The following item from the Nairobi paper, East African Standard, was seen on AllAfrica.com at http://allafrica.com/stories/200707090535.html (and on lgpolicy-list). The poinnt about multilingual skills seems well taken, but the role of mother tongue skills as a foundation to later language learning could be more fully acknowledged (children who grow up bilingually tend to have an advantage for learning other languages, and the home language(s) are the logical place to start). It is interesting to read the pitch of this article in light of what Prince Kum'a Ndumbe III wrote in the article posted in the previous message (#876). Don
Kenya: Multi-Lingualism is Also a Powerful Tool for Economic Integration East African Standard (Nairobi) http://www.eastandard.net/ OPINION 8 July 2007 Posted to the web 9 July 2007 Linet Onyando Nairobi Many linguists have argued against multilingual proficiency (the ability to speak more than two languages) and only a few like Kesinger and Chomsky consider this a reality. The two say it is possible for a child to proficiently acquire and learn more than one language provided this takes place during the critical period. Though many linguists have argued against the ability to acquire proficiency in a second language after the critical period, the motivation behind the urge to acquire a second language is a key determinant in the ability to learn a new language at whatever stage. For instance, Europeans visiting Kenya have learned Kiswahili for the purposes of integration, while Kenyans on international travels have found it necessary to learn a second language. In the Kenyan scenario today, there is a great need for multilingual proficiency. This is purely in response to the ever-expanding global integration and instruction. Kenya has, in the recent past, developed a serious economic relationship with the Arab world. For instance, the investment of the Libyan oil company (Tamoil Holdings) and the signing of Bilateral Air Services Agreement (Basa) and many others likely to follow. Similarly, there are many other Arab countries that may be interested in dealing with Kenya. This might bring with it the challenge of what language to use as a lingua franca in dealings between the two dissimilar worlds. I agree with Ali Mazrui that there is need to embrace the cultures and languages embedded in various religions. For instance, the Islamic religion, which originated from the Asian continent, has its unique culture and language - the Arabic culture. In addition, it is a high time Kenya embraced Arabic and encouraged people to learn it for Arabs make a good number of inhabitants in Kenya. This will bridge the linguistic gap existing between them and the native Africans in the country. It is also one way of enhancing peace between Kenya and the Arab world. For us to achieve vision 2030, there is need to revise our language policy from the known norm. This is because we are diversifying our economy and expanding our investments into other countries that do not necessarily use English. Arabic, therefore, should be considered as one of the languages of diplomacy, trade, religion and social integration along with other major languages of the world. Since English is widely used in Europe, Asia, Australia, America and Africa; Arabic, which is used in Asia, should be considered to enhance linkage with the Arab world The functions that languages perform in Kenya are the key determinants of the level of proficiency attained in multilingualism. For instance, English is used as the language of official communication. This gives English a higher status, which in itself is a motivation for many people to learn it so as to become active participants in the society. It has, however, dawned on many that English alone cannot satisfy all their communicative needs, especially when dealing with people from non-English speaking countries. This has led many sectors to invest a lot in foreign languages in order to satisfy their clients. For instance, the Tourist Police Unit is currently investing in French and Spanish to serve tourists who speak these languages satisfactorily (The Standard July 4. As proposed by Mazrui and Sapir that language is transmitted alongside culture, the impact of English and its culture is felt all over Kenya. English has for many years been considered the only international language. Though there is much to appreciate on the Western Culture, some elements of it are not compatible with African norms. Presently the move towards the use of Kiswahili as an international language, especially within the East African Community, is a step in the right direction with regard to creating attitude change among the people. The challenge still remains at the global level. How many continents are Kenyans capable of interacting with without the need for translation and/or interpretation? I have to agree with Colman, who in his book, Language and Economy, states that the more global/widely a language is used, the faster the development of a nation because language transmits and transforms the economy. Language is applied in all the processes of economic transformation; for instance, processes of production are passed on from one stage to another through language. The big question is whether English, Kiswahili or mother tongues alone are capable of enabling Kenyans acquire technology and/or economic information from all over the world and disseminate the same to the local people and the world at large appropriately? I, therefore, come to the conclusion that Kenyans do not only need three languages but more languages that will enable them to effectively communicate and interact with the world. This may be best achieved by considering the major languages in all the five continents. The writer is a graduate in Linguistics and Communication from Moi University Copyright © 2007 East African Standard. All rights reserved. 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