There once was a primitive tribe in a distant land. One day, a team of researchers discovered this tribe and tried to understand its customs and culture. As the team of researchers went on to study the tribe, they realized that there was one particular word that was missing from the tribe’s vocabulary – Fear.
The tribe had a complex linguistic system and an extensive vocabulary at their disposal, but they did not have a word in their language for fear. The team found this to be an interesting occurrence and went on to understand the causes and consequences of this peculiar omission in the tribe’s vocabulary. The findings were astounding. When this phenomenon was considered through a socio-anthropological perspective it was concluded that their unusual ferocity in battle was directly interconnected to the omission of this word from their vocabulary. The omission of the word nullified the notion of fear in their psyche and enabled them to succeed in the fierce battles fought against enemy tribes. Their language translated into their martial culture, which in turn, translated into their survival.
Language is a window into a society’s soul. Through it we behold a culture’s histories, traditions, truths, deceptions, triumphs, trials, and hopes. It is intertwined with the social and cultural fibers that weave an identity that defines a society. Therefore, any society that wishes to retain its identity cannot forgo its language. As a global community, we must realize the need for a greater emphasis on languages and linguistics in education systems across the world.
Every language evolves over time and, as a part of its evolution, it reinvents itself and gains a fresh edge. This evolutionary shift in linguistic traditions is essential to the preservation of language. However, it is important that we appreciate each era of language for the unique flavor and charm that it offers. Just as we do not discard renaissance art just because we now have contemporary art, language in all its present and historical forms needs to be studied and appreciated. In fact, the learning of more than one language must be greatly encouraged by progressive communities all around the world. The knowledge of languages deepens our understanding of cultures, and in turn, equips us to be better global citizens.
In this day and age when we see the world shrinking into a global village, it can be viewed as a paradox that we are trying to unite as a human race, but at the same time trying to preserve aspects of our culture that sets us apart from others, such as our languages. This paradox should awaken us to a beautiful realization that we are at the threshold of achieving unity in diversity. Any culture’s quest to preserve and enhance its linguistic identity should be encouraged, and hopefully, in due time, we will hear a million voices speaking a multitude of languages, all resonating with the sound of humanity.
