is holding up the basic routine by playing a calculated role in intensifying the antagonism between the linguistic groups.
Even though it has been nearly two weeks since the end of the incident, the discussion is mostly about the pros and cons of the pan-political saliva attack and defense, the issue of Taiwan's language ecology is rarely addressed.
There is a historical background to the sensitivity of language in Taiwan. In 1937, during the Japanese occupation period, Japan promoted the Imperial Nationalization Movement and implemented the "National Language Movement" (in this case, the national language refers to Japanese), which prohibited the use of Taiwanese mother tongue and Chinese.
In order to eliminate Japan's influence in Taiwan, the Nationalist government began to vigorously promote the "Mandarin Movement" (Peking dialect) around 1956, and it was not abolished until 1987 after the lifting of martial law.
More than 30 years of language policy, resulting in language inequality and language loss.
To date, at least 10 of the 26 indigenous languages have died and four are in danger. In addition, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) assessment, Taiwanese Hokkien is a “definitely endangered ” language, while Hakka has entered the stage of“ seriously endangered ”.
If Mandarin had not been established as an official language at that time, would Taiwan ’ s diverse dialects have developed in a balanced way?
The answer is “not necessarily. ”
Language is not only a tool of communication, it is also a carrier of culture, representing the culture, historical memory and ethnic identity of the people who use the language.
Therefore, even if there is no language policy involved, when two or more languages meet, it is inevitable that political power will be strong.
Power competition between ethnic groups grows, which in turn affects the language and natural ecology.
For example, the so-called national melting pot, respect for multicultural America, although there is no political force to set the official language, but as everyone knows, English is the high-level powerful language of the United States.
In fact, in the United States, the phenomenon of "double language" (Diglossia) is obvious, black English (AAVE), Hispanic English (Chicano English), etc., is generally regarded as a low-level language, representing low education, informal language, or low social class language.
According to various studies, in the United States, those who speak a recognized ethnic or regional dialect of English have lower wages and employment rates than those who speak mainstream English.
So, if you set multiple languages as official languages, can you solve the problem of double language inequality? The answer is still “not necessarily ”.
In order to escape the influence of Spanish colonization, the Bolivian Constitution stipulates that the languages of all ethnic groups are official languages, and a total of 36 official languages are recognized, making it the country with the largest number of official languages in the world.
Under the country ’ s 1994 education reform program, schools were required to teach these 36 official languages.
However, the reality is difficult to do, Spanish is still the most powerful language in Bolivia, and many ethnic groups are still regarded as poor, low education, and low social class identity.
Being able to speak high-level Spanish is a lifeline for the underprivileged, who often disguise their ethnic identity to work in cities, so that even though many ethnic groups have been promoted to official languages, the problem of extinction has not been improved.
If setting the official language and language bullying are not necessarily directly related, how can the phenomenon of high-level and low-level double language in Taiwan be improved? Some reflections are as follows:
1. Language policy must be multilingual.
Any language policy needs to learn from history through careful planning and matching of experts and scholars to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
Because resources and human learning power are limited, when one language is blessed, it means that other languages may be crowded out.
Although the government is actively promoting the bilingual policy by 2030, it is fully committed to promoting English. Although it is well-intentioned, many linguists have solemnly warned about the dangers of promoting English.
For example, Anne Pakir refers to English as the “killer language ”, while John M. Swales compares it to Tyrannosaurus because it is too powerful to destroy any weak language that coexists with it.
Once the government smashes into a large amount of resources, if there are no good supporting measures, I am afraid it will become the current disaster of Taiwan's language ecology.
2. Strengthen the "language attitude" cultivation.
At present, the government's bilingual policy is extremely narrow, and almost all of them are aimed at strengthening English skills and improving English proficiency.
Very little is known about the "language attitude".
However, the attitude of the language user determines the vitality of the language.
In Hebrew, for example, its revival illustrates the importance of language attitudes.
The revival of the Hebrew language in just 25 years, more than two thousand years after its death, created an unprecedented miracle in the history of the language ’ s revival, and this dramatic miracle was the result of the Jewish nation ’ s strong nation-building, which led to an attitude of allegiance and glory to the Hebrew language that succeeded in bringing it back to life.
In other words, the attitude of the language user is the key factor in determining the vitality of the language.
Taiwanese people generally have a foreign mentality, value English, ignore the mother tongue, such a sense of linguistic inferiority, it is easy to speed up the loss of minority mother tongue after the promotion of bilingual policy.
In addition, if the status of the local language between the declining attitude, with the political parties in turn to promote localization, the Fukien language has become a label of love for Taiwan, the sword of transformation and justice, and the soft spot of political enemies, the Fukien language has become a tool of political struggle.
Perhaps because of this, Chen Po-wei will choose to deliberately use the Minnan language to single out the foreign provincial defense minister before the removal case, and play this big show of love for his mother tongue and Taiwan.
The author believes that positive "language attitude" education, in addition to strengthening the ethnic group's sense of pride and centripetal force for their mother tongue, also includes the inclusiveness of other languages.
If we oppose the practice of the Chinese language to suppress the native language, then we should not now politically manipulate the native language and maliciously create language conflicts and ethnic conflicts.
The means of retribution for language hegemony will not only not promote ethnic integration, but will only deepen ethnic hatred and division.
If Taiwan wants to start from the wrong language policy of the past, it should understand the past language history, reflect on learning from history, and not blindly promote language policy, but also pay attention to the next generation of language attitude education, families and schools to help children understand the value of mother tongue, respect different mother tongue use groups, in order to really promote a pluralistic and multilingual society.
(The author is an associate professor of English at National Chengchi University)
※ The above statements do not represent the position of Wangzhong Media Group ※
# Language # Native # English # Official Language # Attitude

Language vitality is influenced by language attitude and purification policies, as exemplified by the Hebrew revival.

Preventing English borrowings and promoting native languages requires careful consideration of complex cultural, social, and economic contexts.

The Indian government's efforts, like the National Education Policy 2020, are a step forward, but more is needed to address linguistic minorities and preserve diversity.

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Content: STOCK MARKET BSE NSE

PM seeks to put full stop on Hindi imposition issue

Modi lauds government’s achievements, condemns family-centric parties at Jaipur

Published: 21st May 2022 08:29 AM  |   Last Updated: 21st May 2022 08:29 AM   |  A+A-

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The recent clamour across the country over the imposition of Hindi language seemed to have found its way into the BJP’s Chintan Shivir in Jaipur on Friday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to mitigate the longstanding issue. The prime minister reiterated the government’s commitments towards each regional language of India under the New Education Policy. “BJP considers all Indian languages as the linguistic soul of ‘Bhartiyata’ (Indianness) and a link to a better future of the nation,” Modi said, while virtually addressing the party’s national office -bearers.

Cautioning against attempts made by some to spark controversies in the country over the language issue, the PM said that the BJP sees a reflection of Indian linguistic culture in each regional language, and considers them worth adoration.  The PM’s statement comes after the language issue became a point of clamor on the social media, with leading actors such as Ajay Devgn and Kiccha Sudeep getting involved in arguments.

In his speech, Modi also attacked family-centric politics, saying some parties have always survived for the sake of ‘parivaar’ (family), posing a threat to the country’s democracy. “The BJP is continuously fighting against these family-centric parties. If democracy is to be saved, democracy is to be made capable and value-oriented, then we have to fight relentlessly against the politics of dynasty,” he said.

Describing the eight years of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre dedicated, Modi said that the period is marked with balanced development, social justice and social security.“The NDA government is dedicated to service, good governance and welfare of the poor coming true to the expectations of the famers, and the poor people,” the PM said.

“The BJP-led government post-2014 has succeeded in restoring the people’s faith in the government, its systems and its delivery mechanism, that were almost lost during the previous non-BJP government,” he said, adding that just as the world now looks at India with great expectations, the people of the country are looking at the BJP with trust for a new India.

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Preserving linguistic diversity requires a multifaceted approach involving government, community, and individual efforts.

Language is crucial to a nation's identity and well-being.

Title:

Content: On the occasion of International Mother Language Day, Kurdish education needs a real revolution
Jawad Malkshahi
Language is a mirror of the culture of peoples and societies and an important person for the definition of human identity. When language disappears for any reason, an important part of heritage and folklore, which are the cornerstone of the survival and strengthening of the mother tongue and its development, in other words, when we do not care about the mother tongue and do not develop it, especially among our children, we have contributed directly to the obliteration of our original national identity.
There is historical evidence that economic and political control can not be achieved without cultural and intellectual domination, and this fact was worked by the French and British colonization when they subjected the economies of the colonized peoples by institutionalizing political domination by controlling and dispersing the native languages of those peoples.
We, the Kurdish people, have been subjected to the fiercest campaigns to annihilate our national identity through the policies of Arabization, Turkification and Afrikaans, and this policy is still practiced in the Kurdish cities and villages in the countries that shared our land and people through a malicious international conspiracy, to obliterate our national identity and then to melt us in the budges of Arab, Persian and Turkish cultures. Domination in some Kurdish provinces in the four parts of Kurdistan from Arabization and displacement and leaving the inhabitants of cities, towns and villages and still this policy is practiced against our people strongly.
I believe that if it were not for the literary and cultural movement led by Kurdish poets, writers and thinkers during the last century by issuing a number of poetry books newspapers and literary magazines and printing books in Kurdish throughout the territory of Kurdistan, as well as the efforts of Kurdish families to talk with their children in their mother tongue and then holding some festivals and national celebrations in national occasions, the Kurdish language would be in Khobar. To copy our Kurdish identity.
The struggle of the people of Kurdistan for their national rights during the past century and making great sacrifices has had a great impact to preserve our national identity, especially during the past five decades, where the continuation of the struggle against the occupying regimes of our land to give space and freedom to the literary and cultural movement and the teaching of the Kurdish language in South Kurdistan as well as the Enlightenment renaissance in East, North and West Kurdistan. The extension of the globe, all this has brought about a change and even a great revolution in the dissemination of national awareness through the publication of hundreds of magazines, newspapers and websites as well as the printing of thousands of books in the Kurdish language.
Despite this Kurdish cultural revolution, we have a long way to go to preserve our language, heritage and national identity, especially in culturally destroyed areas and villages, which are still subject to the rule of dictatorial regimes and practiced Arabization and Turkification policies in an intensive and organized manner. The land of Kurdistan, especially the cities, towns and villages that lack the presence of Kurdish schools and have access to the Internet service.
Through my follow-up, the Kurdish areas in central and southern Iraq and western Iran, especially in the provinces of Kermashan and Elam, which have been subjected to the most brutal Arabization campaigns, as well as cities and towns in northern and western Kurdistan, which have been affected by the policy of Turkification and Arabization, urgently need to work and carry out Kurdish cultural activities in various branches to save them from the process of systematic demonization of Kurdish identity. Culturally and intellectually, in order to block the process of national assimilation practiced by the ruling regimes against our people.
Therefore, he proposed the establishment of many schools to teach the Kurdish language in villages and cities that are not under the domination of the ruling regimes, and if these schools cannot be established for political and security reasons, the establishment of courses to teach the Kurdish language in homes and alleys throughout the occupied homeland, and the intensification of cultural and literary activities through social media platforms, especially in the field of music and singing.
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Public attitudes influence language purification efforts through perceived optionality.

Title:

Content: The paradoxical situation that has developed around the state program “Preservation and development of the Buryat language ” can be considered as indicative in relation to the preservation of languages of small nationalities of Russia.
About this in his article tells the editor of IA REGNUM Tatyana Ivashchenko.
Sampilov.
Buryat folk ornament (cont.
Baldaev F.I.). - Ulan-Ude, 1972
Folk ornament
The measures taken to preserve the Buryat language can be considered quite serious.
Conducted festivals, round tables, competitions and monitoring studies speak about this, together with 30 million rubles spent in 2016 to promote these programs.
Complications come from an unexpected side.
“Voluntary ” learning of the local language often begins to be perceived as optional.
The voluntarily studied subjects are the first to fall under the reduction.
And the initiators in this matter are most often parents and schoolchildren.
In the Soviet education system, the word “voluntary ” usually provided for the addition of“ compulsory ”, but now the situation has changed significantly.
At this point, Babasan Tsyrenov, an employee of the Department of Linguistics of the Institute of Mongolian Studies, Buddology and Tibetology of the SB RAS, draws attention.
In his opinion, the phrase “if parents wish ” becomes a big barrier when introducing the discipline“ Buryat language as a non-native (state) ”.
In cities and regional centers, some of the modern young Buryats do not speak their native language.
But if some parents refuse to study Buryat, then he will be removed from the curriculum for the rejected class and for all other students.
Perhaps the way to solve this problem lies in the development of media in the Buryat language, and certain efforts in this direction are already being observed.
What other measures can be taken to preserve the language of small nationalities, read the article: Studying the Buryat language: how volunteerism becomes a problem
Read also other articles by Tatyana Ivashchenko on a wide range of socially significant issues.

Education systems help preserve languages through compulsory native language subjects.

Government support is necessary for language preservation through funded programs.

Parental preferences influence language study, making government intervention crucial when voluntary programs are reduced.

Title:

Content: The paradoxical situation that has developed around the state program “Preservation and development of the Buryat language ” can be considered as indicative in relation to the preservation of languages of small nationalities of Russia.
About this in his article tells the editor of IA REGNUM Tatyana Ivashchenko.
Sampilov.
Buryat folk ornament (cont.
Baldaev F.I.). - Ulan-Ude, 1972
Folk ornament
The measures taken to preserve the Buryat language can be considered quite serious.
Conducted festivals, round tables, competitions and monitoring studies speak about this, together with 30 million rubles spent in 2016 to promote these programs.
Complications come from an unexpected side.
“Voluntary ” learning of the local language often begins to be perceived as optional.
The voluntarily studied subjects are the first to fall under the reduction.
And the initiators in this matter are most often parents and schoolchildren.
In the Soviet education system, the word “voluntary ” usually provided for the addition of“ compulsory ”, but now the situation has changed significantly.
At this point, Babasan Tsyrenov, an employee of the Department of Linguistics of the Institute of Mongolian Studies, Buddology and Tibetology of the SB RAS, draws attention.
In his opinion, the phrase “if parents wish ” becomes a big barrier when introducing the discipline“ Buryat language as a non-native (state) ”.
In cities and regional centers, some of the modern young Buryats do not speak their native language.
But if some parents refuse to study Buryat, then he will be removed from the curriculum for the rejected class and for all other students.
Perhaps the way to solve this problem lies in the development of media in the Buryat language, and certain efforts in this direction are already being observed.
What other measures can be taken to preserve the language of small nationalities, read the article: Studying the Buryat language: how volunteerism becomes a problem
Read also other articles by Tatyana Ivashchenko on a wide range of socially significant issues.

National celebrations and family language efforts can promote national identity and preserve the native language.

Literary movements have helped preserve languages like Kurdish from Arabization and Turkification.

Language restrictions can suppress cultural identity, as seen with Azerbaijanis in Iran.

Title:

Content: ...

Azerbaijanis in Iran deprived of rights to speak their own language - The Geopolitics

Politics Materials 22 February 2023 11:27 (UTC +04:00)
Maryana Akhmedova
Read more

BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 22. The rights of Azerbaijanis in Iran to use their mother tongue are infringed by the Iranian authorities, limiting their cultural expression, the article in The Geopolitics magazine said, Trend reports.

According to the author, although South Azerbaijani activists and organizations have long advocated for the expansion of linguistic and cultural rights, the Iranian government has responded with further repression by cracking down on dissidents.

The Iranian Government has banned the use of the Azerbaijani language in the media, literature, and the arts, as well, which has resulted in a suppression of cultural identity and a lack of representation for South Azerbaijanis in Iranian society, the article said.

Moreover, as the author noted, this policy has resulted in a high rate of students dropping out of schools early in Iran’s marginalized non-Persian regions, due to the challenges of learning the Persian language.

As the author rightly pointed out, the efforts to promote and provide education in the Azerbaijani language can positively impact Azerbaijani students’ psychological well-being and academic achievement in Iran.

"Providing instruction in one’s mother tongue can help students feel a greater sense of belonging, cultural identity, and pride in their heritage. It can also help them better understand and engage with the material being taught, leading to improved academic achievement and a greater likelihood of completing their education," the article said.

"The Iranian regime refuses to give up its forcibly acquired acquisitions and will seek to preserve them by oppression and extremism. What no one in positions of power in Iran appears capable of understanding is that the Persian language will not actually be jeopardized if the non-Persian peoples gain the right to receive education in their own languages; indeed, people are less likely to resent it if they also have the chance of proper education in their mother tongue," the article concluded.

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Mother tongue education improves well-being, achievement, and pride.

Title:

Content: ...

Azerbaijanis in Iran deprived of rights to speak their own language - The Geopolitics

Politics Materials 22 February 2023 11:27 (UTC +04:00)
Maryana Akhmedova
Read more

BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 22. The rights of Azerbaijanis in Iran to use their mother tongue are infringed by the Iranian authorities, limiting their cultural expression, the article in The Geopolitics magazine said, Trend reports.

According to the author, although South Azerbaijani activists and organizations have long advocated for the expansion of linguistic and cultural rights, the Iranian government has responded with further repression by cracking down on dissidents.

The Iranian Government has banned the use of the Azerbaijani language in the media, literature, and the arts, as well, which has resulted in a suppression of cultural identity and a lack of representation for South Azerbaijanis in Iranian society, the article said.

Moreover, as the author noted, this policy has resulted in a high rate of students dropping out of schools early in Iran’s marginalized non-Persian regions, due to the challenges of learning the Persian language.

As the author rightly pointed out, the efforts to promote and provide education in the Azerbaijani language can positively impact Azerbaijani students’ psychological well-being and academic achievement in Iran.

"Providing instruction in one’s mother tongue can help students feel a greater sense of belonging, cultural identity, and pride in their heritage. It can also help them better understand and engage with the material being taught, leading to improved academic achievement and a greater likelihood of completing their education," the article said.

"The Iranian regime refuses to give up its forcibly acquired acquisitions and will seek to preserve them by oppression and extremism. What no one in positions of power in Iran appears capable of understanding is that the Persian language will not actually be jeopardized if the non-Persian peoples gain the right to receive education in their own languages; indeed, people are less likely to resent it if they also have the chance of proper education in their mother tongue," the article concluded.

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Latest

Latest

Forced language acquisition can foster resentment and extremism, underscoring the importance of promoting native languages.

Title:

Content: ...

Azerbaijanis in Iran deprived of rights to speak their own language - The Geopolitics

Politics Materials 22 February 2023 11:27 (UTC +04:00)
Maryana Akhmedova
Read more

BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 22. The rights of Azerbaijanis in Iran to use their mother tongue are infringed by the Iranian authorities, limiting their cultural expression, the article in The Geopolitics magazine said, Trend reports.

According to the author, although South Azerbaijani activists and organizations have long advocated for the expansion of linguistic and cultural rights, the Iranian government has responded with further repression by cracking down on dissidents.

The Iranian Government has banned the use of the Azerbaijani language in the media, literature, and the arts, as well, which has resulted in a suppression of cultural identity and a lack of representation for South Azerbaijanis in Iranian society, the article said.

Moreover, as the author noted, this policy has resulted in a high rate of students dropping out of schools early in Iran’s marginalized non-Persian regions, due to the challenges of learning the Persian language.

As the author rightly pointed out, the efforts to promote and provide education in the Azerbaijani language can positively impact Azerbaijani students’ psychological well-being and academic achievement in Iran.

"Providing instruction in one’s mother tongue can help students feel a greater sense of belonging, cultural identity, and pride in their heritage. It can also help them better understand and engage with the material being taught, leading to improved academic achievement and a greater likelihood of completing their education," the article said.

"The Iranian regime refuses to give up its forcibly acquired acquisitions and will seek to preserve them by oppression and extremism. What no one in positions of power in Iran appears capable of understanding is that the Persian language will not actually be jeopardized if the non-Persian peoples gain the right to receive education in their own languages; indeed, people are less likely to resent it if they also have the chance of proper education in their mother tongue," the article concluded.

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Latest

Latest

Multilingualism can improve conflict resolution skills in children and delay dementia and Alzheimer's disease onset.

Title:

Content: Free Speech Award for Native Language Teaching to Create Education and Longshu Bonus
◎ Liu Chengxian
Many international linguistics studies have shown that the ability to use more than one language regularly and fluently in daily life can lead to faster and better development of conflict resolution and management skills in children, and can delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in old age by an average of 3.5 to 5 years.
Kaohsiung City will set up the first Taiwanese language experimental elementary school in Taiwan. (Photo)
In Taiwan's environment, apart from Chinese, the second language that can be used frequently and fluently by the vast majority of the population is definitely a local language that can be integrated into the community and family, rather than English.
The key to the inheritance of the local language lies in the “multi-use ”. The use of the local language in schools for teaching various subjects is an important way for children who spend most of their time in the school to acquire the local language.
At present, in addition to the Hakka Committee's continuous subsidy classes and schools to teach in the Hakka language as the medium of instruction, news reports have previously reported that Kaohsiung will also set up the first Taiwanese experimental primary school, but with the current policy, there is still a lot of room for advancement.
Actively invest several times the resources used to suppress native languages to achieve language transformation justice
After all, the Government has used huge administrative resources to suppress local languages, and in response to the revival of local languages, the Government should not just "be optimistic about their success", but should "actively invest several times the resources used to suppress local languages" in accordance with the National Language Development Law, in order to realize the right of language transformation, and grasp the education and long-term profit brought by local languages.
The government should not only allow classes and schools to be taught in the local language, but should actively give such classes or schools substantial grants, including free tuition and book fees, as well as grants and scholarships, and teachers should have additional language grants and additional incentives for performance. Only by attaching such a high degree of attention to the public and the teaching staff can the wishes of the general public and the education professionals be changed, and can the government demonstrate its determination to attach great importance to the revival of native languages.
In the current environment, it is impossible to have any children who are not fluent in Chinese, but children who do not have any native language are becoming normal.
Let children at least be fluent in any native language, this not only has a cultural meaning, but also a policy of benefiting the country and the people, the government should pay more attention to the lost sheep and make up for it, it is not too late.
(The author is an associate professor of the Department of Taiwanese Literature at Taiwan Normal University)
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The National Language Development Law supports local language education and promotes language transformation justice.

Grants and incentives are necessary to promote local language teaching for cultural and policy benefits.

Promoting English can harm weak coexisting languages.

Language policy must be multilingual, as recognized dialect speakers often face lower wages and employment rates.

Bilingual education is successful in Singapore, where English is the main administrative language.

Title:

Content: Stationmaster's words
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Most Singaporeans recognize bilingual education as a successful policy, and the motivation behind the policy is multifaceted.
In terms of political stability, economic development and social structure, China faced serious challenges in the early years of its founding, first, it was urgent to "stabilize the inside" and integrate a multi-ethnic society; second, it was necessary to "draw in the outside world" and quickly establish international cooperation for survival, open up the market and attract foreign investment and create job opportunities.
In the early years of national independence, the government had to build bridges between ethnic groups, so English became the main administrative and economic language, and Chinese replaced dialects as the mother tongue of the Chinese people.
Today, Chinese have accepted Chinese as a common language, and dialects continue to exist at all levels of culture and society, linking feelings and inheriting traditions.
Nowadays, mastering the mother tongue has faced repeated challenges.
The changes in the general environment have put the Chinese language skills of the younger generation to the test, and if the daily language of the family is not Chinese, parents will indeed feel helpless in teaching their children their mother tongue.
However, language learning cannot avoid the two laws of "contact" and "use", parents can still use the Internet, traditional media and community resources to make up for the shortage.
Chinese is one of the paths of lifelong learning, and as long as you do not give up, you can still learn something.
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Internet and media can aid language learning, while environmental changes challenge mastering the mother tongue.

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Content: Stationmaster's words
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Most Singaporeans recognize bilingual education as a successful policy, and the motivation behind the policy is multifaceted.
In terms of political stability, economic development and social structure, China faced serious challenges in the early years of its founding, first, it was urgent to "stabilize the inside" and integrate a multi-ethnic society; second, it was necessary to "draw in the outside world" and quickly establish international cooperation for survival, open up the market and attract foreign investment and create job opportunities.
In the early years of national independence, the government had to build bridges between ethnic groups, so English became the main administrative and economic language, and Chinese replaced dialects as the mother tongue of the Chinese people.
Today, Chinese have accepted Chinese as a common language, and dialects continue to exist at all levels of culture and society, linking feelings and inheriting traditions.
Nowadays, mastering the mother tongue has faced repeated challenges.
The changes in the general environment have put the Chinese language skills of the younger generation to the test, and if the daily language of the family is not Chinese, parents will indeed feel helpless in teaching their children their mother tongue.
However, language learning cannot avoid the two laws of "contact" and "use", parents can still use the Internet, traditional media and community resources to make up for the shortage.
Chinese is one of the paths of lifelong learning, and as long as you do not give up, you can still learn something.
Sign up to continue reading the full article!
LIKE Our official Facebook page for more information

Social monolinguization can harm national identity, but public discussion can improve language learning.

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Content: Stationmaster's words
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Chinese language learning has always been an evergreen topic, mainly because the degree of decline does not seem to stop, the risk of marginalization is always present, and social monolinguization has a negative impact on cohesion and national identity.
When discussing the subject of Chinese language learning, it is inevitable that there will be a situation of deep love and responsibility.
We believe that all parties involved in the discussion have a basic consensus - we hope to see an improvement in the level of Chinese language in the next generation.
Therefore, all stakeholders are partners with the same goals, and there may be sharp words of encouragement from time to time, without prejudice to a common direction for all efforts.
The mother tongue was originally the language of naturally acquired mothers, but for historical reasons the dialect policy distorted this cultural phenomenon.
The Chinese language is not the mother tongue of the Chinese immigrants and their descendants, who constitute the main part of the local Chinese community, so the insistence that the Chinese language is their mother tongue also leads to a secondary dispute that is not correct.
In any case, the heated debate on topics of common concern is still a positive phenomenon in itself, and it has the effect of pooling wisdom.
It is hoped that more good ideas can emerge from these ideas and promote local Chinese language teaching.
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Stakeholders agree that improving language levels is important for national identity and social cohesion.

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Content: Stationmaster's words
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Chinese language learning has always been an evergreen topic, mainly because the degree of decline does not seem to stop, the risk of marginalization is always present, and social monolinguization has a negative impact on cohesion and national identity.
When discussing the subject of Chinese language learning, it is inevitable that there will be a situation of deep love and responsibility.
We believe that all parties involved in the discussion have a basic consensus - we hope to see an improvement in the level of Chinese language in the next generation.
Therefore, all stakeholders are partners with the same goals, and there may be sharp words of encouragement from time to time, without prejudice to a common direction for all efforts.
The mother tongue was originally the language of naturally acquired mothers, but for historical reasons the dialect policy distorted this cultural phenomenon.
The Chinese language is not the mother tongue of the Chinese immigrants and their descendants, who constitute the main part of the local Chinese community, so the insistence that the Chinese language is their mother tongue also leads to a secondary dispute that is not correct.
In any case, the heated debate on topics of common concern is still a positive phenomenon in itself, and it has the effect of pooling wisdom.
It is hoped that more good ideas can emerge from these ideas and promote local Chinese language teaching.
LIKE Our official website for more information
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UNESCO has published a report highlighting the need for governments to protect 3000 endangered languages.

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Content: - A plus A.
Yousef bin Trad Al Saadoun
The depletion and gradual disappearance of languages has become an issue of concern to the world, given its serious consequences for the disappearance of identities and the international cultural diversity of which language is the main base.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ’ s (UNESCO) publication, “A Decade to Prevent the Disappearance of 3,000 Languages, ” showed that of the 7,000 languages currently spoken in the world, 6,700 are under threat, with 3,000 likely to disappear before the end of the century, with an average of one every two weeks.
The Arabic language is an important pillar of human cultural diversity, it is: the language of the Holy Quran, and one of the richest languages in vocabulary spoken by more than 450 million people.
To consolidate their position among the world ’ s languages, the Arab countries have made efforts on the international scene out of pride in their great language.
On December 18, 1973, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 3190 to adopt Arabic as the official language of the General Assembly and its subsidiary bodies.
She has also established centers to spread her learning across the globe, such as the King Salman International Arabic Language Academy.
Despite the importance of these international efforts, the Arabic language is in dire need of stronger patronage at home.
It faces obstacles and inaction from some of its people, and multiple external arrows that seek to marginalize it and eat away at its functions in Arab societies, thus fearing the threat to its existence.
Some of the manifestations of the suffering experienced by the Arabic language in its homelands:
Teaching curricula in foreign languages (English and French), and attracting international schools, depriving young people of receiving education in their mother tongue.
The intensity of the presentation of programs and films in foreign languages to the Arab public and private media, especially directed at children.
Requirements of proficiency in foreign languages for employment in public and private institutions, and omitting the importance of the requirement of mastering the Arabic language in writing and speaking.
The affliction of some elites, official, social, cultural, media and expatriate families, who exalt all that is Arabic, and boast of using foreign terminology.
The complacency of governments and individuals in protecting the Arabic language by allowing the adoption of foreign languages in: seminars, conferences, lectures, media and advertising, and the adoption of foreign names for shops, companies, events, initiatives and private and public projects.
So much contempt for the mother tongue that foreign terms are written in Arabic letters.
The absence of effective official bodies competent to assume the tasks of protecting the Arabic language, and the absence of deterrent sanctions.
Limited effective community engagement to protect the national language.
Since language is the anchor of the identity of peoples, the cohesion of their unity, the link between the past, the present and the future, without it no nation will realize who it is?
And where did it come from?
It will not be able to clearly define the future of its tracks.
The lessons of history prove that there is no survival for a nation whose people have abandoned their language.
Therefore, the Arab countries must realize that their continuation depends on their adherence to their Arabic language, as the loss of religion, identity and entity is lost, and the languages and cultures of other nations dominate the coming generations and subject them to their subordination and domination.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with its wise leadership with determination and zeal for Arab identity, deserves to unite the Arab nation and document their cohesion, through the formulation of an initiative to protect the Arabic language and its adoption at the next Arab summit to be hosted by Riyadh.
It may be appropriate for such an initiative to include the following elements:
1.
Strengthen the tendency of the Arab peoples to respect and defend their national language, and intensify media programs in support of this goal.
2.
Obliging public and private institutions to use the Arabic language in all their dealings, documents and agreements.
3.
Teaching curricula at all levels of education in Arabic, and reducing the spread of international schools in the Arab world.
4.
Expanding the production of programs and films aimed at children in Arabic, and dubbing foreign programs and films in Arabic before their presentation in the local media.
5.
Requirement of fluency in speaking and writing in Arabic when joining public and private jobs.
6.
Establish strong bodies for the protection of the Arabic language, such as anti-corruption bodies, and equip them with legislation that ensures the implementation of deterrent sanctions for all violations committed.
7.
The imposition of the Arabic language as a fixed official language for seminars, conferences and events held on the Arab territories.
8.
Arabization of the names of all shops, companies, events, initiatives and projects in the Arab countries.
9.
Establishing civil society organizations specialized in protecting the Arabic language and supporting their activities.
10.
The one who does not have the loyalty and appreciation of his mother tongue by mastering and speaking it is not good to hope for his homeland and his nation, does not rely on him.
Conclusion:
From the words of the poet Turki bin Hamid:
Our people, do not multiply the vices.
Show me an expansion fissure.
Life is in God & apos; s hands, we will create
The right of the pastor Salah the parish
We take the risk and age, it must be Zayle.
In the wake of danger, we drink sweet fruit.
If only we had passengers.
Otherwise, our homes are ignorant.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
God ’ s Spirit comes to him and gives him a silver.

Native languages are often threatened by the use of foreign languages in education and media, and a lack of protective measures.

Education and language revitalization are crucial for Indigenous people's well-being and community pride.

Title:

Content: North

Q&A: CYFN Grand Chief Peter Johnston reflects on 2021

From COVID-19 throughout the territory, to progress in Yukon First Nation language and the tragic discovery of unmarked graves outside residential schools across Canada, Yukon Council of First Nations Grand Chief Peter Johnston reflects on 2021.

He says mental health support will be a priority in the year to come

From COVID-19 throughout the territory, to progress in Yukon First Nation language and the tragic discovery of  unmarked graves outside residential schools across Canada, 2021 came with heavy trials, but there were some wins too.

Elyn Jones, the host of CBC's Yukon Morning, spoke with Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) Grand Chief Peter Johnston about 2021 and the priorities he says need to be carried into 2022.

Answers have been edited for length and clarity.

How will you remember 2021?

It was quite the year, I must say.... It's been so many great opportunities for CYFN as an organization, a lot of great relationship building between the government and obviously the federal government over the course of the years. I feel we've made significant progress, especially when it comes to … the relationship building, but also getting some of the services and some of the opportunities that we've been advocating and promoting for years. So, it's been very significant when it comes to funding opportunities, and just creating more capacity for First Nation governments, and supporting obviously, where it matters more, especially when it comes to child welfare.

What are some of the things that you're most proud of having accomplished this year?

Well, one of the things we've identified is a lot of gaps and services that are provided to First Nation families and individuals in particular. So we're able to support and develop a relationship with the John Howard society.

We just were very successful in regards to getting money for Yukon First Nations women's shelter. So in that regard, which is a very good opportunity – [and] is also a gap in service here in the Yukon – we now have some very long standing expertise through the John Howard Society to help support us on that initiative. So for me, that is huge, because of the fact that we're able to now culturally reflect on our people in the sense of giving them the appropriate services.

We also built a good relationship around the procurement policy, which is … very important to First Nation communities when it comes to not only procurement of major projects, but also to ensure that Yukon First Nation entrepreneurs and development corporations get the opportunities to participate in the economy.

We've done a lot of work in First Nation language throughout the year, and not only recognizing the long-standing speakers in our community of the First Nation languages. We also recognized 13 individuals in particular from each community and celebrated them in regards to not only their achievements, but also being supportive when it comes to helping support language revitalization, and also ensuring the next generation of speakers are given the opportunities to succeed as well.

What is your reflection on the discovery of the unmarked graves at residential schools?

This is nothing new, and it's been promoted over the last couple of decades to ensure the survivors and people that have been affected by residential school are heard and seen, and the government reflects on the responsibilities that they have to not only to the people that have gone through the system, and also to encourage that we do not end up in these situations. Again, obviously, it's a very, very dark part of our history. And it continued for over 100 years here in Canada, which is, obviously the significant piece of the history there.

For me going forward is: what are we going to do to ensure that we feel that we can move on from this?

So, we can not only educate the general public in regards to the significant impact of this had to Indigenous people across this country, because the legacy still lives on, we can see it in the downtown core of Whitehorse. A lot of those elements, simple elements, such as love and compassion have been lost and let alone our language which has been significantly damaged … but we are on the rebound.

And I really feel, as mentioned before, with a lot of celebration with our language, this is us getting our power back and instilling that community pride and pride in who we are. For me going forward, that is what we need to ensure that we don't forget, but we move on and become stronger because of it.

What are the priorities for 2022 and what are the hopes for the new year?

There's a lot of things in the air right now, if you will, and there's a lot of reflection on health and First Nation country. So I am very excited that we're taking a very aggressive approach to how we deal with health. And a lot of it is encompassed around mental health, which has really been a hot topic obviously, since the COVID-19 outbreak and just see how people are coping let alone how people that are living in poverty and living below social standards are not only coping but suffering in this pandemic.

I think for us going forward is really to push the mental health aspect of it. The child welfare has been a really big strong topic over the last couple years. I think really a lot of where we're going now will be health related. Education, obviously, is very important. But you know, without your health and well-being, education is just, you know, it's a mirage at this point.

What are you optimistic about next year?

I just look forward to moving on with the government-to-government relationships. I think it's been very positive with the territorial government and just a lot of things that we've been able to achieve and move forward on particularly when it comes to the Yukon forum. (The forum is a regular meeting between leaders of the Government of Yukon, Yukon First Nations and the Council of Yukon First Nations.)

We have 17 objectives that are constantly being moved and advanced. And I see a lot of the outcomes coming through that process, being very beneficial to the community. The more that we continue on this path is really what gives me the hope and aspiration, that gets me up every morning to continue on this path.

With files from Elyn Jones

now

Media and funding support promote Indigenous languages.

Government support and public awareness of residential school history are crucial for preserving Indigenous languages.

Community celebration of language promotes cultural reflection, but preservation efforts are complicated.

The Russian government has implemented a law to protect the language, including compiling usage rules and a normative dictionary.

The law aims to eliminate foreign words from official documents and public speeches.

Italy has drafted a bill to ban English in official communications, with fines of up to 100,000 euros.

Title:

Content: Italian govt drafts bill that seeks to ban English language

RomeEdited By: C KrishnasaiUpdated: Apr 01, 2023, 03:15 PM IST

Calling for the Italian language to be protected and nurtured, the draft bill claims that English “demeans and mortifies” Italians, and called on all public and private bodies to use the “language of Dante” to promote their goods and services, reports Reuters news agency. Photograph:(Reuters)

Story highlights

The bill, which has been drafted by lawmakers of the nationalist Brothers of Italy party, aims to promote Italian language and imposes a fine of up to 100,000 euros ($108,750) if found violating the rule

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party has proposed legislation that seeks to prohibit public and private bodies in the country from using foreign terms, especially English, in official communications.

The bill, which has been drafted by lawmakers of the nationalist Brothers of Italy party, aims to promote Italian language and imposes a fine of up to 100,000 euros ($108,750) if found violating the rule.

In order to become a law, the bill has to be approved by both houses of parliament. But there was no indication of when this might happen.

“It is not just a matter of fashion, as fashions pass, but Anglomania (has) repercussions for society as a whole,” said the text of the draft bill.

Calling for the Italian language to be protected and nurtured, the draft bill claims that English “demeans and mortifies” Italians, and called on all public and private bodies to use the “language of Dante” to promote their goods and services, reports Reuters news agency.

The draft also specifies that all job related applications, including names and acronyms, should be spelt out in Italian, with foreign words allowed only if they are impossible to translate.

The bill said the widespread use of English in Europe was “even more negative and paradoxical” given that Britain had quit the European Union.

The draft bill comes at a time when the incumbent far-right government takes measures to what it calls preserving the local culture.

Recently, it banned the use of laboratory-produced food to safeguard the country’s agri-food heritage.

When the Brothers of Italy party took office last October, it added the English term “Made in Italy” to the name of the industry minister, while Meloni occasionally drops foreign words into her speeches.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Russia has adopted a law to protect its language by mandating the use of normative dictionaries and grammars.

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The State Duma adopted a law on the protection of the Russian language from the excessive use of foreign words
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The state Duma in the final reading adopted a bill that should protect the Russian language from excessive foreign borrowing.
The document was submitted at the end of October last year.
It is noted that the project “emphasizes the unifying role of the Russian language as the state language of the Russian Federation in a single multinational state, expands and specifies the areas in which the use of the state language of the Russian Federation is mandatory. ”
The law introduces such concepts as normative dictionaries, grammars and reference books that fix the norms of the modern Russian literary language when it is used as a state language.
Exceptions will be only those foreign words that do not have common analogues in the Russian language and the list of which is contained in the normative dictionaries.
Also, now there will be a mandatory linguistic examination of draft regulations for their compliance with the norms and rules of the Russian language.
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Exceptions are made for foreign words without Russian analogues, and draft regulations must be linguistically examined.

Title:

Content: news _ header _ top _ 970 _ 100
news _ header _ bot _ 970 _ 100
The State Duma adopted a law on the protection of the Russian language from the excessive use of foreign words
news _ top _ 970 _ 100
The state Duma in the final reading adopted a bill that should protect the Russian language from excessive foreign borrowing.
The document was submitted at the end of October last year.
It is noted that the project “emphasizes the unifying role of the Russian language as the state language of the Russian Federation in a single multinational state, expands and specifies the areas in which the use of the state language of the Russian Federation is mandatory. ”
The law introduces such concepts as normative dictionaries, grammars and reference books that fix the norms of the modern Russian literary language when it is used as a state language.
Exceptions will be only those foreign words that do not have common analogues in the Russian language and the list of which is contained in the normative dictionaries.
Also, now there will be a mandatory linguistic examination of draft regulations for their compliance with the norms and rules of the Russian language.
autoscroll _ news _ right _ 240 _ 400
news _ bot _ 970 _ 100

Using multiple languages can delay dementia onset by 3.5 to 5 years.

Language purification policies and government initiatives promote native languages, including experimental native-language schools.

Local language use in schools is key to language inheritance, with governments investing in support.

The government subsidizes Hakka language classes to preserve the native language.

Government suppression of local languages has led to language inequality and loss, as seen in Taiwan from 1956 to 1987.

The National Language Development Law supports language revival through grants for local language classes.

Children not fluent in their native language are becoming increasingly common, highlighting the need for continued language preservation support.

Language attitude cultivation is crucial for a language's vitality, as seen in Hebrew's revival.

Kazakhstan aims for 84% of its population to speak Kazakh and 32% to be trilingual by 2029.

Title:

Content: What will be the language policy of Kazakhstan
Photo: Zakon.kz
The Ministry of Science and Higher Education has developed a draft "Concepts for the development of language policy".
Current situation
The current language situation shows that the number of speakers of the Kazakh language is growing.
According to official data, among the Turkic-speaking peoples, 72% of Uzbeks, 71.7% of Uighurs, 58.5% of Kyrgyz speak Kazakh at the level of colloquial speech, and 12% speak Kazakh at a high level.
Among the Slavic diaspora, 25.1% of Russians, 23.7% of Ukrainians, 22.8% of Belarusians, 22.1% of Poles, as well as 25.2% of representatives of the German diaspora understand the spoken Kazakh language.
Among these diasporas, the share of reading and professionally writing in the Kazakh language is 2.9%.
These quantitative changes still require an improvement in the quality of the use of the state language.
According to the results of the National Census, the population aged 5 years and older (13,768,406 people (80%) speak the state language, of whom 8,472,661 (49.3%) speak daily life.
This indicator demonstrates that the majority of the population understands the oral Kazakh speech, reads and writes freely.
Problems in the implementation of language policy:
• in some areas of society, the state language is not fully used in accordance with its regulatory and legal status;
• in connection with the development of texts of laws in the original and other documents in the Russian language with subsequent translation, impede the functioning of the state language and the full disclosure of its potential;
• in the implementation of language policy, the opportunities of the state language to become the leading language in the field of public service, in the field of services and so on are not fully used;
• the language policy does not define mechanisms for increasing the need for the state language;
• language policy does not take into account demographic processes in the country, the characteristics of regions, the composition of nations;
• some non-governmental organizations do not have an option of official Internet resources in the state language;
• in all spheres of public relations, the request of consumers to request a document in the state language is not satisfied;
• The current legislation on the language requires amendments and additions to it, since the problem of the state language is not solved at the proper level.
Vision of language policy development
Modern language policy should be aimed at modernizing the Kazakh language on the basis of Latin graphics, further improving language culture, as well as developing the language capital of citizens, ensuring the full activity of the Kazakh language as the state language.
The development of language policy is based on the following strategic principles:
• a full-fledged activity is carried out to expand the use, improve the culture of the state language in all spheres of society;
• strengthening the normative base of the Kazakh language as the state language;
• strengthening the status of the Kazakh language as a language of interethnic communication;
• improving the use of the Kazakh language as a language of international communication;
• introduction of the practice of adopting the law in the Kazakh language;
• priority will be the further development of scientific and practical foundations of Kazakh terminology as the basis of the language of science and records management in the state language and implemented a set of measures;
• projects aimed at digitalization of Kazakh linguistics are being implemented;
• State support will be provided in the study of the state language and languages of ethnic groups and the organization of training courses;
• implementation of language reform on the basis of the new Latin alphabet;
• the level of proficiency in the Kazakh language in organizations of the state and non-state sector is monitored and improved;
• a requirement will be introduced requiring civil servants to speak the Kazakh language;
• a set of measures aimed at the development of the language capital of citizens is being implemented.
In this regard, the objectivity of the need to develop new conceptual solutions that meet the requirements of modernity is emphasized.
The main approaches to the implementation of language policy
1.
Language policy and demography
The share of the population using the Kazakh language in everyday life is different in the republic, which still requires systematic work in this direction.
To establish the language balance in the republic, for the purpose of competent writing of documents, proper management of office work, a schedule for the phased transfer of office work in state bodies into the state language in the context of regions is approved.
2.
Language and public service
The issue of including the criterion for the preparation of documents in the state language in the rating of calculating the effectiveness of civil servants will be considered.
During the reporting meeting, the heads of central state bodies, especially when visiting remote settlements, when delivering reports on dialogue platforms with the population in the state language, priority is given to the state language.
During the implementation of the Concept, requirements will be developed that oblige civil servants to speak the Kazakh language.
At the same time, the main working language of the public service will be the state language
3.
Non-governmental organizations
The question of the state language, which has become one of the most discussed, especially in places of service of the population (trade, food, maintenance, etc.), will be devoted to a new mechanism of solution.
The issues of launching the version of all electronic databases in the financial sector in the state language on 1C: Accounting will be worked out.
A hotline service will be created at local executive bodies to ensure public participation and take prompt measures to protect the purity of the language, prevent non-compliance with the norms of the literary language, violations of the lexical and grammatical rules of the Kazakh language in advertising, at public catering facilities.
An important issue is the development of a special law "On the State Language", which is a factor in strengthening the identity of Kazakh society, taking into account linguistic, ethno-demographic and political conditions.
This law provides ample opportunities for clearly establishing the status of the Kazakh language as the state language, determining the scope of its use, increasing the culture of use.
Work on the formation of prerequisites for the adoption of the law will be carried out in stages.
Improving the spelling rules of the Kazakh language
Work will be carried out to unify words with various variations, to unify the writing of complex words and complex names by making additions and changes to the current rules of spelling of the Kazakh language.
The electronic version of the current spelling and punctuation rules is provided for general availability.
It is envisaged that competence will be transferred to the authorized body in the field of language development for approval of the standard of the existing spelling rules by the regulatory legal act.
The main directions of transition to the Latin script
Language planning involves the adoption of a new Kazakh alphabet based on the Latin script and its spelling in accordance with the relevant regulatory documents.
When justifying the existing rules of spelling of the Kazakh language, additions and changes will be made to the new alphabet.
Scientific and methodological substantiation of spelling rules will be compiled.
In addition, a standard for setting the order of alphabetic characters on the keyboard will be approved.
Relevant versions of normative legal acts aimed at ensuring the availability of information in the Kazakh language, the Kazakh-language interface and Kazakh letters on products such as computers, keyboards, mobile phones and other technical means, on medical, production equipment, cash registers imported into the territory of Kazakhstan and manufactured in the country will be developed and adopted.
A step-by-step translation of the Kazakh alphabet to the Latin script will be carried out.
Gradually, educational organizations will be transferred to the Latin script.
Development of orthological means of the Kazakh language based on the alphabet based on the Latin script
Guides will be developed for different groups of consumers (schoolchildren, editors, broadcasters, politicians, trade managers, copywriters and speechwriters, academics, the public, etc., depending on the level of demand).
For the examination, discussion, approval of the results of reforms relating to the Kazakh script, it is envisaged to create an interdepartmental expert body - a spelling commission.
Regulation of onomastic space based on the Latin alphabet
After the approval of the Kazakh alphabet based on the Latin script, on its basis, the issue of standardization of names of the corresponding onomastic spatial physical and geographical objects, administrative-territorial units and their component parts in connection with their uniform writing will be considered.
Measures will be implemented to popularize new names, bring international names and city codes in line with Latin names (in particular, in the field of air and rail communication), ensure the correct writing of toponymic names on maps in cross-border regions.
Updated onomastic names will be introduced into widely used maps (Google, Yandex, 2gis), as well as navigation tools.
At the initial stage of the translation of the Kazakh alphabet into the Latin script (at least 5 years), the Kazakh alphabet on the modern Cyrillic script will be conducted in parallel with the alphabet on the Latin script.
The modern alphabet will gradually be phased out in accordance with the roadmap for the phased transfer of the Kazakh alphabet to the Latin script (action plan), the schedule for the phased transfer of educational organizations to the Latin script.
Improving the methodology of language teaching
It is important to improve the quality of language teaching using the capabilities of modern information technologies.
Measures to attract scientists in connection with improving the methodology, improving the methodological skills of teachers, exchanging experience, and stimulating will also be considered.
Of particular importance is the issue of improving the qualifications of methodologists and teachers of educational centers teaching the state language of citizens working in various spheres of society.
The developers of the project see the following ways to increase the effectiveness of the methodology of teaching the Kazakh language
1.
Formation of a special general base of systematization of scientific and educational-methodical works on the methodology of teaching the Kazakh language.
2.
Organization of mass open online courses "Kazakh tili".
3.
Organization of internships and courses that improve the qualifications of teachers and methodologists teaching the Kazakh language.
4.
Increasing the number and improving the quality of textbooks, teaching aids and other products for students of the Kazakh language.
The system of teaching the Kazakh language
A system of language teaching will be developed, starting with school-age children and ending with adults.
The system includes two directions.
First, a general state system of language teaching is being created.
Secondly, in accordance with this system, curricula and educational and methodological complexes of new content will be formed, as well as modern teaching technologies, and the scientific and methodological potential of teachers and teachers will be increased by improving the quality of language teaching from schoolchildren to adults.
The use of a voucher when teaching citizens the state language
According to the results of the study, 1,025,270 (8.1%) of adult respondents do not speak the state language (2.5% do not speak Kazakh at all, 5.6% understand some words).
For this category of citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan through the project "Language Voucher" favorable conditions will be created for free study of the Kazakh language.
The voucher will be used as an effective means of education, professional development, retraining courses.
Improving the methods of teaching the language of citizens with special needs
A curriculum and programmes will be developed to improve language teaching methods for persons with special educational needs.
It provides for the training of trainers, the training of teachers with special qualifications, teaching citizens with hearing and speech impairments.
The issues of developing materials for the training of sign language interpreters in the Kazakh language, the release of teaching aids for citizens with special educational needs, created by a special tactile point relief font, large font and Braille, including taking into account recognized international practices, will be discussed.
It is planned to create a service for voicing printed texts in the Kazakh language.
Language Training Centers
For free education of the adult population, Kazakh, Russian and English language courses will continue to work in state language training centers.
In order to increase the status and wages of teachers of language training centers, amendments will be made to the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated December 31, 2015 No. 1193 "On the system of remuneration of civil servants, employees of organizations maintained at the expense of the state budget, employees of state-owned enterprises" (by increasing the level of the correction coefficient).
Expanding the scope of the state language
Work will continue on clarifying the requirements of the legislation on languages, providing methodological assistance to business entities in terms of placing requisites and visual information.
To expand the scope of application of the state language, to provide support to individuals and legal entities in conducting their activities (naming objects), it is planned to create a dictionary of names in the Kazakh language (the base "korneki.kz").
Enhancing the language culture of society
To comply with the language norm, it is necessary to unify language means, orthoepic, orthographic, lexico-phraseological, grammatical (morphological, syntactic, word-formation) norms.
The availability of language tools developed in this direction to the society will be considered.
Through social networks, published materials related to language in social networks will be monitored, work will be carried out to disseminate quotes from famous people, public figures, bloggers, people who actively use the social network, increase their recognition by the population, motivate them to work for the benefit of society, and provide support.
Work will be carried out on the publication of industry dictionaries, collections of sayings, proverbs, children's books, works of fiction, foreign prose in the Kazakh language.
Once every two years, a sociolinguistic study of topical problems of the Kazakh culture of speech will be conducted in the republic, concerning the observance of traditional norms of the national literary language, determining the main trends in its development, generalization and systematization of linguistic knowledge about the characteristics of new norms and communicative qualities of the word.
Activation of the use of the Kazakh language as a language of science
To increase the functionality of the language of science, work will be carried out to intensify the use of Kazakh terms, systematize borrowed terms when they are assimilated.
Specialists with the formed competence of the language of science will be trained, quantitative and qualitative indicators of scientific works in the state language will be increased, foreign scientific works in the Kazakh language will be available and terms will be unified.
Increasing the share of content in the Kazakh language
The development of high-quality products in the Kazakh language, able to meet the demand of children and adolescents of preschool and school age, where the level of digital literacy is growing every year, will allow in the future to solve the problem of lack of mastering the Kazakh language by young people.
Given that society needs separate group, situational games in the Kazakh language, focused on virtual-cognitive, intellectual, didactic, entertaining, the state should provide maximum support.
This will give a new impetus to the transition of the language of IT-technologies to the Kazakh language.
Group games in the Kazakh language will be developed based on popular game scenarios.
To ensure the availability of the interface of foreign games in the Kazakh language, communication with developers is established and experience is exchanged.
In order to fill the YouTube video hosting with high-quality Kazakh-language children ’ s content, cartoons and series will be selected and duplicated.
Key expected results by 2029:
1.
The share of the Kazakh-speaking population in the republic is 84%.
2.
The proportion of the population speaking three languages is 32 per cent.
3.
The proportion of the population enrolled in courses in the new alphabet and spelling rules is 15 per cent.
4.
The share of office work of central state and local executive bodies in the state language is 94%.
5.
The share of the terminological fund based on the rules of spelling of the Latin alphabet of the Kazakh language (with an increasing result) is 40%.
The project is posted on the Open NPA portal for public discussion until April 25, 2023.
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Russia is a global leader in language preservation, with strong institutional support and policy.

Title:

Content: All news
UNESCO said that Russia can offer the world leadership in the preservation of languages
In every bilingual and even multilingual region in Russia, an institutional infrastructure for language support has been created and is functioning, said Deputy Chairman of the Intergovernmental Council of the UNESCO Information for All Programme Yevgeny Kuzmin.
Moscow, December 16.
/ TASS /.
Russia needs to start studying the preservation of languages   of small peoples abroad, the Russian side can offer the world leadership in these issues.
This was stated on Thursday by Deputy Chairman of the Intergovernmental Council of the UNESCO program “Information for all ” Eugene Kuzmin at the forum FADN“ Language policy in the Russian Federation ”.
“We can offer the world leadership in the preservation of languages.
Russia can teach people in other countries language policy and realistic methods of preserving the languages and cultures of indigenous peoples. <... > We need to start work on studying the preservation of languages of small peoples in foreign countries and in general in interesting places, "he said.
Kuzmin noted that in Russia, as well as in the world as a whole, languages are marginalized.
“This is a global civilizational process: minority peoples are assimilated, mixed marriages, the outflow of rural population to cities and other regions, urbanization, the desire of people to get a good higher education in capitals and abroad, ” he explained.
At the same time, in every bilingual and even multilingual region in Russia, an institutional infrastructure for language support has been created and is functioning.
According to him, all institutions work well and as can prevent the marginalization of languages, contributing to their preservation and even revitalization.
"In Russia, this is happening better than in many other, if not all, multilingual countries," he added. - Although international comparative studies have not been conducted here, it can be argued that Russian language policy is one of the best, if not exemplary.
Russia can offer the world to develop criteria, parameters of language policy, criteria for its evaluation in each direction, initiate and lead such studies in order to identify the best policies and practices.
We have every opportunity in this country. ”
Kuzmin also drew attention to the UNESCO Atlas of Languages.
“It is us, not the Anglo-Saxons, who should decide at what level of danger our languages are and understand what the vitality index is, and then, judging by the atlas, we have at the same level of vulnerability the Chuvash language in Russia with 1.5 million Chuvash and the language of the Indian tribe in the United States with a population of 250 people, ” he added.
Tags

Russia can develop criteria to support other countries' language preservation efforts, as tracked by the UNESCO Atlas of Languages.

Title:

Content: All news
UNESCO said that Russia can offer the world leadership in the preservation of languages
In every bilingual and even multilingual region in Russia, an institutional infrastructure for language support has been created and is functioning, said Deputy Chairman of the Intergovernmental Council of the UNESCO Information for All Programme Yevgeny Kuzmin.
Moscow, December 16.
/ TASS /.
Russia needs to start studying the preservation of languages   of small peoples abroad, the Russian side can offer the world leadership in these issues.
This was stated on Thursday by Deputy Chairman of the Intergovernmental Council of the UNESCO program “Information for all ” Eugene Kuzmin at the forum FADN“ Language policy in the Russian Federation ”.
“We can offer the world leadership in the preservation of languages.
Russia can teach people in other countries language policy and realistic methods of preserving the languages and cultures of indigenous peoples. <... > We need to start work on studying the preservation of languages of small peoples in foreign countries and in general in interesting places, "he said.
Kuzmin noted that in Russia, as well as in the world as a whole, languages are marginalized.
“This is a global civilizational process: minority peoples are assimilated, mixed marriages, the outflow of rural population to cities and other regions, urbanization, the desire of people to get a good higher education in capitals and abroad, ” he explained.
At the same time, in every bilingual and even multilingual region in Russia, an institutional infrastructure for language support has been created and is functioning.
According to him, all institutions work well and as can prevent the marginalization of languages, contributing to their preservation and even revitalization.
"In Russia, this is happening better than in many other, if not all, multilingual countries," he added. - Although international comparative studies have not been conducted here, it can be argued that Russian language policy is one of the best, if not exemplary.
Russia can offer the world to develop criteria, parameters of language policy, criteria for its evaluation in each direction, initiate and lead such studies in order to identify the best policies and practices.
We have every opportunity in this country. ”
Kuzmin also drew attention to the UNESCO Atlas of Languages.
“It is us, not the Anglo-Saxons, who should decide at what level of danger our languages are and understand what the vitality index is, and then, judging by the atlas, we have at the same level of vulnerability the Chuvash language in Russia with 1.5 million Chuvash and the language of the Indian tribe in the United States with a population of 250 people, ” he added.
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Indigenous languages often lack parity in government use due to English dominance and limited budget and personnel.

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Indigenous languages not enjoying parity at state departments

English still dominant at the expense of other tongues

David Mosoma chairperson of CRL Rights Commission.
Image: Antonio Muchave

The usage of indigenous languages, especially in government departments, is still not equitable after 27 years since SA declared them as official languages.

This was revealed by an investigation conducted by the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) on marginalised languages and the need to elevate them. It tabled its report yesterday at its offices in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

The findings show that even though government departments have adopted two or three official languages as per Language Act, English was still predominantly used at the expense of other languages. The investigation further found that the obstacles for all official languages to enjoy parity of esteem were caused by lack of budget and lack of skilled personnel.

The investigation included 16 organs of state which were randomly picked and invited to share what they are doing regarding the promotion and equitable use of all official languages. Chairperson of the commission, Prof David Luka Mosoma, said the purpose of the investigation was to establish the extent of the equal use and status of the official languages by government departments.

“Since the constitution affirms that these languages should be given their due and constitutional status, we had to do this investigation to gauge how far we are. We wanted to assess the positive measures that departments are employing to elevate the status and advanced the use of these languages. These hearings had to investigate and ascertain the measures [if any] that are in place to advance the equal treatment of all the South African official languages.

“The investigation was to assess the current efforts and future plans being followed by departments to regulate, monitor and elevate the use of all the official languages among other things for teaching, research, science, technology, commerce as well as to be languages of record.”

In its recommendations, CLR Rights Commission stated that all government departments, enterprises and entities should establish functional language service centres. It further called on the department of higher education to identify a pool of teachers who will teach mathematics, science and technology in their mother tongues.

“We encourage the department of higher education and training to subsidise institutions of higher learning to elevate, prioritise and promote official languages to become languages of record, teaching, research, science and technology.”

Commenting is subject to our house rules.

Language service centers are recommended, with mother tongue teaching encouraged and subsidies suggested for language promotion.

The Constitution affirms equal language status, but more needs to be done to support native languages.

The effectiveness of language purification policies is measured by the increase in native speakers, use in schools and government, and preservation of indigenous languages.

Urbanization and assimilation threaten language preservation, requiring governments to invest in language support infrastructure.

Title:

Content: All news
UNESCO said that Russia can offer the world leadership in the preservation of languages
In every bilingual and even multilingual region in Russia, an institutional infrastructure for language support has been created and is functioning, said Deputy Chairman of the Intergovernmental Council of the UNESCO Information for All Programme Yevgeny Kuzmin.
Moscow, December 16.
/ TASS /.
Russia needs to start studying the preservation of languages   of small peoples abroad, the Russian side can offer the world leadership in these issues.
This was stated on Thursday by Deputy Chairman of the Intergovernmental Council of the UNESCO program “Information for all ” Eugene Kuzmin at the forum FADN“ Language policy in the Russian Federation ”.
“We can offer the world leadership in the preservation of languages.
Russia can teach people in other countries language policy and realistic methods of preserving the languages and cultures of indigenous peoples. <... > We need to start work on studying the preservation of languages of small peoples in foreign countries and in general in interesting places, "he said.
Kuzmin noted that in Russia, as well as in the world as a whole, languages are marginalized.
“This is a global civilizational process: minority peoples are assimilated, mixed marriages, the outflow of rural population to cities and other regions, urbanization, the desire of people to get a good higher education in capitals and abroad, ” he explained.
At the same time, in every bilingual and even multilingual region in Russia, an institutional infrastructure for language support has been created and is functioning.
According to him, all institutions work well and as can prevent the marginalization of languages, contributing to their preservation and even revitalization.
"In Russia, this is happening better than in many other, if not all, multilingual countries," he added. - Although international comparative studies have not been conducted here, it can be argued that Russian language policy is one of the best, if not exemplary.
Russia can offer the world to develop criteria, parameters of language policy, criteria for its evaluation in each direction, initiate and lead such studies in order to identify the best policies and practices.
We have every opportunity in this country. ”
Kuzmin also drew attention to the UNESCO Atlas of Languages.
“It is us, not the Anglo-Saxons, who should decide at what level of danger our languages are and understand what the vitality index is, and then, judging by the atlas, we have at the same level of vulnerability the Chuvash language in Russia with 1.5 million Chuvash and the language of the Indian tribe in the United States with a population of 250 people, ” he added.
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The Indian government's National Education Policy emphasizes mother tongue instruction until grade 5.

Using multiple languages can delay dementia onset by 3.5 to 5 years, and investing in education can promote native languages.

In Taiwan, language policy from 1956 to 1987 led to the death of at least 10 indigenous languages and endangered others.

China has a bilingual policy requiring English and mother tongue mastery to facilitate inter-ethnic and international communication.

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Both language and culture need to be exposed, applied and accumulated over a long period of time to make a difference in everyone.
Especially in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society, language plays a major role in communication, and culture is a force to unite ethnic groups.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) Premier Lee Kuan Yew, China has implemented a "bilingual policy" that requires students to master English and their mother tongue at the same time.
The former is the common language of administration and work, facilitating communication between different ethnic groups, and the key skills to connect and expand international markets.
The latter is the basic condition for strengthening ethnic identity and the bridge for understanding and understanding ethnic culture.
We should do our best to master bilingualism, strengthen communication advantages and knowledge exploration, and enhance our own connotation and cultural cultivation foundation.
Living in a harmonious society that understands mutual respect and tolerance among ethnic groups brings us many opportunities for cross-development.
Perhaps you have not noticed that the reason why we have been able to connect with the major economies of the world and to establish mutually beneficial strategic cooperation with Southeast Asian countries is because of our multilingual environment.
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The EU has 24 official languages, but adopting one working language could save €25bn annually.

Title:

Content: Wednesday

9th Feb 2022

Opinion

Let's revisit why the EU only has three 'work' languages

According to Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union, one of the EU's aims is to promote "linguistic diversity". Article 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights similarly states that the EU shall respect "linguistic diversity".

Yet, although the EU has 24 official languages, the European Commission conducts the majority of its business in English, French, or German.

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Some EU institutions are even more restrictive. For instance, the European Central Bank works mainly in English, while the Court of Auditors and the Court of Justice work mainly in French.

If the EU is truly supposed to be promoting and respecting "linguistic diversity" then why are three official languages held in higher regard than the other 21?

One likely answer is simply because it's cheaper. Truly supporting all 24 languages equally would cost astronomically more than what the EU already spends on language support - which is a lot.

However, if costs are a concern, perhaps the EU should be using even fewer languages. In 2005, François Grin, a Swiss economist, estimated that the EU could save €25bn a year by adopting a single working language.

Perhaps this proposal seems contrary to the EU's alleged dedication to language pluralism, but the fact remains that among 24 official languages (plus many other European languages that don't have official status), only three are commonly used within EU institutions. This suggests that all of the talk of "linguistic diversity" is somewhat hollow.

Now that the UK has left the EU, France has made a push to promote the French language in the name of "multiculturalism." But for someone with no proficiency in either French or English, how is French any more multicultural than English?

Although this might be hard for some to hear, the reality is: French is never going to be the pre-eminent lingua franca. For the time being it is English, and it will probably remain as such, until someday perhaps Chinese becomes more widespread.

Brexit bonus?

The fact that there are now fewer native English speakers in the EU thanks to Brexit, actually strengths the case for English, as its use within the EU requires that for most, it must be learned as a second language, which puts nearly everyone on the same linguistic playing field.

France clinging onto its own perceived exceptionalism within the EU will not stop the linguistic trends that are already taking place. Promoting French above the other working languages only truly serves to provide a bonus to those competent in French at the expense of all others. It also sets a bizarre precedent for changing the EU's de facto preferred working language every six months with the rotating of the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The EU's language practices already aren't fair. But having multiple working languages that become more and less important depending upon who's in charge is unnecessarily expensive and no more 'diverse' for anyone who's first language isn't English, French, or German.

Instead of only fighting US tech companies with litigation, why not create and support local alternatives for local languages?

Why, for instance, isn't there a home-grown Finnish Facebook or a Gaelic Google? The same applies to the streaming wars: instead of just requiring that Netflix, Disney+, and others offer a minimum amount of European content, why not actively promote the creation of such content?

Invest in Spanish cinema, produce more Polish period pieces and Danish dramas. Britbox, which streams in the US, is owned, in part, by the BBC, the national broadcaster of the UK. Why isn't there an EU-supported Britbox-esque service that exclusively streams European content in European languages?

If, for the sake of stability and predictability, all EU institutions adopted a single working language, the substantial amount of money saved on translation services could be put to good use: such a protecting and preserving the many endangered languages of Europe. Then the EU truly would be promoting and respecting "linguistic diversity".

Author bio

Joshua Holzer is an assistant professor of political science at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. He is a former US Army analyst and studied Chinese at the Defense Language Institute.

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author's, not those of EUobserver.

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In South Africa, English dominates government departments despite the constitution affirming equal status for all official languages.

Multilingual education preserves mother languages, while globalization promotes English as a language of study.

Title:

Content: CyprusEducationSponsored Content

Multilingual education: What can be learned from Cyprus’ diverse school system

Multiculturalism is the most ambitious project in human history. The challenge is to try to blend people with diverse religions, histories, cultures, and languages, without homogenizing and destroying the source cultures.

While Western countries have embarked on this project out of their initiative, we have regions like Cyprus where this cultural exchange happens naturally. The island of Cyprus is a border region, where European and near-eastern populations mix.

Language diversity in the classroom is a topic of fervent conversation, as these various peoples attempt to coexist. Here are a few lessons that we can learn from Cyprus:

1.  Leave some of the baggage behind

Since the last decades, we have been sailing in uncharted waters. Most school systems in history were designed from the ground-up, to function in a mono-cultural setting. It is a relatively new idea to try and preserve student’s mother languages, instead of enforcing one standard for everyone.

Sure, there have been multicultural empires before, but when it came to education, only one language was taught.

Given that we have three centuries of inertia when it comes to classical mono-cultural schooling, we have to be willing to keep what works and discard old methods that are not relevant anymore.

We should not throw out the baby with the bathwater, but also not cling to methods that do not serve us well in modernity. At the end of the day, multilingualism in education is here to stay.

2.  This is not a new problem

Of course, no matter what the curriculum is, the teachers will have to prepare the children for their futures. In a way, this is not a new problem.

Language diversity does indeed create novel challenges, making it easier for some students to graduate, while others will fall behind. Yet, that challenge is present with any type of public school.

When you try to make a program for all the kids in a country, you will have to accommodate both excellence and mediocrity. If you lean too much in any direction, the program will fail.

For example, let’s say that your top 10% of students are not being stimulated enough. They have finished everything in the schedule and want to delve deeper. What do you do? If you increase the difficulty of the subjects, you will indeed help these 10% achieve greater results.

However, what do you do with the other 90%? Do you accept them falling behind as a reasonable outcome? Of course not. No matter the country, if you want to educate everyone, you must meet in the middle.

Private schools may be a suitable alternative for high achievers, but not everyone can pay for them. Overall, you must play to the middle and design solutions that benefit the largest number of students.

3.  Use the web

There is hardly of aspect of human life that the internet and globalization have not changed. Some changed for the better, while others for the worse. Still, these are realities of modern living, so you must use them to your advantage in multilingual education.

Let’s start with the internet. In a very short while, if you wanted something translated, you would have to find a dictionary in that language and search, word-for-word, the entire text. This process was slow, labor-intensive, and time-consuming. It is not a long-term solution that you can incorporate into learning.

However, nowadays, the internet allows you to translate in real-time, and these tools are free. In addition, the 2020s have also seen an upsurge in AI development. We are not that far away from real-time translators, where your earpiece converts everything that is being said into your native language.

We also have education aids that can be found online. There are sites where you can purchase courses, which feature much better explanations when you compare them to school manuals. You can also buy a research paper online, in areas where you feel less prepared.

Overall, students should not use the Internet to do their work for them. It should be a supplement, not a crutch.

4.  Use globalization to your advantage

Schools in Cyprus are not just facing a bilingual split, like the one in Canada. The majority culture is Cyprus-Greek-speaking, but you also have Armenian, standard Greek, and Turkish, and the list is growing as the population diversifies.

If we were talking about two languages, it would have been much easier: simply split the curriculum into Greek and another language. But if you did that, you would be excluding the others who do not speak these two languages.

Obviously, no country can afford to have 5-6 school systems running in parallel, each with its own language.

So, what did Cyprus do? Well, they used globalization to their advantage, partly solving the issue of language diversity.

Due to the increase in global culture and connection to western media, many young people are fluent in English. As a result, Cyprus, and most nations, use English as their language of study. This is nothing new, as Europe used to employ Latin as their academic language. That is the reason why so many names in science sound so strange and foreign.

After Latin, high culture was spoken in French, and now, in English.

English is the natural option for students who do not speak the main tongue, and Cyprus is using the global spread of this language in its education.

The bilingual split between the native language and English should continue in higher education as well. Here, students have the extra advantage of using the web as well. For admissions essays, it is possible to search for the best writing service for college, if they are students who did not grow up in Cyprus and are just looking to attend universities.

5.  School vouchers and teachers

Finally, we have a solution that is not employed in Cyprus on a mass scale, but it could produce positive results.

Nothing is stopping private schools from teaching in Armenian or Turkish. The problem is one of standardization, that the government has to make 1-2 curriculums that will apply to the entire island. But what if you took the money that should be spent on that child, and created a school voucher?

You can let people decide on which school they want to attend and pay for private schools with vouchers. This is not increasing costs, because the money would be spent anyway.

Private schools can be more tailored to a specific culture. This can help also regarding religious and cultural divides, which are highly polarizing in any society.

Private schools are consistently overperforming public institutions because it is a more personalized, culture-shock-resistant solution.

Conclusion

Overall, most school systems around the world were developed three centuries ago, in the context where most countries were mono cultural. An update is needed, to meet the needs of pluralistic and globalized societies.

We can make use of what we have. From online education aids to implementing English as a second language. Maybe, we even need to reconsider public schools in general and provide the resources for proper school vouchers and private education options.

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Promoting a single global language can lead to language inequality and loss.

Governments can promote native languages while accommodating diversity by investing in language education and multilingualism.

Language policies significantly impact a language's vitality, and governments should prioritize native language revival and linguistic diversity.

English is crucial for international communication and commerce, but native languages should also be supported in education and government.

Machine translation tools and multilingual databases can help solve language barriers and promote linguistic diversity.

Title:

Content: advertisement
Science News
from research organizations

Going beyond English is critical for conservation

Date:
March 21, 2023
Source:
University of Queensland
Summary:
Research in languages other than English is critically important for biodiversity conservation and is shockingly under-utilized internationally, according to an international research team.
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FULL STORY

Research in languages other than English is critically important for biodiversity conservation and is shockingly under-utilised internationally, according to an international research team.

Dr Tatsuya Amano, from The University of Queensland's School of Biological Sciences, led a worldwide study that investigated national reports on biodiversity conservation in 37 countries and territories where English is not an official language.

"Non-English-language literature is almost entirely neglected in global biodiversity assessments," Dr Amano said.

"This means there's a serious risk that the world's existing global assessments overlook important conservation science by ignoring non-English-language literature.

"For example, in the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) reports, only 3.4 per cent of references are those published in non-English languages -- a shockingly low figure.

The team found that non-English-language literature was extensively used in the national reports of most individual countries, but had failed to be reflected in global reports.

Dr Tatsuya said, despite the benefits of a common language, having diversity of input was essential to saving the world's species.

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"English has been used as the common language of science for decades and this makes international communication much easier," he said.

"But so much research in the biodiversity conservation space is still being published in other languages too.

"Ignoring it could be a big issue, as we often don't know much about what to conserve and how to conserve it."

The team suggest that further international collaboration is essential to developing more effective conservation science, and therefore more effective policy interventions.

"Our research project is a great example of how cross-language, international collaborations can lead to better scientific outcomes," Dr Amano said.

"We've collaborated with over 100 people, who are collectively native speakers of about 20 languages, to identify important science available only in non-English languages.

"The use of machine translation tools would also help solve this problem more broadly, but it still would require validation by human native speakers.

"And developing multilingual databases of relevant literature is also effective, just like we did in a recent paper, in collaboration with the Conservation Evidence project.

"With these approaches, the world would be able to use the best scientific knowledge available, regardless of the language in which it is published."

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Queensland. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

  1. Tatsuya Amano, Violeta Berdejo-Espinola, Munemitsu Akasaka, Milton A. U. de Andrade Junior, Ndayizeye Blaise, Julia Checco, F. Gözde Çilingir, Geoffroy Citegetse, Marina Corella Tor, Szymon M. Drobniak, Sylvaine Giakoumi, Marina Golivets, Mihaela C. Ion, Javiera P. Jara-Díaz, Ryosuke Katayose, Felicia P. S. Lasmana, Hsien-Yung Lin, Erick Lopez, Peter Mikula, Lucia Morales-Barquero, Anne-Christine Mupepele, Juan P. Narváez-Gómez, Thi Hieu Nguyen, Sá Nogueira Lisboa, Martin A. Nuñez, Diego Pavón-Jordán, Patrice Pottier, Graham W. Prescott, Farah Samad, Marko Šćiban, Hae-Min Seo, Yushin Shinoda, Flóra Vajna, Svetlana Vozykova, Jessica C. Walsh, Alison K. S. Wee, Hui Xiao, Veronica Zamora-Gutierrez. The role of non-English-language science in informing national biodiversity assessments. Nature Sustainability, 2023; DOI: 10.1038/s41893-023-01087-8

Cite This Page:

University of Queensland. "Going beyond English is critical for conservation." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 March 2023. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230321112517.htm>.
University of Queensland. (2023, March 21). Going beyond English is critical for conservation. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 24, 2023 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230321112517.htm
University of Queensland. "Going beyond English is critical for conservation." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230321112517.htm (accessed September 24, 2023).

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Language diversity drives social progress, so governments should prioritize language education and native language support in public services.

Title:

Content: Bauhinia Party _ Embracing Language Pluralism
Author: 01 Forum
Published: Updated:
Author: Wu Junfei
Last month, an old video recorded by Phoenix TV anchor Tian Tong was censored for discussion, which once again caused controversy in Hong Kong society over the use of simplified and traditional characters.
This incident shows that in the situation of the growing population of Putonghua and Simplified Chinese, the "biliteracy and trilingualism" policy has not been implemented in Hong Kong, not only has it not been enforced by the SAR Government, but also has not reached a social consensus.
In the new era of governance and prosperity, as Hong Kong is further integrated into the overall situation of national development, the central government hopes that Hong Kong will undertake a greater historical mission.
The future of Hong Kong lies in reform. The focus of reform is internationalization, and the key element of internationalization is linguistic pluralism, which is the way to deal with related issues.
A truly international city should have international influence on the outside and international elements on the inside.
The most cosmopolitan cities can be called “global cities ”, typical of London in the United Kingdom and New York in the United States. They not only have global political, economic, and cultural influence, but they also host immigrants from all over the world, and dozens of languages are widely used by local residents, demonstrating a spirit of tolerance and mutual understanding of the different cultures of the world.
The metropolises with the next degree of internationalization have some international functions but mainly play a regional impact, such as Paris, Geneva, Zurich, Singapore, Dubai, etc. They also have the characteristics of internationalization such as linguistic and cultural diversity of residents.
After the establishment of the HKSAR Government in 1997, the policy of "biliteracy and trilingualism" was implemented. "biliteracy" is Chinese and English. "trilingualism" refers to Putonghua, Cantonese and English. Putonghua is written in simplified Chinese, and Cantonese is mainly in traditional Chinese.
Many Hong Kong people can only speak simple Putonghua, which is relatively unfamiliar with simplified characters, and some people never speak Putonghua.
In most schools in Hong Kong, Cantonese is used to teach Chinese, but Putonghua is also provided for students to have the opportunity to learn Putonghua.
These are not problems. The problem is that Hong Kong ’ s language policy is not inclusive enough, which runs counter to the SAR ’ s goal of promoting internationalization.
At present, Hong Kong society needs to clarify the status of the official languages of English, Putonghua (Simplified Chinese) and Cantonese (Traditional Chinese), especially the status of Putonghua and Simplified Chinese in law, and encourage and even require primary and secondary students to master a foreign language.
The specific approach is not to force every Hong Kong resident to be proficient in English, Putonghua (Simplified Chinese), Cantonese (Traditional Chinese) and a foreign language, but to legislate that "biliteracy and trilingualism" are compatible in society at the same time, that is, to accept the legitimacy of Putonghua (Simplified Chinese) and increase its use.
For example, in the early stage, traffic road signs, government building signs, school signs, company signs, scenic area signs, etc., in addition to the existing English and traditional Chinese, the addition of simplified Chinese.
The acceptance of Putonghua (Simplified Chinese) is not only in line with the Basic Law of Hong Kong, but also an expression of Hong Kong ’ s obedience to and respect for the authority of the Central Authorities, and the need for the further internationalization of Hong Kong society.
China ’ s vast territory, large population and multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-dialect, only the use of the country ’ s standardized language and script, in order to reduce communication costs, ensure smooth communication, unimpeded dissemination of government decrees, and promote the development of economic, political, cultural and other undertakings.
Putonghua and simplified characters began to be promoted in 1956, reflecting the new civilization since the establishment of the People's Republic in 1949, and are indispensable communication tools and information carriers among people.
Mandarin and Simplified Chinese are international languages in themselves.
As of April 2023, more than 180 countries and regions around the world have conducted Putonghua Chinese education, and 82 countries have incorporated it into the national education system. More than 30 million foreigners are learning Putonghua Chinese, and the cumulative number of people learning and using Putonghua Chinese is close to 200 million.
Therefore, we can say that as part of China, if Hong Kong does not accept Putonghua (Simplified Chinese), then many of the benefits of internationalization will be lost.
At present, Putonghua (Simplified Chinese) is still despised and even rejected in Hong Kong ’ s education, executive, legislative and judicial systems, which is undoubtedly not in line with the trend of Hong Kong ’ s internationalization.
For the SAR Government, Putonghua (Simplified Chinese) is the language tool used by local governments in Hong Kong to understand and appreciate the documents and instructions issued by the Central Government.
If Hong Kong government officials are not proficient in Putonghua (simplified Chinese), it is difficult for them to understand the political, economic and social systems and civilizations of the national entity, and to accurately grasp the direction, principles and policies of the central government in governing Hong Kong.
An international Hong Kong must continue to raise the standard of English in the community.
For historical reasons, English is one of the most widely used languages in the world, occupying the dominant position of the Internet, and is recognized by the international academic, legal and business communities as the language of communication, has become a bridge to connect people around the world, playing a vital role in the development of human civilization.
English is the carrier of many research and innovation achievements in the fields of science and technology, culture and arts, and social science. English books, papers and reports contain the latest human knowledge and information, which helps people broaden their horizons and improve their ability to innovate.
As the most commonly used communication tool in common law countries, English has become a fundamental element in international financial and trade transactions.
Many multinational companies, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations use English as a universal language, and familiarity with English is an essential skill for people working in these institutions.
English is the official language of Hong Kong, which is one of Hong Kong ’ s international competitive advantages.
Maintaining and improving English is of utmost importance to the people of Hong Kong, whether it is for internationalization or for the development of science and technology.
As the inheritor of traditional Chinese culture, it is necessary for Hong Kong to continue to use and protect Cantonese.
Cantonese is spoken by more than 100 million people around the world and is the mother tongue of many overseas Chinese. Cantonese retains the distinctive features of the Chinese language of the Qin and Tang dynasties, maintaining the nine tones and most of the written pronunciation of the ancient Chinese language, and carrying the traditional Chinese culture that shines unique throughout the world. The Cantonese community generally uses the Cantonese pronunciation of the Old Liwan District of Guangzhou in the late Qing Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty as standard Cantonese. Cantonese has a lot of advantages over Putonghua, such as richer tone, and more rhythmic beauty when reciting ancient poetry; the pronunciation of near-Italian words is the same, but different, so that the pronunciation of near-Italian words is similar but different, easier to express; There is a curl, that is, there is no problem that "z, c, s" and "zh, ch, sh" are easily confused in Mandarin.
As the traditional carrier of Cantonese, traditional characters are undoubtedly the treasures of Chinese traditional culture, which can spread the beauty of Chinese writing and facilitate future generations to read the classical literature left by Chinese ancestors.
In addition to Chinese and English, the number of Hong Kong people who speak other languages is negligible, which is a shortcoming that Hong Kong society needs to make up for.
Under the international development strategy of Hong Kong, the community needs a large number of foreign language talents who can meet the development needs of major strategic areas and key areas.
After the baptism of globalization, coupled with the emergence of artificial intelligence, the core task of foreign language ability has been to play the role of language interaction, knowledge tools, to pay more attention to the cultural connotations, ideological connotations and value connotations behind different languages, so the instrumental, humanistic and ideological aspects of foreign languages are equally important.
Faced with no major changes in the world in a hundred years, Hong Kong calls on a large number of professionals with a global perspective, proficient in the use of foreign languages, familiar with international rules, and proficient in international negotiations to participate in global governance, actively disseminate China's ideas, publicize China's development achievements, and tell the story of China in the new era.
Therefore, in order to form a foreign language education structure, subject professional structure and talent training structure to meet the needs of higher level internationalization in Hong Kong, it is even necessary to establish a special foreign language college and international relations college.
In implementing the policy of linguistic diversity, Hong Kong can learn from Switzerland.
There are four official languages in Switzerland, including German, French, Italian and Romansh, and they are written into law, while the actual languages in society are more numerous and English is more mastered by most Swiss people.
All official languages of the Swiss Confederation (government documents, legal texts, official websites, major building signs) must be written in German, French and Italian.
Official documents issued by the federal government, such as ID cards, passports, or banknotes, are written in four official languages, with English on the passport.
At Swiss supermarkets, products are marked in three main languages, namely French, German and Italian.
In order to ensure that all linguistic communities are adequately respected, the Swiss Language Act specifies the multilingualism of the country, and the Federal Office for Culture promotes these languages and the culture associated with them.
Not every Swiss speaks all four official languages, and most people communicate in their own languages within their own language communities, but they never exclude the right of other language communities to use other official languages.
Language diversity is an essential element of a cosmopolitan city and an important driver of social progress. Only through continuous dialogue and exchange among residents of different historical and cultural backgrounds can we integrate and create a great city of ideas and creativity.
Both now and in the future, Hong Kong must embrace the values of globalization. Although globalization has suffered a temporary setback, the in-depth development of globalization is the future direction of the world. Respect for linguistic and cultural diversity can restart the process of globalization and ensure that globalization is not hijacked and ended by hegemonic cultures.
Chinese pioneers follow the spirit of "harmony but difference", which means respecting cultural differences and diversity, and achieving harmony through mutual communication and exchange.
While maintaining the cultural identity of the local Cantonese language in Hong Kong, we should pay attention to absorbing the language and culture of the Mainland, actively learn and draw on the excellent cultural achievements of foreign languages, dialogue without confrontation, communication without closure, compatibility without exclusion, learning from strengths and weaknesses, free absorption, harmonious coexistence, and common progress.
Chapter 66 of the Dao Sutra says, “The reason why Jiang Hai can be King of the Hundred Grain, and he can be King of the Hundred Grain with his good deeds ”, which is a truth that deserves to be remembered by every Hong Kong people on the issue of linguistic diversity.
Ng Chun-fei is the director of the Bauhinia Party Policy Research Institute.
The article is only the opinion of the author and does not represent the position of Hong Kong 01.
Please email us at 01view @ hk01.com.
Please attach the author ’ s real name and contact details.
If not applicable, no notice will be given.

The Tanzanian government is promoting Kiswahili through media outlets, including compulsory Swahili sessions.

Title:

Content: Tanzania: Plans Outlined to Ensure Proper Use of Kiswahili in Media

PARTICIPANTS to the second session of the World's Swahili Services have resolved to ensure that Kiswahili language is promoted, developed and spread across the world through various media outlets and institutions.

According to them, the National Swahili Council ( BAKITA) should form a social forum which will bring together journalists and Kiswahili experts to facilitate online training and reference for journalists in case of challenges related to the language use while at work.

The participants passed the resolutions at the end of the session held at Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) which was closed by Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Mwinyi

They also resolved that Kiswahili institutions should cooperate with journalists in forming terminologies and journalists should collect terminologies related to their field .

They stressed that terminologies related to journalism should come from journalists and Swahili institutions should provide regular training to presenters, especially local radio presenters

The participants also agreed that participation in the Swahili session must be compulsory due to a number of errors done by media stressing that each media outlet should have Kiswahili expert.

Other resolutions are head of journalism colleges, teachers and students must be involved in World's Swahili Services session which will be held annually in various areas. BAKITA should also be involved in formation of curricular for journalism colleges.

In increasing efficiency and ensure that Kiswahili provide an opportunity for youth to join various colleges, the participants agreed that admission forms must be written in English and Kiswahili as well as other services provided by institutions such as banks , courts , etc.

The session also involved the launch of an official Kiswahili online learn - ing tool, created by the National Swahili Council (BAKITA).

Dubbed Swahili Prime, the platform will see Swahili enthusiasts learn the language through the internet.

The initiative will also en - able leaders receiving their tutorials by certified Swahili instructors from the institution responsible with regulating and promoting the country's revered language.

Dr Mwinyi rallied media practitioners to pro - mote the language when com communicating to their audiences. "It makes us proud to see the language growing in leaps and bounds, most specifically with the huge support from theme - dia," he stated.

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Technology is uniformizing English pronunciation and improving fluency and correctness globally through artificial intelligence.

Title:

Content: How technology has evolved the English language

Just like any other language has a variety of dialects, English due to the influence of so many cultures has a variety of pronunciation.

By Atul Mohan

The lingua franca, or in other terms the language for communication that is used by speakers of other languages, owes its popularity to the colonial influence of the English Empire and later on was pushed by the rise of American culture. The expansion of the empire led to the inclusion of a lot of vernacular languages into the mainstream language which created an extensive dictionary and grammatical tweaks. Due to this, ranging from vocabulary to grammatical rules, we have been witnesses to the changes brought in the English Language.

With the rise of technology and the internet, English as a language has evolved multifold at a faster pace. With more people being introduced to the language and bringing in their cultural touch to it, English is not what it used to be a decade ago. Let’s understand a bit more deeply how technology has had its impact on the English language.

Technology and English

Just like any other language has a variety of dialects, English due to the influence of so many cultures has a variety of pronunciation. Technology has played a crucial role in creating a uniformity in the pronunciation. With this, the pronunciations, all around the globe, have been the same, more or less.

The role of artificial intelligence, in recognising speech and making the correct corrections to it, has made English a much easier language to speak and has led to more fluency.

Archaic English, as recorded during the times of Chaucer, and later on during the time of Shakespeare included a set of words that, if used today, may sound absurd to many. With technology coming into play we have also seen a rise in globalisation, which has helped us incorporate a lot of new cultural terms. These terms vary according to the age group, area they belong to, among others.

With an increase in technological innovations, the process of this constantly evolving language fastened and we saw the incorporation of a lot of slangs, which seem very normal when first noticed but include a lot of cultural backstory to it. The idea of bringing in abbreviations as part of note making in the English Syllabus itself shows the change that has been brought about by the usage of social media. We have seen technology seep into our language in India in such a manner that today, telephonic conversation, email writing, text messages, among others. have all become part of our syllabus.

The ease of carrying a device in our pocket has made communication easier and makes every tiny thing that peaks someone’s interest “trending.” This has led to abbreviations and new words becoming more common. English, as a language is seen as a great stepping stone towards success, however with technology playing a role in it’s advancement, the language has become more informal and accommodating. It has not killed the previous words or grammatical rules, but it most definitely has made expressing ideas more easy and presented us with an extensive range of words to choose from. If we don’t seem to find the right word, technology has also given us the opportunity to coin our own term and add it to the English dictionary.

Widely spoken languages like English are expected to expand and subsume dialects into it to maintain its popularity and relatability. It’s no surprise that English has changed so much from its archaic form, so much so that it takes hours for an individual to understand what is written without outside help. However, with technology being used by the masses, the language has been seen to change its form at a much faster pace. Today words like slay, binge, vacay, among others. have become common in our daily usage just how beautiful, session and vacation or holiday have been.

The author of this article is Head, Growth, ELSA India. Views expressed are personal.

Also Read: Schools, HEIs to celebrate ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ on November 15, announces MoE

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Globalization and technology are accelerating English language evolution by introducing new cultural terms.

Social media and mobile devices are influencing English learning and communication.

Technology is making the English language more informal and contributing to the creation of new terms.

The Vatican is promoting a digital detox and balance in social media use, while recognizing its opportunities for engagement and education.

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Content: Saturday, Jun 03, 2023
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Vatican's recent call to "Digital Detox"

In a refrain which seems to shout "God, not the Internet," the Church advocates for building healthy relationships with God and others in the community

June 2, 2023

Amid a toxic ecosystem where scholars have associated physical and mental health issues with overindulgence in social media activities, the Church has pointed to self-optimization, responsibilization and ensuring balance as possible panacea.

Contained in an 82-points Vatican document released by the Dicastery for Communication, the social media advisory situated everyday experience around media influence which touches on "Digital Detox" - A call to disconnect from media to recreate and reconnect with others and the divine.

The 28 May document entitled, "Towards full presence: A pastoral reflection on engagement with social media" signed by the dicastery's Prefect, Paolo Ruffini and Secretary, Lucio A. Ruiz employed "the image of the Good Samaritan, who tended to the wounds of the injured man by pouring oil and wine over them," as inspiration to charge people everywhere to ensure that their "communication [is] a balm that relieves pain and a fine wine that gladdens hearts."

Silence as "digital detox," loving along "digital highways"

Describing silence as "a precious commodity," the Church noted that "the impetus to seek silence in digital culture elevates the importance of focusing and listening" to a level where in educational, work environments, families, and communities, "there is a growing need to detach ourselves from digital devices."

It further argued that: "'Silence' in this case can be compared to a "digital detox," which is not simply a withdrawal but rather a way to engage more deeply with God and with others." It suggested that depression, stress, fear, loneliness could be mitigated if "the complementarity of digital and physical experiences that a human life and journey are built."

It taught that like the story of the Good Samaritan, the people of God ought to pay attention to "the digitally marginalized and wounded" towards humanizing "digital environments" where no one is "left behind." While noting that giant strides have been achieved in the digital age, the Church invites us to be "loving neighbours" on our journey along the "digital highways."

The dicastery acknowledged that tremendous achievements have been made in digital technology which offer us especially the young opportunities to engage with social media thus establishing "co-created spaces" and a "digital world" which have become "a significant part of" their "identity and way of life."

On digital culture and questions about a vade mecum (manual) for social media, the Church feels obliged to guide all towards a "witness to their faith on these platforms" through "numerous pastoral and educational initiatives."

Since 1967, the Church has underscored the presence of a "digital reality" which it further propagates through the yearly celebration of World Communications Day, the message disclosed underscoring that from the 1990s - 2000s, social communication has featured prominently in the Church's teachings.

Citing examples, the communication department disclosed that in 2009, Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged the shift in patterns of communication and concluded that they promote "a culture of respect, dialogue and friendship."

It held that Pope Francis pushed the argument further by seeing these platforms not only as "tools" but "spaces" where people accumulate knowledge, disseminate information, and develop relationships. On 27 March 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, "a televised and live-streamed transmission allowed Pope Francis to lead a transformative global experience."

Digital technology made the pope's prayer reach "the homes and touched the lives of people all over the world" the document highlighted.

An ecosystem of "integrated communication"

Inspired by how Christians should use social media, the document sought "to promote a common reflection about our digital experiences, encouraging both individuals and communities to take a creative and constructive approach that can foster a culture of neighbourliness."

It aspired to reimage the digital space where the promised land which the Good Samaritan desired is not a geographical location "but a symbol of something more profound and lasting." According to the document, digitization has debuted successes in education, work legal, and governance "beyond the limitations of physical space" thereby changing the face of global politics.

The ever-evolving reality is more visible in the new world of artificial intelligence where machine learning seems to have debuted a language of "onlife," instead of "online" or "offline" as in the words of Marc Prensky (2001) both "digital natives" and "digital immigrants" engage meaningfully.

Buttressing that "we are living in an ecosystem shaped at its core by the experience of social sharing," the Vatican canvassed for an "integrated communication" which consists "of the convergence of communication processes, social media" and "plays a decisive role as a forum in which our values, beliefs, language, and assumptions about daily life are shaped."

Clarifying this, the Church maintained that "In this ecosystem, people are asked to trust in the authenticity of the mission statements of social media companies, which promise, for example, to bring the world closer together, to give everyone the power to create and share ideas, or to give everyone a voice."

It wished that the digital world fulfils the dreams of young people who look forward to "a happy space of common understanding, free information, and collaboration" with the Internet as a "promised land" where they share information "on the basis of transparency, trust, and expertise."

Avoiding pitfalls, caring for the digitally wounded

In a world where some lack basic needs, such as food, water, clothing, housing and health care while others are affluent, the Church urged us to bridge the digital divide by building community. It cautioned against "pitfalls" in the "digital highway" such as a capitalist society where people are both consumers and commodities and are trapped by "terms of agreement" which forces them to pay "with minutes of [their] attention and bytes of [their] data."

The dicastery alerted all to guard against "aggressive and negative speeches" which "easily and rapidly spread, offering a fertile field for violence, abuse, and misinformation" stressing that such "pollutes the social media environment."

In the face of polarization and extremism, the Vatican called for developing a "'culture of encounter,' which promotes friendship and peace among different people" through learning from the Good Samaritan to end the "us" versus "them" dichotomy.  It "challenges us to confront the digital 'throw-away culture' and help each other to step out of our comfort zone by making a voluntary effort to reach out to the other" while stressing that we must "empty ourselves" to understand "that each one of us is part of wounded humanity."

We can overcome indifference, if we act as neighbours, reject the logic of exclusion, and rebuild a logic of community, the document explained while buttressing that our understanding of digital media should be "founded upon mutual encounter."

It stated that "as believers, we are called to be communicators who move intentionally towards encounter" just as we "seek encounters that are meaningful and lasting" based on "our relationship with God" which is "nourished through prayer and the sacramental life of the Church" and not "reduced simply to the 'digital' realm."

Listening with the heart, discerning social media presence

The communication experts urged all to learn from the one who had compassion (Cf. Lk 10:33) stressing that it is awareness and listening intentionally with the heart that can enable us to enjoy a true encounter with others and God.

Beyond engaging with others on the screen, it encourages all to connect with others behind the screen in a real and concrete manner by forging relationships, active listening and showing hospitality.

Moving forward, it invites the faithful to discern their social media presence by creating an "online neighbourhood" which knocks off "internet bots – deepfakes - and external authority" which truncates real encounters.

In line the vision of Pope Francis, the document called for a proper "examination of conscience" towards building "better digital environments" which reduce "hunger, poverty, forced migration, war, disease, and loneliness" while revitalising our relationship with God, our neighbour, and the environment.

Conclusion

In a refrain which seems to shout "God, not the Internet," the Church advocated for building healthy relationships with God and others in the community stating that such a communion requires complementarity in the world's current onlife reality where people are valued because they have "a name and a face" as well as "stories, dreams, expectations, sufferings."

Describing the trip to Jericho as "digital crossroads," the document charged all "to make social media a more human and relational space" where "concrete attitudes and creative gestures" assure that we would not be robbed or wounded in virtual-space.

It urged everyone to cultivate an "innate sense of fraternity, to be Good Samaritans who bear the pain of other people's troubles rather than fomenting greater hatred and resentment."

In "our digital media presence," and desire to heal today's toxic digital environments, the Church invites us to "'go and do likewise' and so promote the common good" in the sacraments especially the Holy Eucharist and as active synodal participants.

Like John the Baptist, the Church's communication directorate invites us to be "the mark of witness" whose "genuine presence in these digital spheres of human life" are pathways to perfect joy.

Justine JohnDyikuk, a Catholic priest, is a Lecturer of Mass Communication, University of Jos-Nigeria, Senior Fellow, International Religious Freedom Policy, Religious Freedom Institute (RFI), Washington DC and PhD Candidate, University of Strathclyde Glasgow, United Kingdom.

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Pope Francis views social media as a means to share knowledge and connect with a global audience.

The Koo app is enabling local language expression online in India, with growing Hindi usage.

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Content: Home » News » Politics » EXCLUSIVE | 'Elections Going Digital has Allowed People to Express Themselves in their Local Language'

EXCLUSIVE | 'Elections Going Digital has Allowed People to Express Themselves in their Local Language'

Aprameya Radhakrishna is the CEO and co-founder of Koo app, a social media platform based on use of local language. (Image: News18)

The digital push for the assembly elections has made it easier for candidates to reach out to their voters, and given a chance to indigenous social media platforms to grow exponentially.

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Qazi Faraz Ahmad| News18.com
Updated: February 05, 2022, 15:54 IST

Election campaigning going digital ahead of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and four other states have pushed not just candidates and political parties to amplify their presence online, but also voters to take more interest in their local candidates. The digital push has made it easier for candidates to reach out to their voters, and given a chance to indigenous social media platforms to grow exponentially.

The CEO and co-founder of one of India’s largest indigenous social platforms, Aprameya Radhakrishna of Koo app, a social media platform based on local language, spoke to News18 exclusively with just a few days left for the UP assembly polls. Radhakrishna talked about content in local language and fighting misinformation on social media platforms. Excerpts from the interview:

>You are the CEO and co-founder of Koo app. Everyone is curious to know how the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections affecting social media platforms, especially when it comes to an indigenous platform such as yours?

I think for a long time, the open internet has been about voicing opinions and it is now that people are experiencing true freedom of speech online. There are millions of Indians who aren’t conversant with English and, hence, weren’t able to experience online expression earlier. Our platform is focused on giving a voice to every Indian, irrespective of the language that they speak.

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Koo has enabled people to voice their opinion on different issues not only in the country, but their lives, and in a language of their choice. That level of freedom on the internet has never been felt before, and that is what we are enabling. Since right now, it’s the election season, people are expressing their thoughts, concerns and opinions about the elections, and sharing their dreams about the country. And all of this is happening in local languages for the first time.

>Do you see any change in flow of data and traffic during elections? What sort of traffic are you getting, especially from the northern part of the country?

Hindi is our largest community. We are the platform that has maximum expression in Hindi right now. We are witnessing considerable growth in numbers and ‘Koos’ being posted in Hindi. If you look at regions like UP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa — where elections are happening — the kind of time spent by users on the platform has increased. All of this points to the fact that everybody is getting a platform to express themselves in their local language. We are also giving political leaders a platform to talk to the audience of India in local languages for the first time.

>We all know how Covid-19 has affected our lives. But it has shown us that everything will be going digital, including election campaigning. Even the Election Commission has given consent to political parties to campaign virtually. How has that affected ‘Koo’?

Communicating digitally in local languages and reaching out to people — this is happening for the first time on a platform. So, for a person who wants to be engaged in conversations around the elections, there are definite spaces on the app. We have a tab called ‘UP elections’. People can go there and get the latest ‘Koos’ around the UP elections. They can also post their ‘Koos’ about issues they feel strongly about. So, all of this has been enabled on our app.

>One important aspect is that we all have witnessed is the flow of misinformation on social media platforms. How are you tackling that? Have you outsourced it to any third party or do you have an internal mechanism to keep a check on that?

So, we are a signatory to Voluntary Code of Ethics. We will follow the directions of the EC to limit any violation of the electoral code. Our intent is extremely high as a social media app of India, and we want to set the right examples for all else who operate in India on how social media apps must operate during the elections.

When it comes to fake news, it is a highly specialised subject. We always take action based on the law of the land. But we also work with other specialists good at figuring out fake news and we want to democratise it. So, if a user feels that something posted by another user is not trustworthy enough, we are moving towards a place where they can take that ‘Koo’ and submit it to an array of fact-checkers who will be listed on the app. They can provide proof whether that information is fake or real.

As a platform, we want to stay away from dishing out judgment. We want to be the largest opinion platform of India, and eventually the world — without having an opinion of our own. That means we want specialists or the right people to comment on what is fake or not, rather than us being the judge. So, we want to give the power to the user and to the people who are specialists in figuring out if something is fake or not.

>Which are the platforms you see as your competitors?

We are a true social media platform where every single piece of content is generated by the user. And we have formed a social network. And the network that is being created is for communication and expression in local languages. I don’t think there is anyone else who is doing that in India, and no one except ‘Big Tech’ is doing this globally. I think there is a lot of opportunity for us to use this avenue to include left out segments. Going forward, social networks will be built around local languages. ‘Koo’ is also a way for English internet users to communicate for the first time with people who interact in local languages.

>Other social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter are also offering content in local languages and features like translations. Do you see them as your competitors?

So, understanding the social media landscape is important here. Each social media platform is known for one thing — the kind of networks being created on their platforms. For example, Facebook is a network of friends and family. We go there to get updates from friends and family. Instagram is a place for all of us to connect with people posting lifestyle content like travel and food among others. Twitter is for thoughts and opinions, but it is a global platform focused on English. So, all English-speaking people of the world are on that platform and exchanging thoughts and opinions.

‘Koo’ has a specific use case — that is, connecting with people for thoughts and opinions in local languages. Nobody else is doing this. Hence, I say there is no competition in what we are doing. Another way of looking at social media platforms is if you are an open network or a closed network. For example, on WhatsApp, we connect with people whose phone numbers we have. It is a closed network. But ‘Koo’ is an open network. If you say anything, the possibility of someone seeing it is high. In the realm of social media, where every tweak leads to a new product, our offer to the world and to India is expression in local languages.

We make it easier even for English-speaking people to interact in local languages. I am sure that you have not created too much content in local language on the internet. It’s not that you don’t want to, or you don’t want to reach out to people. It’s just that there has never been a platform enabling you to do that. And that’s what ‘Koo’ does.

>Initially, there was a perception that ‘Koo’ is working in favour of a certain political party. Politicians of other parties were hesitant in joining the platform. But eventually, they all are joining now. So, how do you see that?

We were always a neutral platform. As I said, we are a platform that enables expression in local languages for everybody in India. We invite every single person in India to join our platform and express themselves. Yes, as you said, among different topics spoken on ‘Koo’ — which includes Bollywood, TV, entertainment, sports, cricket, poetry, religion and spirituality — politics is one of them. All political parties have now started adopting ‘Koo’ because we have a real proposition.

The proposition is to connect with people who speak different languages. It is important to talk to them and share their thoughts on the important issues of the country. That will help users understand each party and leader better and, hence, build a connection that has never been established before on the internet. So, I think what we are doing is special and unique. I want every single person in India, and eventually in the world, to come and use ‘Koo’, so as to express themselves in their local language.

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first published: February 05, 2022, 14:48 IST

The Koo app tackles misinformation with fact-checkers and connects English users with local language users.

Governments and independent fact-checking can combat disinformation and promote native languages on digital platforms.

Title:

Content: Rapid Digitalization Comes With Many Issues, Including Lightning-Fast Spread Of Disinformation – OpEd

By and

The era of rapid technological advancement and digitalization has interconnected the world, enabling the swift dissemination of information across borders. However, this digital revolution has brought about the widespread proliferation of disinformation, the deliberate spread of false or misleading information to deceive or manipulate the public. Social media platforms, algorithmic amplification, lack of media literacy, and malicious actors contribute to this phenomenon.

Disinformation impacts politics, society, and the economy, eroding trust, fueling polarization, and causing financial losses. Solutions include enhancing media literacy education, promoting independent fact-checking, regulating digital platforms, launching digital literacy campaigns, and prioritizing ethical AI development. To effectively combat disinformation, a collaborative effort between government, tech companies, and individuals is necessary. The challenge lies in striking a balance between harnessing the benefits of digitalization and countering the risks posed by rampant misinformation.

In an era defined by unprecedented technological advancement and rapid digitalization, the world is more interconnected than ever before. Information flows freely across borders and oceans, shaping public opinion, influencing political landscapes, and molding societal narratives. However, as every light casts a shadow, alongside the many benefits of this so called “digital revolution”, various disadvantages have also emerged, the most prominent of which, serving as the dark ‘underbelly’ of modern digital age, is the lightning-fast spreading of disinformation.

The ubiquity of social media, the rise of algorithm-driven content distribution, and the lack of effective regulatory measures have paved the way for the rampant dissemination of false and misleading information throughout the world, but what exactly is disinformation? Before discussing the causes and impact of disinformation, we must first establish what disinformation is itself. Disinformation, often used interchangeably with misinformation, refers to the deliberate spread of false or misleading information with the intent to deceive or manipulate an audience or the general public.

While disinformation is not a new concept, the digital age has exponentially amplified its reach and impact. Historically, disinformation campaigns required significant resources and effort to disseminate through traditional media channels. Much of the disinformation used to be shot down or ‘fact-checked’ before it would take off. In contrast, the modern day communication technology (such as the Internet) provides fertile ground for malicious actors to spread falsehoods with unprecedented speed and efficiency to a significantly wider audience (internationally) with little or no fact-checking and verification being carried out.

There are many causes contributing to the unfiltered spread of misinformation, the most prominent being social media platforms. Social media platforms, once hailed as tools for global connectivity and communication, have become breeding grounds for disinformation. The rapid proliferation of content, coupled with algorithm-driven feeds designed to maximize user engagement, has created an ecosystem where sensational and false information often outperforms accurate news. The echo chambers formed on these platforms further exacerbate the problem, as users are exposed primarily to content that aligns with their existing beliefs (no matter how outlandish or distorted), reinforcing divisive narratives and further propagating their inaccurate beliefs, locking the users in a cycle of confirmation bias.

The most common victims of misinformation through social media are usually the elderly and aged people, who often take the information on these social media websites at face value and lack the means (or education) to be able to verify the authenticity of the information circulating on these websites. Another major culprit of reinforcing misinformation is algorithmic amplification. The algorithms employed by social media platforms and search engines play a pivotal role in shaping the information landscape. These algorithms, designed to prioritize content based on user preferences, inadvertently promote sensationalism and emotionally charged content.

As a result, misinformation and ‘click-bait’ content often garner more attention and engagement than well-researched, nuanced reporting. This algorithmic amplification contributes to the viral spread of disinformation, drowning out legitimate sources and undermining the public’s trust in credible information. A person is more likely to watch a 5 minute video with accentuating visual and audio content rather than read a 5 page research report on the same topic. These algorithms further make excellent (although equally malicious) use of cognitive bias among people (by providing them with content supporting the same topic/lies over and over again), as well as take advantage of the inherent confirmation bias.

Another major cause is the lack of adequate education regarding the internet and modern day digital technology, causing a crippling low rate of media literacy among the population. The digital age has ushered in an era of information abundance, but it has not necessarily equipped individuals with the critical thinking skills needed to navigate this deluge of data (A library is useless to a person who doesn’t know what to read and when). Media literacy, the ability to assess the credibility of sources and discern between accurate and false information, is crucial for combating disinformation.

Unfortunately, many individuals lack the necessary skills to evaluate information critically, making them susceptible to manipulation by malicious actors. The most common culprits of spreading misinformation (through times immemorial) are political andideological groups (who may or may not be state-sponsored), who intentionally spread misinformation to advance their agendas, sow discord, and/or manipulate public opinion through extensive use of propaganda, bias, and outright lies. In some cases, this misinformation aligns with preexisting beliefs of the target audience and victims, making it more likely to be accepted and shared by them. This may be done by political parties to garner public support (and get more votes), or may be done by external states to sow discord and unrest in the target country and create instability.

This escalation of misinformation and propaganda has various outreaching impacts on various aspects of our lives, socially, politically and economically. Politically, disinformation can be used to sway elections by making false accusations and allegations on opposing parties, accusing them of unethical or illegal activities (such as corruption) and throwing dirt on the general characters of political individuals so that the people will not give them their votes, giving rise to political strife and turmoil. Misinformation can also be used to erode trust in democratic institutions, and it can be used to fuel social unrest domestically by external actors to create an opportunity for exploitation. Socially, it can contribute to the polarization of society anddeepen divisions among groups of people based on ethnicity, race, caste or creed, and incite violence among the different groups of people, fueling instability and social unrest.

Economically, false information can lead to financial losses, impact stock markets, alter consumer behavior, and damage the reputation of businesses. Furthermore, public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted the life-threatening consequences of the spread of medical disinformation.

Dealing with the disease of misinformation can be a daunting task, but it is not impossible. The pandemic of misinformation can be controlled and minimized (although it may be impossible to eradicate it) through a collective and coordinated effort from the government, tech companies, media organizations and individuals. The first and foremost action should be to enhance media literacy education, increasing both its quality and quantity, and incorporating it in basic education systems.

Promoting media literacy from an early age will equip individuals with the skills needed to critically evaluate information sources and discern credible information from falsehoods, as well as enable the individuals to assist others in discerning fact from fallacy. Secondly, independent fact-checking and verification (by individuals, organizations, or both) should be implemented and promoted on social media platforms that serve as the breeding ground for misinformation. Independent fact-checking third parties can play a crucial role in debunking false information and providing accurate context. A perfect example of this can be seen on the social media platform Twitter, where average users are able to provideverifiable context to information posted by other users.

Thirdly, the government should regulate the usage and flow of data and information on the internet and digital platforms. Governments can establish clear regulations for social media platforms and other online spaces, ensuring accountability for the spread of disinformation and imposing penalties on malicious actors. Tech companies could be forced to enhance transparency in their algorithms and take responsibility for the content they amplify, prioritizing accuracy over sensationalism.

Additionally, digital literacy campaigns should be launched, describing the dangers and risks of misinformation to average individuals. Governments, NGOs, and tech companies can collaborate to develop digital literacy campaigns that educate users about the risks of disinformation and provide tools for responsible online engagement. Lastly, with the most recent advancement in digital and technological world, and the widespread availability of artificial intelligence (AI), tech companies could prioritize the ethical development of artificial intelligence algorithms, focusing on minimizing bias, promoting diverse perspectives, and reducing the amplification of false information.

As the world hurtles forward in the age of rapid digitalization, the lightning-fast spread of disinformation stands as a significant challenge to the integrity of information ecosystems. To safeguard our society and country from misinformation and propaganda, both domestic and foreign, and to maintain and promote social and political stability, we need to be able to adequately handle and minimize the affliction of rampant misinformation. However, this cannot be achieved by individuals alone, instead it would require the government, the tech companies, and the individuals, working hand in hand towards eradication of misinformation through enhanced and accessible media literacy education, government regulations of social media platforms and increased accountability, and independent fact-checking and verification conducted readily on dubious and suspicious information. Only then can we strive to harness the benefits of digitalization in earnest while mitigating the risks posed by the unchecked spread of misinformation.

  •  Ali Abbas, Alumni, Department of Public Administration, FMS, BUITEMS
  • Mir Hassan, Lecturer, Department of Public Administration, FMS, BUITEMS

Ali Abbas

Ali Abbas, Student, BSPA (6th semester, Department of Public Administration, FMS, BUITEMS

Digital literacy campaigns and ethical AI development can mitigate disinformation risks.

Digitization influences language, affecting younger generations' behavior and vocabulary.

Title:

Content: Language, language and language, why?
Because it is the most influential tool in human action.
Can we say that language is the basic act and expression of humanity throughout history?
Yes, linguistic discourse, regardless of its different methods, purposes and objectives, is in the end a means of communication for any issue or subject; therefore, language was a communication performance transient to all things, whether in the world of man or other creatures.
Language is an act through which man can practice all kinds of creativity, and through which he can object and reject all the vocabulary of reality.
From this it seems that “the question of language is a question in its symbolic dimension and its many connotations, and if language as a human feature is a sign of the unity of man, the difference of tongues and the multiplicity of levels of speech is what refers to the multitude in it. A new dimension and unites under it in order to achieve human communication in the social dimension, especially since language is a symbolic structure through which we mean the world, and it mediates the relationship with the other either link or separation according to the ways of its employment and reveals my existence to the world as a symbolic entity and a linguistic existence so that the residence of man in the natural world becomes residence in the symbolic world.
Language has become an influential and central actor in all issues; it is a multi-purpose speech, language can form the consciousness and perceptions of many ideas, language is the only vessel that can contain and express any issue.
Language may be a means and it may exercise its powers over us and we do not know when it exercises its stubbornness and multiple powers that emerge from its structure full of significance.
In light of digitization and the transformation of language into an effective performer in the digital world, language can be a positive or negative behavior that exercises its powers over the younger generations that have become a vessel for receiving all that is thrown at them, especially in the consuming nations.
The link between language and psychology under digitization is one of the inseparable paths, and the communication of language to the mind cannot be separated from the influence of that language on the mind.
The young mind is facing a terrible digital linguistic discourse that is shaping it and building its vocabulary accurately in all aspects, behavioral issues such as autism, behavior modification and speech are all the products of a digital language that interacted with the structure of the flat mind – white blank – in which nothing but this digital language was engraved.
If this is the reality that seems around us, we need to immunize children and young people against the negative digital language discourse and error that seeks to destroy a range of important issues, including values and ethics, and the behavior of these children towards themselves and the society around them.

Digitization is transforming language into a digital performer that can interact with and influence the mind, modifying behavior and speech.

The Socotri language is struggling to survive, but technology and social media can help promote it.

Title:

Content:
Director / Editor: Victor Teboul, Ph.D.
Looking inside ourselves and out at the world
Independent and neutral with regard to all political and religious orientations, Tolerance.ca® aims to promote awareness of the major democratic principles on which tolerance is based.

The Socotri language straddling survival amidst the absence of technology

By Mariam A.
Socotra has long weathered the tides of isolation amid Yemen's shifting regimes. Marginalization has obscured its cultural identity and hindered linguistic progress. Today, Socotris grapple with sudden technological openness.

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Governments and technology can promote and support native language learning through social media platforms.

Title:

Content:
Director / Editor: Victor Teboul, Ph.D.
Looking inside ourselves and out at the world
Independent and neutral with regard to all political and religious orientations, Tolerance.ca® aims to promote awareness of the major democratic principles on which tolerance is based.

The Socotri language straddling survival amidst the absence of technology

By Mariam A.
Socotra has long weathered the tides of isolation amid Yemen's shifting regimes. Marginalization has obscured its cultural identity and hindered linguistic progress. Today, Socotris grapple with sudden technological openness.

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© Global Voices -

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Social media and digital platforms can stimulate children's interest in their mother tongue and build confidence.

Title:

Content: Chen Zhensheng: Resources such as social media entertainment can stimulate children's interest in learning their mother tongue
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Chen Zhensheng stressed that there is no shortage of environment for learning mother tongues, and the digital world makes it easier for people to access resources, and children have more resources to contact their mother tongues.
However, the key is to give children positive encouragement and build their confidence in using their mother tongue.
Education Minister Chan Chun-sing said that educators and parents can make good use of resources such as social media and entertainment programs to stimulate children's interest in learning their mother tongue and give them positive encouragement to build up their confidence in learning.
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Parents, educators, and governments can promote language learning through entertainment, social media, and digital platforms.

Title:

Content: Chen Zhensheng: Resources such as social media entertainment can stimulate children's interest in learning their mother tongue
Subscriber
Font Size:
Chen Zhensheng stressed that there is no shortage of environment for learning mother tongues, and the digital world makes it easier for people to access resources, and children have more resources to contact their mother tongues.
However, the key is to give children positive encouragement and build their confidence in using their mother tongue.
Education Minister Chan Chun-sing said that educators and parents can make good use of resources such as social media and entertainment programs to stimulate children's interest in learning their mother tongue and give them positive encouragement to build up their confidence in learning.
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LIKE Our official website for more information

Russia's government proposes limiting foreign word use to preserve the native language.

Title:

Content: Russian Federation
Moscow
+ 23 °
Society6 July 2024 14: 40
Only in Russian: in Russia it is proposed to limit the use of foreign words
Human rights adviser Kabanov: love of language begins with education
Kirill Kabanov, Chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Committee, Member of the Presidential Council on Civil Society Development and Human Rights.
Photo: URA.RU / TASS
The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Culture in early 2025 will submit a document to the government in which they will determine which foreign words and in what ratio should not be used.
It is assumed that this will help not to abuse borrowings from other languages, including in outdoor advertising, reports TASS.
The main idea is to orient society to national cultural and historical values, said on the air of the radio “Komsomolskaya Pravda ” Kirill Kabanov, Chairman of the National anti-corruption Committee, a member of the Council under the President of Russia for the development of civil society and human rights.
- The richest Russian language, unfortunately, is getting poorer.
Young people use it primitively, like all information space.
It is filled with simplified Western expressions, phrases, words, phrases.
But the question is that if we want to make our language richer, then we need to start with education, - says Kirill Kabanov. - And the question is that the love of language is not instilled so simply: they took and regulated.
Perhaps the very foreign words that the Russians displace will fall under the regulation.
- For example, documents should be understandable to any person who took them and read them.
And he may never have heard what a KPI is.
But as this global, important task to solve, except for education, I do not understand, - says Kirill Kabanov.

Technology and social media can strengthen and promote the Arabic language in the Arab world.

Title:

Content: During 3 sessions at the Arabic Language Forum
Participants in the Arabic Language Forum, which hosted a number of academics and youth as part of the International Government Communication Forum 2023, stressed the need to strengthen the role of the Arabic language in various fields of art, technology, entertainment and artificial intelligence research.
Language is not rules.
In the event organized by the Arab Youth Center ’ s “Arabic Language Youth Council ” entitled“ Zad Session Spoken the Way of Youth ”, eight young people presented their experiences with the Arabic language. Mohammed Al-Hassani, author of “Glimpses to the linguistic connotations of the names of the eastern places of the UAE ”, started the talk by pointing out that it is wrong to reduce the Arabic language in grammar, and grammar. Meaningful and fun.
Sara Abdi discussed the role of Arabic calligraphy and its aesthetics as a catalyst for the delivery of the Arabic language through art, while Fatima Al Ameri presented her experience, which was crystallized through the platform "Alam Futtaim", which she founded to facilitate the Arabic language and integrate it with workshops for training in handicrafts and arts.
Applications that serve the Arabic language
Ammar Soso talked about the Arabic language and the opportunities that artificial intelligence holds to serve it, and gave an explanation about some of the applications of artificial intelligence based on the Arabic language, such as the application of the automated problem, and other projects that are being worked on by UAE academic and research institutions.
“We can make the Arabic language attractive to the public by employing it in social media by providing Arabic content of interest to the public, to break the stereotype that consists of language and assume its difficulty during the study and teaching grammar in a non-smooth manner, ” said Amer Mohammed, the content maker and owner of the program.
Positive impact of Arabic content
For her part, Maisam Azzam shared her experience on the Arabic entertainment content industry, pointing to the positive impact of cartoon content in instilling a love of the Arabic language and attracting the audience of children and young people to consume Arabic-speaking content.
Not far from the world of entertainment, Sarah Ahmed talked about the Arabic comic, and the importance of taking care of the quality of the language in the manga stories that are preferred by young people and contribute to the formation of their culture and love of language.
During his participation, Ahmed Rushdan stressed the value and impact of competitions and reviving competition among young age groups through the experience of the "Arab Reading Challenge" and its impact on increasing the awareness of children and youth of the aesthetics of the Arabic language and the cultural and cognitive richness that characterizes it.
Searching for solutions
Alef Education organized two sessions in which Dr. Samer Zaghloul, Head of Arabic Language Department at Dubai College, and Alef Education speakers Dr. Aisha Al Yamahi, Advisor to the Board of Directors, Malak Obaid, Product Manager, Iyad Darawsha and Nouran Hayman participated. Mohammed Mashhour Al Saggaf, Chief Executive Officer, participated.
The participants in the first session, entitled "Measurement and Evaluation of Arabic Language", addressed aspects of the challenges facing the evaluation of teaching methods and curricula of the Arabic language and how to overcome them to ensure the increase of students' performance in language acquisition at a better level at all levels.
The final session, entitled "Teaching and Learning Arabic in the Digital Age", addressed the challenges facing teaching Arabic, available solutions and efforts to improve teaching methods, both theoretical and practical.
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