Language: The Pride And Identity Of A People

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This is my submission to the weekly prompt by @JonicaBradley and @TengoLoTodo to join in kindly read the rules here

Language is the verbal or non-verbal means through which people can send messages from one end to the other. In the course of sending a message, there could be encryption which an alien may not understand. The reason why language is said to be the non-material content of a people's identity. To begin the search for culture or the identity of a people, language is a huge factor to be considered.

I hail from eastern Nigeria where the mother language is Ibo, from the Igbo ethnic group. My mother tongue is one of the most widely spoken languages in Nigeria where we have over 200 million people. I was born in Lagos, where the major local language is Yoruba, which is among the three major languages spoken in the country. I remember vividly that in school exams, I score distinction in Yoruba language. It is just an advantage because I could interact with the people here in Yoruba.

So, learning my mother tongue, Igbo wasn't too much a problem for me. I speak Igbo since it is the second language we speak at home after the English language. I schooled in Lagos, I speak and write the Yoruba language because it is part of the subjects we must learn in class.

My parents hail from eastern Nigeria so are my grand parents. In those day, while we visit our country home, usually in December for the Christmas celebration, my grandparents only speaks to us in the Igbo language. So, we had no choice than to speak our mother tongue. Our grandparents saw English language as the White man's language and weren't interested in learning it. They often referred to people speaking English as Speaking Through The Nose.

In all, language plays a pivot role in the development of societies and humans. As said elsewhere, language is one of the greatest inventions of man as a social animal.

Language And Mother Tongue

The place of mother tongue in the formation period of a child is very important to learning a language. This is one way through which the language ot a people can be preserved. In parts of Africa and other continents of the world, in some homes, local languages which mow referred to as Vernacular are not spoken. Hence, some languages have gone. into extinction because nobody is speaking it again.

Mother tongue is the first language a child learns as he/she develops to be a member of that family or society he/she belongs.

Unfortunately, English, French, and other international languages have taken over the communication space in international trade and education. To this, some nations of the world have made it mandatory that mother tongue should be the means of communication in schools. This has proved to be advantageous because development has been noticed in such places.

Every Language Is Important

There are over six thousand and five hundred languages around the world. And they are all by no means less important. English and Mandarin are the most widely spoken languages.

As of 2007, Ongota one of the least spoken languages in the world was spoken only by ten people. This could have been caused by parents not teaching this language to their wards from birth. This language may soon go extinct.

Here, no matter where you come from, your creed or clan, your language is important and you must not be too shy to identify with it.

However, do not undermine the power of language. Early civilization and languages are spoken had a lot to do with the identity of people. Greek, Hebrew, Latin we're among the early spoken languages in ancient times.

Literature And Language

Literature and language are inseparable. They are the same face of a coin. You cannot deal with literature without language neither can you talk of language with literature.

The early form of writing began first with the language before the spread of the writing civilization. The first art of writing was discovered in part of Africa, Egypt to be precise. There were also early forms of writing Mesopotamia in present-day Iraq where Iraqi-Arabic was written.

Literature and languages of different ethnic groups are being developed in higher institutions of learning. This is to explain why languages can be developed from two languages of the same root.

In part of Africa, I think the same for other parts of the world, inter-ethnic marriage can result in a new language or culture as the case may be.

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World Peace And Language

Global peace that is been threatened by differences in economic policies, culture, and political agenda can be bridged by one common language.

As human society keeps enlarging and new cultures evolving, the need to speak more languages becomes imminent.

In communities where one language is spoken, peace is relatively witnessed. Since language is a key to people's heart, international organization is using language to resolving conflicts.

In dialoguing for a peaceful coexistence among people, UNESCO has adopted indigenous language as a means for which peace could be reached especially in a war torn country.

Without doubt, language is an integral part of life of a people and for communication, business, education and international peace.