English is a gateway to the world and no one should be deprived of the opportunities that arise for those with a strong command of the English language. This does not mean that local languages are dispensable, however. They have an important role to play in supporting education, including English language education.
People who insist on prioritizing local languages are often those who can speak fluent English themselves. Advocates of minority languages need to be fluent in English in order to research their field and support the cause at international conferences. In doing so, however, they are also demonstrating why English is so important.
Learning English allows people to gain knowledge, communicate with society, further themselves as individuals and have a global impact. It is unfair to willingly dispossess people of this ability in order to preserve tradition. But this does not mean local languages can be forgotten or downplayed. People are more likely to succeed - not just at learning English, but in employment and education generally - if they are immersed in a community rich in history and tradition. Local dialects are a part of this tradition. Efforts to regenerate and celebrate indigenous cultures in recent decades have demonstrated that the preservation of local languages and the teaching of English are mutually-reinforcing developments. In this way, the local language serves as the bedrock for learning English, rather than being an obstacle in need of removal. Local languages should be taught at school. Employment for those who speak English as well as one local language.
I think it is important for everyone to learn English but I feel it is unnecessary to frame learning English and keeping local languages alive as conflicting possibilities. Each goal supports the other. We should focus on how best to develop both English and local languages in particular local contexts.
English is a gateway to the world and no one should
be deprived
of the opportunities that arise for those with a strong command of the English
language
. This does not mean that
local
languages
are dispensable,
however
. They have an
important
role to play in supporting education, including English
language
education.
People
who insist on prioritizing
local
languages
are
often
those who can speak fluent English themselves. Advocates of minority
languages
need to be fluent in English in order to research their field and support the cause at international conferences. In doing
so
,
however
, they are
also
demonstrating why English is
so
important
.
Learning English
allows
people
to gain knowledge, communicate with society,
further
themselves as individuals and have a global impact. It is unfair to
willingly
dispossess
people
of this ability in order to preserve tradition.
But
this does not mean
local
languages
can
be forgotten
or downplayed.
People
are more likely to succeed
-
not
just
at learning English,
but
in employment and education
generally
-
if they
are immersed
in a community rich in history and tradition.
Local
dialects are a part of this tradition. Efforts to regenerate and celebrate indigenous cultures in recent decades have demonstrated that the preservation of
local
languages
and the teaching of English are
mutually
-reinforcing developments. In this way, the
local
language
serves as the bedrock for learning English,
rather
than being an obstacle in need of removal.
Local
languages
should
be taught
at school. Employment for those who speak English
as well
as one
local
language.
I
think
it is
important
for everyone to learn English
but
I feel it is unnecessary to frame learning English and keeping
local
languages
alive as conflicting possibilities. Each goal supports the other. We should focus on how best to develop both English and
local
languages
in particular
local
contexts.